2018 Ford Escape Complaint Log

I have a 2018 Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost purchased on 2/2/18. On 9/17/25, after starting the car I noticed that it idled very rough when I put it in gear, but drove fine afterward. This behavior continued to happen over the next week when I also noticed strong smelling white exhaust/smoke coming from the car while I was still in the garage. On 9/23/25 the Service Engine Soon light came on shortly after I started driving. I took the car in for diagnostic testing to my Ford dealer on 9/25/25 and the coolant intrusion issue was identified with codes P0302 and P0316. Because I will not be replacing the engine long block (quoted at $10,570 + tax)--the car is past even the Ford extended warranty of 7yr/84,000mi with 85,721 miles when diagnosed--I was told I need to watch the coolant, that I can drive the car, but that the engine will eventually burn out. I was referred to TSB 22-2322 to read more about the problem, but no fix was offered. With no resolution, this Escape is a timebomb that will eventually experience total engine failure and/or engine fire.

To whom it may concern, I am writing to express my deep frustration regarding a serious issue with my Ford vehicle. My vehicle recently displayed code P0302 – Misfire Cylinder 2, which has been diagnosed as coolant intrusion into the cylinder. The recommended repair is a replacement long block, along with new hardware and seals. This is a known issue with certain Ford engines — one that Ford previously covered under warranty or service campaigns prior to 2023. My vehicle has fewer than 60,000 miles, yet it has suffered a major engine failure clearly tied to a manufacturing defect. Ford and even U.S. government agencies are aware of this widespread issue. Unfortunately, Ford is now refusing to take responsibility for a defect they have long known about. It’s extremely disappointing to see such disregard for loyal customers. This experience has completely eroded my trust in Ford. It’s clear why so many Americans are turning to foreign manufacturers — companies that take accountability and fix known problems instead of ignoring them. I will never purchase a Ford again, and I will be sharing my experience so that others are aware of how these issues are being handled.

The car was serviced in 8/2022 after warning light came on leaving wife stranded while on nursing call. Towed to Ford dealership. Changed spark plugs @ 40,000 miles. Same issue repaired at local shop in 5/2025 @ 86,000 miles. Same issue @ 92,000 miles 9/2025. Diagnosed by Ford dealer to be coolant intrusion. Ford refuses to correct. This engine has known defects and has stopped in traffic which is a possible safety hazard.

I’ve seen others report on the same issues and hopefully this brings something up for a recall. At first it was a misfire in the engine, and oil getting into the spark plugs. Then coolant leaking. Then overheating. I looked into the codes and took it into the shop and it’s going to cost me 8-12,000 to fix due to the same issue that other people all seem to be having.

Driver rear-ended another car, the airbags did not deploy. The cars passenger front was damaged, the front end frame was bent, and the car is deemed totaled. Driver hit steering wheel.

Known issue with coolant system. Car is overheating and caused a problem with my engine block. It is a known issue with these vehicles. Ford did a customer satisfaction program (21N12) to fix it for free but only up to 7 years or so many miles. The problem is that I wasn't made aware that this could ever possibly be an issue so how was I supposed to get it fixed with no knowledge of the problem. Now I'm having to pay out of pocket to get it fixed because of Ford's poor design and lack of care for their shoddy product. Fixing this issue will cost thousands, not to mention having to miss work because my car overheated. Which could possibly end up getting me fired. Ford needs to be held accountable for selling poorly made product and not even helping when it falters. My family and I have purchased Ford vehicles for decades but this will probably be the last of that tradition if they can't even be responsible for their own mistakes.

So this morning as soon as I started my 2018 Ford escape up and instantly temp gauge went to hot and threw up a sign stating high temp. Safely stop . I turned it off . And I started googling what was happening and upon doing some searching I started seeing multiple people complaining about the same things that I have going on as well with their 2018 Ford escape having the same problem with their spark plugs and coil packs also they said that they have misfiring in certain cylinders which mine have been in 1 and 3 some of theirs were 2 and 3 also read that the coolant system could be faulty and leaking ( which makes sense on after the car was turned off from driving the night before I heard bubbling sounds and what sounded like a faucet leaking water ) and the leaking could be making it go into where the spark plugs go into . And it could damage the engine. Also I had white smoke that came out of the tail pipe two or three times and it also spoke about the coolant making it's way to the head gasket possibly and all these that I've have read online are just like what ive have been having problems with and identical for the last week or two.and there are quite a bit of people on the Internet complaining these same events going on and no body has found and or not reported of finding any solutions to the problems .

