2018 Ford Escape Engine Problems

The engine began misfiring and causing the car to shake and causing an engine light on ignition, pulling an error code of P0304, pointing to an issue with the cylinders. Even after replacing all spark plugs and coils, the engine continued to misfire and cause the car to shake. When we brought it back to our independent mechanic, he diagnosed it as a coolant intrusion, which I've come to read is incredibly common on this type of engine from Ford. The engine has failed and will need a full replacement due to the coolant intrusion into the cylinders. With this issue occurring during a long drive, it put our safety at risk. The problem was confirmed by the independent service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer or police, just the mechanic. The warning signs that appeared were the shaking and engine light, though they did not point directly to the coolant intrusion, as those issues are often caused by things like spark plugs as well. The issue started occuring a week before it was finally diagnosed with the coolant intrusion.

NHTSA ID

11766386

Incident

Sep 23, 2026

I have a 2018 Ford Escape with a 1.5 liter engine. I am loosing coolant into my combustion chambers. I just learned that Ford knew about this problem but did not issue a recall. The only way to repair this is to replace the engine.

NHTSA ID

11766345

Incident

Sep 21, 2026

As I was driving my 2018 Ford Escape SE 1.5 liter EcoBoost on the interstate at the posted 70 mph limit, my dash warning center display said Cross Traffic Fault, Hill Start Assist Not Available, Front Camera Fault, Collision Warning Not Available, Blindspot Left Sensor Fault, AWD Temporarily Unavailable, and Speed Control (radar?) not available. It then felt as if my AWD was switching on and off while making weird clicking noises. My engine then began missing and running very rough. After a very short period of time, it completely shut down and would not start and I wasn’t able to get the all the way to the right because of impatient drivers passing me on the right as my vehicle slowed. I’m [XXX] and had trouble pushing the car with the driver door open while steering it. The road was slightly uphill. Fortunately, two men stopped and helped me push it off the road. After several hours of waiting on the side of the road I was able to get it towed on a flatbed tow truck. I had it towed to Brondes Ford in Maumee, Ohio and they diagnosed that it has the coolant intrusion issue. They said it needed a new motor and the estimate was about $11,000. I contacted Ford Customer Support for help with the cost and was told there was no Customer Satisfaction program to help me. She said I would need to pay the entire amount myself. I asked for her to have a supervisor call me and the supervisor said there was nothing she could do as Ford had made no accommodations for owners of these 1.5-liter EcoBoost vehicles (“open deck” cooling grooves block design defect) Which have a known extremely high percentage of engine failure. My Escape is still sitting unrepaired in the Ford Dealer’s lot as I’m hoping that a Class Action Suit will prevail to help those customers, including myself, that Ford chose to turn their back on. This known by Ford engine failure probability was extremity dangerous for me and could easily have cost me my life. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(

NHTSA ID

11766176

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

At approximately 64,500 miles, my Ford Escape was diagnosed by a Ford dealership with coolant intrusion into 3 of 4 cylinders. At the time of diagnosis, the vehicle was still driveable, but the diagnosis indicated a serious internal engine problem with the potential to cause sudden engine damage or failure. Prior to diagnosis, I noticed the coolant level repeatedly dropping for over one year without an obvious external leak, no other symptoms, and no check engine light. I first noticed the issue during an oil change, when a mechanic pointed out that my coolant reservoir was nearly empty and refilled and flushed the system. The coolant continued to drop afterward, and I monitored and refilled it as needed. Had I been informed of coolant intrusion and its risks, I would have been much more concerned. About a year later, my car began to shake a little. The very day the check engine light came on, I brought it to a mechanic where I spent over $2,000 on repairs related to engine symptoms, including replacement of the air oil separator/PCV-related components and spark plugs. One week after this repair, the engine light returned, and I brought the vehicle to Ford, where the underlying coolant intrusion issue was identified. I am concerned that coolant intrusion in the 1.5L EcoBoost engine may represent a safety defect because it can result in misfires, loss of power, engine malfunction, and potential engine failure while driving. This issue appears to affect multiple vehicles with this engine, and owners may not receive adequate warning before experiencing significant engine damage. In my case, the vehicle had relatively low mileage, was properly maintained, performed normally, and did not provide adequate warning that such a significant engine defect was developing. Although the vehicle was still operational when diagnosed, the recommended repair was financially impractical, and I ultimately had to sell the vehicle for scrap, resulting in a significant financial loss.

