2018 Ford Escape Electrical System Problems

My 2018 Ford Escape has experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, a known issue affecting this model year. The vehicle began misfiring and consuming coolant without external leaks. This is an engine defect Ford has known about since 2010, yet they continued to put this engine into their cars. I had bought this car less then a year ago, it had been in the shop more then I have had it. It is constantly overheating. The most recent time I was driving my son to school my exhaust was smoking really bad and everything seemed to be ruining smoothly the day before when I drove it the auto shop I have been taking it to they had spent 2 weeks researching what was wrong with it they told me I needed my whole engine replaced. Im a single mom amd I need answers.. I look up my Vin in the recalls and its stating 0 results but that cant be possible if I have had been same issue as others my eco start and stop dont work and my passager in the front cant roll window down

Battery light came on, its a new battery with warning of 12v battery failure. The back camera has been giving blank screen and camera unavailable message.

No dummy lights show. Drivers low beam wiring connector melts and burns out headlight bulb. I have had it replaced by Ford dealer RT 2, Dixon Il on 12/20/24 but again the same thing occurred again 01/03/26. I believe bad wiring or module. When asked dealer what caused the melting was told "We fixed it, it's good now". The bulb burnt out while driving on a rain dark night. My visibility was extremely low.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Ford Escape. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 80,851and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 69,851.

CEL is on -- hard time getting vehicle to start up after getting gas - once is running has a "shake to it" for a few seconds then stables Would this be a potential cover? March 30, 2018 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10137114 COMPONENT: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE NHTSA ID Number: 10137114 Manufacturer Communication Number: SSM 47203 Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I purchased this 2018 Ford Escape in August 2022 from Richmond Ford. Within 2 days to a week I noticed fault indicators stating check engine, failed Auto stop and start malfunctioning. I immediately reported this issue. Richmond Ford put me in a loaner for approximately 2 months to only remedy the problem with a new battery. This has happened for 3 years. I’ve had 4 batteries replaced even recently after having Extreme high heat engine failure fault while in traffic with my grand children in the car and had to be towed. My engine has faulted several times and always shuts down in the middle of traffic. This issue could have killed me and my grand children and other vehicles. Richmond Ford kept replacing the battery and charging me for other things. The technician and General Manager has claimed it’s nothing wrong but kept replacing the batteries. 4 times. My life and my grandchildren have been in danger several times while driving on the highway and local streets. Today Richmond Ford says it’s that I need a new engine because Antifreeze has intruded into the engine blowing head gaskets, mind you it was just there on June 23 of 2025 or so for engine malfunction fault extreme high temp no antifreeze and the only band aid that was offered was yet another new battery. Then today I was advised that it will cost $14,000.00 plus to replace my engine. There is definitely a problem and should recall this model 2018 Ford Escape SEL because the manufacturer has fixed the notification system and or the Faults to not warn owners of major engine failures which cost thousands to repair and is always covered up by replacing the battery. Please add this make and model to the recent recall. Thank You

While driving the vehicle car completely shuts off in the middle of traffic, dash lights turn off then power went out.Now HORN no longer works. Turned the car back on and pulled to the side of the road. I tried to accelerate and white smoke came out of the back of the vehicle and a rattle noise from the front passenger side. Warning lights never turned on ! I was able to drive the vehicle to a nearest ford dealer after stopping multiple times in the process. Took the car to Ford , they claimed there was no issues except the ones they found not relating to the problem I first stated . They advised me for security I would have to get these problems fixed and that could be the cause. I picked the vehicle up 2/17/2025, $1951.72 later. Car cuts off again in the middle of Traffic , Smoke , lights flash then everything went off. I have a full report of the battery and everything else however the car is a big SAFETY ISSUE IF IT KEEPS STOPPING IN TRAFFIC .

I have had to replace multiple headlight bulbs every few months. The bulbs and fuses are working fine. Sometimes one side will work and the other side will turn off without warning. I have been stranded on the side of the road multiple times. It is unsafe to drive this way. Finally today both lights just stop working without any warning. This is why I came to this page to see if I was the only one having this issue and it looks like I'm not. I have made an appointing to take it in to the dealer hopefully they can find the problem.