Check engine light came on and started running rough and shaking at times. Took to dealership who found P0302 code. They performed a number of tests and eventually used a boroscope to inspect Cylinder 2 and found severe coolant intrusion. They advised engine replacement…for over $11,000. I see this is a common problem for Ford Escapes.

The vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure due to a known defect in Ford’s 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine (coolant intrusion into the cylinders). The component that failed was the engine itself, specifically internal cylinder damage caused by coolant leaking into combustion chambers. The vehicle is in my possession and available for inspection upon request. The failure created a serious safety risk. Prior to the engine failure, the vehicle began stalling at low speeds, idling roughly, losing power, and the check-engine light came on. The stalling occurred while driving, which could have caused an accident in traffic. The engine ultimately became inoperable. The issue was evaluated and confirmed by an independent repair facility: Dobbs Tire & Auto in Eureka, MO, on September 18, 2025. They diagnosed complete engine failure and stated it was consistent with the widely reported coolant-intrusion defect affecting this engine type. Replacement cost was quoted at approximately $11,000. The vehicle has NOT been inspected directly by Ford, but the defect is documented in Ford’s own Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 22-2229). According to the TSB and Ford’s internal guidance, coolant intrusion can cause misfires, stalling, and eventual engine seizure. The mileage at failure (110,764) placed the vehicle outside the limited mileage window in which Ford sometimes performs goodwill replacements. Before failure, the warning indicators included: • Check engine light illuminating • Intermittent stalling • Rough idle • Noticeable loss of power These symptoms began within only a few weeks of purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle is currently inoperable. It cannot be driven safely and cannot be titled due to additional issues with the title that were discovered afterward.

FORD DESIGN FLAW IN 1.5 ECOBOOST ENGINE IN A 2018 ESCAPE WITH 91K MILES CAUSING WATER INTRUSION INTO CYLINDER WHICH CAUSES ENGINE TO RUN DANGEROUSLY BAD. FORD KNEW OF DESIGN FLAW BUT NEGLECTED ISSUE RECALL BUT DID ISSUE CSP 21N12 FORD WILL NOT ASSIST BECAUSE OF ENDING PROGRAM IN LATE 2022.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 65,000.

There is coolant intrusion that is a known issue with this model. Coolant is leaking into cylinder 1, which has damaged the engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he and one of his friends observed white smoke coming from the tailpipe. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #2. The spark plugs, coil pack, and valve cover gasket were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred four days later, and the check engine warning light illuminated with the message "Engine Fault - Service Now" message was displayed. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

Check engine light came on and car started to shake. Took to Ford dealership and they said the coolant leaked into the engine. If I was driving, something bad could've happened.

While accelerating onto a 70 mph highway via an on-ramp, my vehicle suddenly began to misfire severely, resulting in a dramatic loss of power. It was unable to climb the incline. I immediately activated the emergency flashers, but vehicles approaching from behind at highway speeds were forced to brake abruptly and swerve to avoid a collision. Fortunately, I was able to safely exit via the next off-ramp. During the misfire, the check engine light began flashing on the dashboard. A few months prior, a warning light appeared at startup. Diagnostic code P0302 indicated a misfire in Cylinder 2 during the first 1,000 revolutions. The recommended fix was to replace the spark plugs and ignition coils. I had all spark plugs replaced, and the plug in Cylinder 2 was notably fouled. I also topped off the coolant at that time. Approximately a month later, I checked the coolant again and found it nearly depleted. I refilled it, but there were no visible signs of leakage—no smoke, and the oil appeared normal. Then came the highway incident. Afterward, a mechanic diagnosed a significant coolant leak into Cylinder 2 using a scope. A new $12k engine(w/labor) is required! Further research revealed this is a well-documented and chronic issue tied to a manufacturing defect in Ford’s 1.5L EcoBoost engines (and others). Numerous class action lawsuits have been filed, and Ford previously issued bulletin 21N12 for a one-time repair—now discontinued. Ford is fully aware of this defect. I am grateful that the vehicles behind me were able to avoid a crash, and that I am here today to share this experience. Every mechanic I consulted confirmed that this issue is widely known, and expressed frustration that Ford has not taken responsibility.  Why must we wait for a catastrophic event or loss of life before Ford acknowledges the severity of this defect? Recently, Ford recalled a backup camera—yet faulty engines that can fail at highway speeds receive no such action. Lives are at risk!

