Diagsheet

2018 Ford Escape · symptom sheet

Engine overheats or leaks coolant

  • 1165owner reports
  • 83,783median miles
  • $9,000median quote
  • 1involved a crash

Newest report Sep 7, 2026 · checked Sep 19, 2026

1416 of the 1,785 complaints on this car are about the engine. 1165 of those describe overheating, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2018 Escape.

Narrower sheets: Head gasket fails or coolant leaks into the engine (117 reports)

Tick what matches of 1165 reports

432
1114
127
278
382
174

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the head gasket (114 reports), the coolant hose or reservoir (78 reports), the water pump (18 reports) and the thermostat (7 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on the engine covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

26V-011Jan 15, 2026
Equipment:Electrical:Engine Block Heater

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Risk and remedy
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Escape

PE18-007opened Jul 16, 2018
Engine And Engine Cooling · model years 2013

Loss of motive power. Closed dec 27, 2024.

NHTSA summary
On July 16, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to investigate alleged instances of sudden stalling without warning on model year (MY) 2013 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI turbocharged engines. Complaints alleged that vehicles stalled due to engine overheating, resulting in a delayed or no restart condition. When the investigation was opened, ODI had received 40 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs). At this time, ODI has received 173 VOQs with five reported fires and no reported crashes. In investigating the incidents alleged in the VOQs, ODI revisited an apparently related recall that Ford had issued in November 2013 (Recall 13V-583). In Recall 13V-583, Ford recalled all MY 2013 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with the 1.6L engines, built from October 5, 2011, to June 2, 2013. This recall addressed potential engine compartment fires due to localized overheating of the engine cylinder head leading to cracks that can cause oil leaks onto a hot engine surface. The remedy was to provide several enhancements to the engine shielding, cooling and control systems, which involved recalibration of the powertrain calibration module and the instrument cluster system. The recalibration implemented a “Failure Mode Effects Management” (FMEM) strategy to alert the driver of a low coolant state and limit the power to the engine to prevent overheating to the point of cracking the cylinder head. The FMEM strategy includes a â€
PE13-003opened Feb 21, 2013
Engine · model years 2009 to 2012

Electronic throttle body malfunction. Closed feb 28, 2014.

NHTSA summary
On February 21, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003 to investigate allegations of electronic throttle body (ETB) failures resulting in sudden reduction of engine power in model year (MY) 2009-2013 Ford Escape, Fusion, Mariner and Milan vehicles. During this investigation, Ford identified a condition in subject vehicles equipped with 2.5L and 3.0L engines that may result in a sudden reduction of engine power.According to Ford, the ETB internal motor contacts may develop a high resistance material buildup condition on the commutator, resulting in intermittent electrical connectivity and reduced engine power. When this condition occurs, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) or Wrench light will illuminate and the vehicle may enter a limited limp home mode.Ford?s trade name for the feature is Failure Mode Effects Management (FMEM) mode.In this mode, engine power and vehicle speed are reduced, while full function of the power steering, power braking, lighting, and climate control systems are maintained.ODI?s complaint analysis indicate that the predominant failure mode involved reduced motive power associated with the limited limp home mode with engine speeds limited to approximately 900 RPM. Analysis of warranty claims provided by Ford identified 59,807 claims related to ETB replacements and approximately 50 percent of claims are associated with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle B
DP12-006opened Oct 2, 2012
Engine · model years 2005 to 2012

Electronic throttle body malfunction. Closed feb 21, 2013.

NHTSA summary
In a letter dated August 30, 2012, The North Carolina Consumers Council (NCCC) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged electronic throttle body failures resulting in engine stall or surge while driving in model year (MY) 2005 through 2012 Ford Escape vehicles. On October 2, 2012 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Defect Petition DP12-006 to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. The petition is hereby granted on certain model years. The NCCC letter cites two complaints of stall while driving in MY 2009 Ford Escape vehicles that were diagnosed as failed throttle bodies with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle Body Stuck Closed. The petitioner indicates that the owners of both vehicles reported experiencing repeated incidents of stalling and engine surging. According to Ford, Escape non-hybrid vehicles are equipped with Electronic Throttle Body (ETB) assemblies beginning with MY 2009. Vehicles manufactured between June 22, 2009 and October 15, 2009 may contain contaminated printed circuit boards (PCB) with plating variations. Plating variations could lead to a lack of continuity in the throttle position sensor circuit where P2111 and/or other DTCs would be generated and stored. Ford and its electronic throttle body supplier, Delphi, modified the PCB manufacturing process and issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) 09-23-5. Vehicl
RP04-002opened Jun 24, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling · model years 2001 to 2003

Engine stalling. Closed aug 31, 2004.