We purchased this 2018 Ford Escape new. The headlights have burned out many times, and much sooner than normal. What is really a mystery is that many times the low beams will burn out together. This is typically rare as one will burn out and then the other will continue to work for a while. We always replace them in pairs. The local shop changed them out most of the times and they only work for a few months to about six months on average. It is a very strange situation. They will stop working and then will sometimes begin working again, leading me to believe it is not a bulb issue as much as its an electrical issue. We keep checking to see if there is a safety recall as this is very unsafe when they stop working together at night while driving. There are many comments on websites and blogs so we know we are not alone. This is just one of the problems. This vehicle, driven mildly and maintained perfectly on schedule, with most service done at the local Ford dealer service center, has experienced both engine and transmission failure in the low 90k miles. Fortunately, we purchased coverage that took care of those. But we are told that our CNA bumper to bumper warranty does not cover head light issues. I think Ford should pay to have this vehicle examined, to determine what is wrong with the headlight wiring and pay for the repair to restore it to safe operation .

I was taking off and i had a warning sign that my hood was opened and nobody didn't even touch the hood

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked while attempting to start the vehicle, the infotainment system failed to display the rear-view camera, and the contact was unable to view the image behind the vehicle. The contact stated that the radio was also inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic and all the vehicle fuses were checked for proper functionality. The dealer was contacted and provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 96,000.

On Friday, August 9, the check engine light was blinking and the car ran roughly. On Saturday, August 10, I had my car towed to AAA Repair. Current codes: P0316 - Misfire Detected on startup; P0302 - Cylinder 2 misfire; swap CYL2 coil to CYL4 & retest..misfire remains on CYL2. TSB:22-2322 indicates cylinder failure allowing coolant into the engine causing misfire and rough running. AAA recommended vehicle service be done at the dealership—complete engine rebuild/replacement. The dealership recommends a complete engine rebuild/replacement with an estimate of $11,400. The balance on paying off the car is $8,400.

Coolant leaking into engine causing engine failure. Entire screen and navigation system stopped working as well as the charge ports.

This is the third time my lift-gate ( back hatch ) has started working intermittently. I assume the latch is an electromagnet. It is very unsafe as it does not always latch tight and there is no emergency release. Century Ford replaced the first latch on 3/11/21, R.O.342961. It was also worked on 9/15/21. the current incident started on or about 5/20/24

My Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost Engine overheated. A Ford service mechanic confirmed the Escape has a defect that causes coolant to leak into the engine’s cylinders, which can cause corrosion, oil dilution and contamination, and engine failure; and these defects create a safety risk, because the lack of coolant created by the leaks causes overheating. The ford service mechanic confirmed my cylinder head was cracked and will lead to total engine failure, and/or engine fires.

When I get gas engine turns off. Need to restart it multiple times. Hesitation on acceleration afraid to be on highway. Rough idol at stop. I’ve seen it multiple people have had this issue. It turns out to be the vapor canister, purge solenoid, which I had to be replaced that fixed it. Hopefully this could help out other people. I was so scared on the highway. God bless you.

The APIM failed in both my ESCAPE and F150. These vehicles are under 65,000 miles and are 2018. This is a known issue, and is all over Internet forums. The APIM failure has resulted in no rear camera, screen, radio, or USB ports.

Subject: Complaint Regarding Electrical Malfunction in 2018 Ford Escape To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to report a concerning electrical malfunction that occurred in my 2018 Ford Escape, resulting in a critical safety issue. At 55,000 miles, the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) failed, subsequently causing the touch screen, navigation system, voice command functionality, and hands-free communication features to cease operation. Additionally, this failure disabled the phone charging capabilities, posing a safety concern due to the loss of essential functionalities. The malfunction of the APIM at such a relatively low mileage directly impacted the navigation system, voice commands, and the hands-free communication system, rendering them non-functional. As a consequence, this electrical issue posed safety risks, particularly concerning the failure of the navigation system and voice commands, which are crucial for safe driving practices. The incident occurred, and subsequent repair cost of $1,163.72, were serviced at SERRA Ford dealership in Farmington Hills, MI. The nature of this electrical failure not only incurred financial costs but also posed potential safety hazards, especially with the impairment of critical functionalities like the rear-view camera, navigation, and hands-free communication. I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate this matter promptly, as it not only caused inconvenience and financial burden but also compromised the safety features of the vehicle. This complaint aims to highlight the serious implications of electrical failures in Ford Escape vehicles, emphasizing the potential risks it poses to drivers, passengers, and others on the road. Please consider this complaint as a formal report to address and rectify these safety concerns, preventing similar incidents in other vehicles. Your attention to this matter is highly appreciated.

Was driving when engine light came on, then warning that engine was to hot. My car then began to slow down and I pulled over and allowed to cool for a while. Finally able to drive but each time I would drive it happened. Took to a independent contractor and was told my coolant was leaking into engine and it needed to be replaced

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the auto Start/Stop feature was no longer operable. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.