Transmission slips and transmission fault error alerts while driving. VIN # doesn’t come up when searching the NHTSA recall # 22S43 involving the faulty shift cable bushing effecting Ford Escapes 2013-2019. While my car isn’t listed on the recall it seems I’m having the same issues.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into gear properly, with the transmission warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse and was unable to operate while in reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Our 2018 ford escape was experiencing rough idle with no indicator light. Left work one day and the engine light came on. I took it to a local shop they read the computer and said that we had low coolant levels and that we have coolant intrusion into cylinders and needed a new short block. This is a well known defect in these motors.This poses a great safety risk to the automobile as the engine can seize going down the road making the automobile totally inoperable. The 2018 escape was taken to the ford dealer, the dealership applied for financial assistance with the repair and we were denied by Ford. The escape had 63,500 miles at the time of failure. We paid for repair out of our pockets. It cost us 5,272.01. This is a huge expense for us considering so few miles on the motor. This Escape is out of warranty, but this is a defect and should be recalled.

Component or System: Engine – Coolant intrusion into the combustion chamber (cylinder 2). The vehicle and documentation (dealer diagnostic report, photos) are available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Coolant intrusion causes engine misfires, loss of power, and rapid coolant loss, which can lead to sudden engine stalling or hydrolock at highway speeds. A stall could result in loss of power steering and braking assist, creating a serious crash risk for occupants and others on the road. Confirmation: The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a Ford dealership using a borescope inspection. Inspection: A Ford dealership service department has inspected the vehicle. They confirmed coolant pooling in cylinder 2. Warning Signs: The check engine light first appeared in early July 2025 with a misfire on cylinder 2. Spark plugs and other components were replaced, but the issue returned within two weeks. The engine misfired, produced white exhaust smoke, and lost coolant over time.

I was crossing the road and the suv just stopped. I’m stuck in the middle of a busy road. Luckily I had help to get the car across. The SUV would not start up again.

My 2018 Ford Escape was sputtering one morning and I realized the oil was dark and almost gone. I took it for an oil change and they discovered there wasn’t coolant in the reservoir. But that didn’t solve the issue. The vehicle shut down and I was left in the middle of the road until I could get help. I took it to the shop and I was told coolant had leaked into the cylinders and the I would be needing a head gasket and short block. I called Ford customer service and I was made aware that is is an issue with the 2018 ford escape ecoboost. But they were unable to help me because 21N12 has expired.

Coolant intrusion due to bad engine built. I was driving and the car stated it was overheating. Had to hurry and pull over on a highway with my children in the car. Started smelling like something was burning. I had just had a full work up on my car in July. No warning lights on my vehicle. It’s currently at a ford dealership and they will not cover the costs for a new engine which is needed.

Coolant intrusion due to faulty manufactured engine. Which they are well aware of and won’t do anything to help fix an issue that many people are dealing with. Getting quoted over $12000 to for a new engine.

I lost engine power trying to accelerate while entering the highway. Check Engine light flashed several times then went steady. I pulled over into the emergency lane and shut the car off. It did start again but with reduced power to get off the highway. The Check Engine light stayed on steady. This is apparently part of a known issue with the 1.5l GTDI engine. There was a Technical Service Bulletin created for it 22-2322 and a Customer Service Program fix was set up- 21N12

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 20-25 MPH, an alert indicating engine failure was displayed, along with the “Service Now” message. The vehicle was on the verge of overheating, with the temperature gauge showing an excessively high temperature reading. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir to address the issue temporarily. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The mechanic recommended an engine replacement; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that a prior Customer Satisfaction Program had expired. The manufacturer also confirmed that there was no recall coverage for this issue and offered no additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Engine failure due to coolant intrusion design defect that Ford DID NOT pay for it. Even though, since Match 1, 2025, there have been over 320 complaints regarding this issue. NHTSA should communicate to Ford, these vehicles should be recalled!