NHTSA ID

11765335

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

Went to get service for a misfire and found out about a well documented issue with these engines. Coolant intrusion into the cylinders leading to complete engine failure. Ford has known about this issue since 2010 and continued manufacturing with this known defect

NHTSA ID

11764791

Incident

Aug 26, 2026

Check Engine light turned on for misfire codes. Replaced spark plugs but noticed coolant in the cylinder. Found Ford TSB 22-2133 and TSB 22-2229. So i want to report another failure of these engines

NHTSA ID

11764743

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

My 2018 Ford Escape SEL with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine has only 12,770 miles. The vehicle experienced a misfire and coolant-related issue resulting in loss of engine power and a dashboard warning stating, “High Engine Temperature – Stop Safely.” Fortunately, this occurred as I was driving out of my driveway rather than at highway speed. The vehicle would not drive and had to be towed to my independent mechanic, where it remains. On May 22, 2026, the check engine light appeared. I brought the vehicle to my mechanic, but no problem was identified. When the light reappeared, I returned on July 9, 2026. The ignition coil and spark plugs were replaced. On July 27, 2026, the “High Engine Temperature – Stop Safely” warning appeared and the vehicle lost power. My mechanic subsequently identified a misfire and coolant-related issue. Importantly, on February 5, 2020, at only 4,259 miles, Levittown Ford performed Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 on this vehicle.(See attached) CSP 19B37 addressed the potential for coolant intrusion into the cylinder bores of certain vehicles equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. I recently learned that Ford subsequently established CSP 21N12, “Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion,” for certain vehicles that previously received 19B37 and later experienced coolant intrusion. This expired in 2022. I am concerned that my vehicle, despite having only 12,770 miles and previously receiving CSP 19B37, is now experiencing a misfire, coolant-related problem, overheating warning, and loss of engine power. Had this occurred at highway speed rather than while leaving my driveway, it could have created a serious safety hazard.

NHTSA ID

11764517

Incident

Jul 27, 2026

My 2018 Ford Escape SE 1.5L EcoBoost is actively suffering from the manufacturer defect outlined in Ford TSB 19-2375 (coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders). The vehicle shakes violently on startup, emits heavy white smoke from the tailpipe, and displays an 'Engine Fault Service Now' warning. Because it is burning through coolant, this vehicle poses an immediate safety risk of sudden power loss, highway stalling, or catastrophic engine failure while driving. My job requires me to transport vulnerable medical patients, and this severe defect makes the vehicle entirely unsafe to operate on public roads.

NHTSA ID

11764020

Incident

Sep 10, 2026

The engine is having issues. There is coolant leaking into the engine. Causing for the engine to shake upon starting the car. Issues that can come from operating the vehicle are overheating, fire and explosion of engine. I took the car for diagnostics at a Ford dealership and they confirmed that it is a fault with the engine that Ford is aware about but issued no recall. The check engine light first appeared on Saturday 9/05/2026 and that same day upon igniting the engine that was the first time that the engine rattled when starting the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11763165

Incident

Sep 5, 2026

IN 2022 THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED (DUE TO A FORD DEFEC CALLED COOLANT INTRUTION) THE MILAGE WAS 49000. THE MILAGE IS NOW 78825 AND THAT ENGINE IS FAILING DUE TO COOLANT INTRUCTION. AS A SINGLE GRANDPARENT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FORK OUT $11000 DOLLARS FOR A NEW ENGINE IF ITS STILL A FORD DEFECT

NHTSA ID

11763157

Incident

Aug 19, 2026

Error code p0016 came up and I started investigating and found coolant intrusion which was a known defect during manufacturing by ford. I was driving normally when the vehicle accelerated really slowly after a stop which could have caused a traffic accident if it happened while in traffic

NHTSA ID

11762592

Incident

Sep 3, 2026

There is coolant intrusion into the engine. My car became overheated and undriveable while I was driving. Ford knows about this issue, but is no longer addressing the issue.

NHTSA ID

11762273

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

I have a 2018 Ford Escape with the 1.5L engine with 108k miles purchased new in 2018. Noticed the car recently stuttered at times upon vehicle start up and then would smooth out shortly after starting. Check engine light came on, checked the code and it indicated P0301 which is a misfire on cylinder 1. Since it would run I thought it was probably a spark plug misfire so I made an appointment with a dealer to change the plugs. While traveling to the dealer the car quickly overheated and issued a warning to turn the car off. Luckily I was only a half mile from home and not on the main highway yet so I did not have to deal with safety in traffic. Had the car towed to the dealer and they diagnosed coolant intrusion into cylinder 3 and that a new engine would be required to fix the car. Cost will be about $11k they quoted. I am recently retired so coming up with that amount of money is a big hit on our retirement savings. After consulting with my wife we decided we really did not have much choice but to replace the engine, given the cost of new vehicles and being on a fixed income to not create a car payment (this car was paid off two years ago). I did notice about a week before this incident happened that the car was low on coolant in the reservoir so I took it to the place I have the car serviced to top off the coolant. When they opened the reservoir the coolant returned to the bottle and showed full. I did not want to overfill it so I thought since it showed full, it must be normal on these newer engines. This had to be the beginning of the problem, wish Ford would have said something earlier so would have known what to watch out for. At any rate, I will be out of $11k to fix this problem that I am finding out Ford knew about. Ford should step up and take care of this since it apparently has been a problem for several years. We have been a Ford family for 40 years but not sure I can recommend them moving forward. Truly disappointed.

