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The 2018 Ford Escape has 1,725 NHTSA owner complaints on file — not a small number. 2 active recall campaigns.
The 2018 Ford Escape has 1,725 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is engine at 1,193 complaints, typically surfacing around 82,629 miles (~$3,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Escape | 1,028 | 3 |
| 2016 Escape | 1,031 | 1 |
| 2017 Escape | 2,624 | 2 |
| 2018 Escape (this page) | 1,725 | 2 |
| 2019 Escape | 559 | 2 |
| 2020 Escape | 1,476 | 4 |
| 2021 Escape | 324 | 1 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: steering is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 38,532 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 2 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH in the rainy weather, the vehicle lost motive power. The "Transmission Failure" message was displayed. The vehicle coasted to the side of the road. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was…
I Purchased a 2018 Ford Escape SE (VIN# [XXX] ) with 1.5 EcoBoost Engine on 9/24/2023 with 89,726 miles. On 12/10/2023 my 16 year old son was operating vehicle when he experienced a catastrophic engine failure and the vehicle is unserviceable. The vehicle had 90,766 miles…
Vehicle with 84000 miles has coolant intrusion into cylinders, dealer is saying new engine is needed at $11,000. Vehicle was bought new by owner. This is a known issue from Ford who knew of this issue.
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.0 out of 10 based on 1,725 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Ford Escape has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2018 Ford Escape is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Steering: 29 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 9,000–56,000 mi; Reliability score 6.0/10 — around the segment average; 2 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the engine first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 1,193 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 82,629 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 1,725 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is engine. Typical failure occurs around 82,629 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 1,193 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 82,629 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 82,629 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 1,725 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.