I was advised to have the coolant flushed in our 2018 Ford Escape in July of 2025 by VIP in Concord NH while an oil change was being performed. Took vehicle to Nucar in Concord, the tech advised that the coolant was low and would not pressurize, they kept the vehicle overnight, it did in fact keep pressurization overnight. Made an appointment on 07/25/2025 to make sure the coolant was at an acceptable level, the tech advised all good. It is now September of 2025, took car out on SaturdAY [XXX] to run errands, got 2 miles down the road, vehicle starting running extremely rough, sort of bucking like it wanted to stall. Got it home and parked it there until I call Nucar in Tilton NH (Ford Dealer), car was towed on 09/04/2025, they confirmed we need a new engine. After market warrant company AAC Warranty is stating this is going to cost us hundreds if not thousands of dollars to replace! There are many documented cases of Ford Escapes having coolant issues due to poor engine design, Ford needs to honor these fixes and offer guests a solution so they are not out a lot of money! At this point we may not be able to afford the fix and have to junk the vehicle and still pay our monthly car payment! I will not rest until this fix is honored, it is not fair to the consumer to have a vehicle that is not save, when FORD is too cheap to honor the fixes! They received their money when we bought the vehicle, now we could potentially be out hundreds if not thousands of dollars due to this known issue. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Had a lot of knocking in the engine on startup and sometimes driving down the road. Engine check light went on, used code reader to diagnose and it said misfire on cylinder 2. Replaced spark plugs and ignition coils to solve problem. Ran well for about a week, week and half before had the same issues pop up again. Then all of the sudden I’m driving down the road and the temp spikes in the engine and warning light comes on about car overheating and to pull off the road . I was on the highway so I let off the gas and the temp came right back down. Took the car to a Tire Kingdom to get it checked out and the coolant is almost all gone, it’s leaked back into the engine and the head gasket needs replaced. Call Ford to see if they would cover service and the dealer and Ford corporate both said it would not be covered, despite TSBs being out about this issue.

Sudden loss of compression on a cylinder lead to loss of all power and engine failure on the highway. A Google search reported this as a known issue with the 1.5L turbos in the 2017-2019 model year Escapes. I took my car in to the Ford dealership and was instructed to open a claim with Ford Corporate and to request financial assistance for an engine replacement. Ford is very well aware of this issue where the engines suddenly pull all the coolant into the engine and cause engine failure. Ford has been offering financial assistance to replace these engines apparently trying to avoid a recall. At the local Ford dealership, this is such a known issue that they are keeping a long block and short block in stock at all times.

My 2018 Ford Escape 1.5L Ecoboost experience rough starts for about a week. Then on the highway the engine temperature gage shot all the way to hot, the check engine light began flashing, and the vehicle started rumbling. We parked and had the vehicle towed. The mechanic diagnosed the problem as coolant intrusion into the cylinder. It has cracked the engine block. This issue is known to be a problem by Ford. The dealership mechanic knew what the problem just from the make, model, and year. Ford released a letter to all dealerships to attempt a computer repair in 2022, apparently to buy time as they knew there were going to be issues as these vehicles aged. The letter suggests that Ford and the Dealers are to contact anyone who purchased these vehicles. We were not contacted. We have contacted Ford and their customer service representatives say that Ford has a Customer Satisfaction Program, 21N12, in place to fix these vehicles, but it "is not attached to our VIN" and there is nothing they can do. When you ask for a supervisor, they call from a Toll Free Number after 8:00pm and tell you the same thing. "That program isn't attached to your VIN" and there is nothing they can do about it.

The contact's son owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to pull into the nearby parking lot and parked the vehicle. It was unknown whether the vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket had failed, causing coolant intrusion into the engine and engine damage. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that it was a common failure. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 67,700.

In 2021 my engine was replaced by the dealership I purchased it from, with a manufacturer made engine. The issue was that the coolant was leaking into the cylinders causing the engine to overheat which is a potential risk of fires. It was under warranty for 5 years or 50K miles whichever came first. Today, I was notified by the dealership that my engine needs to be replaced AGAIN for the SAME ISSUE as 4 years ago. Coolant leaking into cylinder causing misfire. I was charged $1400 for repairs that DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ISSUES. Ford is now telling me there is nothing they can do for me and my car is safe to drive so long as I keep it filled with coolant.

Coolant leaking into engine. Check engine light on. Codes p0302, p0316, u0140. I was told by the ford dealership that ran codes that the only correction for the issue is a full long block replacement.

