NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 1,797 owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Escape.
4Safety recalls
1,797Owner complaints
25Complaints citing a crash
5Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: equipment, powertrain, brakes, and air bags. Most-reported area: engine (1,149 complaints, 64%; median mileage when it happened: 78,700). Includes the Escape Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid.
4 safety recalls for the 2018 Ford Escape
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
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: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Ford campaign 26S01.
Powertrain
Jun 10, 2022
automatic transmission · gear position indication (prndl)
The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018C-Max,2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Components: Powertrain: automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl); Powertrain: shift linkage/cable/rod. Ford campaign 22S43.
Brakes
Feb 12, 2018
foundation components · hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
These vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front brake hoses that may chafe against other components, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.
Risk: A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses, replacing any that are incorrect, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S04.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles.
The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Risk: 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S44.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape vehicles.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Ford campaign 17S44.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 1,797 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Escape. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Engine1,149 · 64%
Median 78,700 miles at failure (250 reports)
Engine and cooling342 · 19%
Most named: cooling system (4) · Median 89,300 miles at failure (310 reports)
Powertrain271 · 15%
Most named: automatic transmission (6); automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) (3) · Median 80,000 miles at failure (92 reports)
Electrical system54 · 3%
Median 17,300 miles at failure (17 reports)
Fuel and propulsion system42 · 2%
Steering32 · 2%
Median 28,000 miles at failure (16 reports)
Brakes27 · 2%
Unknown or other105 · 6%
Median 14,400 miles at failure (16 reports)
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Ford Escape recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2017 Escape drew the most (221) and the 2018 drew 110.
Owner complaints
2018: 1,797 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Ford Escape
Model year
Complaints
2016
1,123
2017
2,684
2018
1,797
2019
587
2020
1,888
2021
490
2022
377
2023
132
2024
86
2025
29
2026
4
Safety recalls
2018: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Ford Escape
Model year
Recalls
2016
4
2017
4
2018
4
2019
3
2020
25
2021
21
2022
21
2023
13
2024
10
2025
10
2026
3
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Ford Escape SUV AWD
Rollover risk 18.5%
Ford Escape SUV FWD
Rollover risk 19.1%
Questions
What are the most common 2018 Escape problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (1,149), engine and cooling (342), powertrain (271). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2018 Ford Escape safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2018 Ford Escape earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Escape has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: ESCAPE.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.