NHTSA ID

11761740

Incident

Aug 28, 2026

Ford has known about a flaw with this engine and coolant intrusion. I have owned the vehicle for 5 months and they are refusing to cover the cost of a new engine. I know there is a lawsuit going on right now with Ford (21N12) This was my daughters first purchase that she financed and now she is on the hook financially for a vehicle that is not running.

NHTSA ID

11761582

Incident

Sep 2, 2026

Coolant is going into the cylinder. Car was starting rough and exhaust smelled strange. No warning lights came on. Service center reproduced issue. It’s an issue Ford has been aware of but hasn’t issued a recall. Now I need a new engine on my vehicle that only has 41,000 miles on it. Estimate is $10,000.00

NHTSA ID

11761551

Incident

Aug 22, 2026

The vehicle experienced a severe engine failure caused by coolant intrusion into cylinder #3, which requires a complete engine short block replacement. The vehicle became entirely unsafe to drive, presenting a sudden mechanical failure that put the safety of the occupants and other drivers at risk on the road. Prior to this catastrophic failure, the timing belt and water pump were replaced. The failed components and the vehicle are currently preserved and available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11761224

Incident

Aug 17, 2026

Engine light and cylinder four misfire code happened on Easter Sunday 4/5/26 while warming up in the driveway shuddered and stalled. I did not drive had vehicle towed to my mechanic the following day. Had vehicle towed 8/27 to the dealership where it was purchased (brand new 4/5/2019) at the recommendation of our mechanic due to the coolant intrusion and known defect. Was informed by the dealer today that i will need a new engine block with only 35,000 miles driven.

NHTSA ID

11761188

Incident

Apr 5, 2026

My vehicle a 2018 Ford Escape has a 1.5 liter Eco-Boost engine is has been diagnosed with a coolant into cylinder leak and is in jeopardy of seizing and causing a catastrophic accident. No one should be driving these Ford vehicles due to a good possibility of serious enjury or death.

NHTSA ID

11760412

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

Coolant intrusion the engine is ruined by a design flaw

NHTSA ID

11760360

Incident

Aug 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start immediately but started after several attempts. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where diagnostic tests were performed, but no failure was found. While driving 10–15 minutes later at approximately 30–35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was returned to the independent mechanic, where a it was diagnosed that the canister purge valve had failed. The canister purge valve was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the under-hood canister purge valve and the EVAP canister were replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed that the failure was unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 120,618.

NHTSA ID

11759723

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

Mileage

120,618 mi

A warning light illuminated, so the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. The vehicle has a history of receiving routine maintenance and repairs at this dealership. The 2.0L EcoBoost engine is known to experience coolant intrusion associated with its open-deck engine-block design, which includes narrow, slotted cooling channels—or grooves—between the cylinder bores. After inspecting the vehicle, the dealership determined that the engine block should be replaced. The estimated out-of-pocket repair cost exceeds the vehicle’s current market value.

NHTSA ID

11759378

Incident

Aug 24, 2026

I purchased my vehicle [XXX] from Suburban Chevrolet Cadillac in Ann Arbor, MI. Less than two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, my vehicle information screen informed me that the engine was overheating. My mechanic was able to replicate the issue and informed me I was the victim of a common issue with the 1.5L Ford EcoBoost Ford Escape engine that caused a coolant intrusion. I learned that Ford extended the factory warranty on the vehicle because of this issue, so they are clearly aware of it, but my vehicle was not under warranty when I purchased it used. The dealership told me they were unable to help me because I did not buy an extended warranty from them. Continuing to drive without repairing this issue could have resulted in severe engine damage, stalling, or complete mechanical failure, potentially endangering lives if it occurred while on the road. Because Ford has not issued a recall for this issue, I had to pay I had to pay $5,765.39 to replace the engine short block, inclusive of parts and labor, on top of what I paid for the car. The work was completed 11/23/2023. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11759008

Incident

Nov 22, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message was displayed to exit the vehicle immediately. The contact pulled over and called someone to add coolant to the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact was constantly adding coolant to the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant was leaking into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

NHTSA ID

11758440

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

Mileage

84,000 mi

2018 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the long block engine assembly. THis is a known issue with a Techinal service bulletin issued on 6/9/2022. My car has only 87,000 miles on it and will need a new motor because coolant is leaking into the piston and causing a missfire.

NHTSA ID

11758082

Incident

Aug 18, 2026

Engine coolant in the oil. The engine needs to be replaced. The cost is greater than the value of the car.. it is a known defect that Ford knows about, but will not do anything to repair or replace the engine problem….

NHTSA ID

11757086

Incident

May 11, 2026