Ford Recall 21N12 – Coolant Intrusion Issue Affected Vehicles: Ford Escape (2017–2019) built between 9/17/15 – 4/9/19 Ford Fusion (2017) built between 10/1/15 – 10/16/15 Ford Fusion (2017–2019) built between 10/6/15 – 6/10/19 Issue: Coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, causing engine misfires. I am writing regarding my 2018 Ford Escape, which falls within the production window affected by recall 21N12. My vehicle is in excellent condition with low mileage (87,050 miles). In August, I experienced a noticeable engine shutter and took the vehicle to an authorized Ford dealer. After inspection, the dealer confirmed that the engine was affected by the known coolant intrusion issue and that the solution required a complete engine block replacement — quoted at $11,000. Unfortunately, I was informed that my vehicle falls just outside Ford’s extended warranty coverage (7 years or 84,000 miles) for this issue. I find this extremely disappointing, as this is a known manufacturing defect that affects a broad range of vehicles, and Ford has chosen to draw an arbitrary line, rather than taking full responsibility for all impacted vehicles. I contacted Ford’s customer service and complaint department both by phone and in writing. Despite my explanation and supporting documentation, Ford refused to offer any assistance or goodwill resolution, citing only that I was beyond the mileage and time limits. It is extremely frustrating that my vehicle — well within the affected build range and with relatively low miles — is now undrivable for over six weeks due to a defective engine, and Ford will not take accountability for an issue they are fully aware of. It is particularly disheartening to see Ford invest in expanding its world headquarters in Dearborn while choosing not to stand behind their products or support loyal customers who are left with major repair bills for known defects.

Engine light came on. Took directly to Ford dealer. Code P0303:00-A8. Cylinder 3 misfire. Coolant leaked into engine. Need long block replacement. 2018 1.5L engine. 57000 miles. Ford won't warranty. $14,000 to replace engine.

My check engine light came on Saturday August 23rd. I took my car to my local Ford dealership on Monday August 25th and on Wednesday, August 27th the Ford technician verified a misfire and found coolant was low. They removed the spark plug and found cooling system was under pressure. They found coolant entering into the cylinder via the cylinder head and that my vehicle now needs a new engine. This problem has been confirmed by the dealership and my only option is to purchase a brand new engine for my 2018 Ford escape that has less than 40,000 miles on it. An engine failure at just 40,000 miles is simply unacceptable and raise serious concerns about the reliability of this model. I am aware that engine issues on certain Ford escapes have been the subject of multiple customer complaints and I strongly believe that this may be part of a broader quality or manufacturing issue. There are numerous reported cases from 2018 Escape owners describing engine failures, tied to coolant intrusion and instances where an engine fails unexpectedly often linked to coolant, entering the cylinder and requiring full engine replacement, which seems to be a common pattern in these 1.5 L and occasionally the 2.0 eco-boost. While no formal recall exists for this Ford has implemented a customer satisfaction program 21N12 which addressed coolant intrusion into the engine, especially affecting 1.5 L eco-boost engines.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the contact noticed that the engine was shaking, and smoke was coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that it was a known issue with similar vehicles. The failure mileage was 46,000.

Head gasket went bad, leaked coolant into the engine, cracked cylinder 1

The engine light came on and we took it to the dealer where we purchased it. They told us the engine had coolant leaking into it from a warped engine block. The vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it. The dealer told us it would cost $14000 to replace the engine. We are feeling quite frustrated as FORD was aware this was a known problem / design defect. They even went as far to correct the design on new models. What can we do?

Coolant intrusion, damaged engine

I started to lease the car Aug 18 2025 that day before even leaving the maintenance guy was like oh yeah let me go ahead and clear that light off for you check engine light said it was fixed . I never thought too much of it since it is my first time leasing a car . I drove it three times and on the very next time I turned it off ran in side some where and came out and it acted like it didn't want to start I finally got it started I went home over the next couple of days it just started to get worse and worse I took it to O'Reilly's and had them to look it up the first time they said ma'am there's no check engine light on I left aggravated I didnt no what wad going on wnd why it hadn't popped up well the next day it popped up finally I took it back in the printed me a paper stating it was misfiring bad and it was cylinders 1 and 3 so I went to the dealership where I got it from the said come back in like a week they were busy so I waited a week and they supposebly fixed well the very next day it started up again same thing misfiring went to O'Reilly they said the same thing misfiring in the cylinders . So I went back again told them it was doing again and it was rough idling and he says to bring it back the next week we'll it broke down before I took it back in the morning it broke down I left my house and went down to go Mart when I got back in the car and started it a little thing popped up on the dash said high engine temp shut down safely .. at the time I thought was over heating I looked at the coolant it was good so I let it sit there for like almost a hr and started it said the same thing I took it over beside gomart where my friend lives and parked it there to wait for a few hours and it popped up again and I went to turn it around for when the towing truck came it had lost all of its power .