NHTSA summary
SUMMARY:THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT AFTER HAVING THE RECALL REMEDY PERFORMED ON HER MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 FORD ESCAPE, IT CONTINUED TO EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT STALL CONDITION.CONSEQUENTLY, SHE PETITIONED THE AGENCY TO EXAMINE THE ADEQUACY OF THE RECALL REMEDY FOR SAFETY RECALL 04V-165.ON APRIL 5, 2004, FORD MOTOR COMPANY (FORD) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A RECALL OF 321,903 MY 2001 THROUGH 2002 AND CERTAIN 2003 MY ESCAPE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 21, 2000 AND SEPTEMBER 11, 2002 AT THE KANSAS CITY ASSEMBLY PLANT.THESE VEHICLES EXHIBITED AN INTERMITTENT ENGINE STALL DURING DECELERATIONS AT VEHICLE SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH DUE TO AN EXCESSIVELY RICH FUEL-AIR MIXTURE IN THE ENGINE.AS A REMEDY, FORD DEALERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) TO A REVISED CALIBRATION TO PREVENT THE STALLING CONDITION. IN ITS JULY 23, 2004 RESPONSE TO THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION?S (ODI) JULY 1, 2004 INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER, FORD STATES THAT AS OF JUNE 30, 2004 THE RECALL REMEDY HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON 174,014 VEHICLES.ADDITIONALLY, ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF VEHICLE OWNERS (LESS THAN .1%) WHO HAVE HAD THE REMEDY PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLES HAVE HAD ADDITIONAL DECELERATION STALLING ISSUES.FORD ALSO STATES THAT THE PCM HAS TO ?LEARN? THE NEW PROGRAM AND THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT STALLING WOULD BE TEMPORARY.TO VERIFY FORD?S CLAIM, ODI CONDUCTED A RANDOM SURVEY OF 20 COMPLAINANTS WHO HAD THE REMEDY PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLES AN
EA02-027opened Sep 10, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling · model years 2001 to 2002

Engine stalling. Closed apr 15, 2004, led to recall 04V-165.

NHTSA summary
FORD'S AND MAZDA'S LETTERS TO NHTSA DATED APRIL 5 AND APRIL 9, 2004, STATE THAT THEY WILL RECALL MODEL YEAR 2001-03 FORD ESCAPE AND MAZDA TRIBUTE VEHICLES WITH THE V6 ENGINE BUILT THRU SEPTEMBER 11, 2002.DEALERS WILL ADJUST ENGINE CALIBRATION IN THE PROGRAMMABLE CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH IN ITS CURRENT SETTING, CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN IF THE VEHICLE IS DECELERATING AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN DUE TO EXCESSIVELY RICH AIR-FUEL MIXTURES BEING SENT TO THE ENGINE.WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, DRIVERS MAY NOTICE A LOSS OF POWER ASSIST FOR THEIR STEERING AND BRAKES. THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE INDICATED TO THE AGENCY THAT THE STALL IS INTERMITTENT AND CAN HAPPEN MORE THAN ONCE.
PE01-043opened Dec 7, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling · model years 2001 to 2002

Engine stalling. Closed sep 10, 2002.

NHTSA summary

None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.

What owners paid

175 of the 1165 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $6,400 to $11,000.

$6,400$9,000$11,000
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 55,000 and 100,000 miles, from the 607 reports that gave a mileage.

318
1719
1920
2121
5522
15723
33124
36525
19726

What owners wrote

“Engine died. Took it to a licensed mechanic and was told coolant leak caused total engine failure. Needs a new engine. Only 80000 miles.”

Filed Sep 25, 2023 · 80,000 miles

“I was having issues where my car was getting a code that there was an engine misfire occurring (PO302 code). I took it to multiple shops and nobody could figure out the problem. After extensive testing they finally figured out that there is coolant leaking onto my engine. I now have to repair basically half my engine and I have only had the car for 52,000 miles (5 years).”

Filed Sep 12, 2023 · 52,000 miles

“Vehicle has 45655 miles on it. Vehicle idled rough at start on 9-5-23. Upon driving at highway speeds check engine light illuminated. Vehicle was taken to repair shop the next day and was found to have coolant in the engine block and no coolant in the reservoir. No other engine lights are on no indicator for temp and temp was in the normal range.”

Filed Sep 8, 2023 · 45,655 miles

“Last week, I noticed that my vehicle was not driving the same. It was like jerking a little. I called and made an appointment with Ford service department. They did a diagnostic and said coolant was leaking into the engine. The car has a little over 72,000 miles on it. I looked at saw other Escapes had the same problem. I am writing to add to other complaints concerning the engine. Thank you.”

Filed Sep 8, 2023 · 72,000 miles

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 1 of 1165 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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