Coolant leak caused car to overheat and engine failure

I was sold the Escape and was not informed about the coolant intrusion and have been having the check engine light come on and off since I purchased it last September, I've replaced multiple spark plugs on cylinder 3 and later found out that the inside of the cylinder had developed surface rust and was having coolant leaking into that cylinder, and due to the coolant leak, my engine overheated and shut it self off in my driveway.

I have 117k miles on my ford escape and have always maintained the services on my car. I was driving and my car started to overheat and warning lights came on. Pulled over immediately and turned car off and had it towed to the shop. Mechanic told me the coolant leaked into the cylinder and caused a misfire in cylinder 2&3. He currently has 3 other ford escapes there with the same issue. Yet there is no recall for this? He quoted me $6,400 for this job. This is crazy. Something needs to be done about this if so many people are having the same issue.

Blown head gasket which is causing coolant to leak into the cylinders. Check engine light came on at 72,000 miles (leased the car at 71,000) with coolant loss. The problem was diagnosed by an independent service center on 8/19/25, 3 weeks after leasing to buy.

Vehicle: 2018 Ford Escape SEL, 1.5L EcoBoost engine, purchased new from Town East Ford. Engine failure due to coolant intrusion — known Ford defect previously covered under Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. on 06 Mar 2020, I had Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 performed on my 2018 Ford Escape SEL (1.5L EcoBoost engine) as instructed by Ford. Despite that repair, on 19 August 2025 coolant leaked into my engine and caused the engine block to crack. Ford acknowledged this exact defect and issued Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 to replace affected engines. However, that program expired in November 2022. When I contacted Ford corporate, I was told my repair would not be covered because the program has ended, despite the fact that the defect is the same and presents the same risks. This is not normal wear and tear. It is a latent defect that Ford has already documented. The issue can cause engine misfire, sudden stalling, loss of power, and increased fire risk due to coolant intrusion into the combustion chamber. This is a serious safety defect. My vehicle failed despite compliance with Ford’s earlier service program, and Ford is refusing coverage only on the basis of program expiration. Other owners have reported identical failures. Please note that I have attached the noticed from Ford and my service history up to this event. As the vehicle is still at the dealership, I have not attached the current service report, noting the coolant extrusion and cracked engine but I can request that if needed. I request NHTSA investigate Ford’s handling of this defect and require corrective action to ensure owners are not left with unsafe vehicles due to arbitrary program deadlines

Due to a known manufacturing defect in the casting of the engine block, coolant leaked into the #2 cylinder causing failure of the engine. Due to the fact that this is a known issue by Ford, they will do nothing as the vehicle is no longer under warranty. The extended warranty we purchased will not cover the damage or repair as it is a "known issue from Ford." Vehicle is available upon request, if catastrophic failure of the engine had occurred possible loss of power and or control of the vehicle, vehicle was inspected at a certified Ford dealership, check engine and a lot of white smoke the day of service appointment, rough idle the day prior

It started out as a misfire which can be caused by multiple issues, after changing spark plugs and coils, noted low coolant (no visible leaks), white smoke, running rough. Ford dealer diagnosis as coolant intrusion and states a complete long block needs replacement. The cost of this is more than the market value.

I lost engine power trying to accelerate while entering the highway. Check Engine light flashed several times then went steady. I pulled over into the slow lane with my flashers on and with reduced power to get off the highway exit straight to the Dealer. The Check Engine light stayed on steady. This is apparently part of a known issue with the 1.5l GTDI engine. There was a Technical Service Bulletin created for it 22-2322 and a Customer Service Program fix was set up- 21N12

Check engine light came on. Then overheat light. Stopped vehicle and stayed 45 mins. Had to put refrigerant in vehicle drove home. Took to parts store than ran codes. #2 spark plug misfire. Now my car at Ford dealership with engine gone. Will contact ford.