Model year 2018 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2018 Ford Escape: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2018 Ford Escape at 23–26 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 1,822 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

23–26

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Ford dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2018 Ford Escape recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 4 safety recalls for the 2018 Ford Escape, newest first.

Equipment: Electrical: Engine block heater

NHTSA 26V011000 Reported Jan 15, 2026

Filed by: Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 26S01)
Units affected: 116,672 (estimate)
Problem: 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: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Power train: Shift linkage/cable/rod and 1 more component

NHTSA 22V413000 Reported Jun 10, 2022

Filed by: Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 22S43)
Components: Power train: Shift linkage/cable/rod; Power train: Automatic transmission: Gear position indication (prndl)
Units affected: 2,925,968 (estimate)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. 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.
Remedy: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, hydraulic: Foundation components: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

NHTSA 18V104000 Reported Feb 12, 2018

Filed by: Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 18S04)
Units affected: 88 (estimate)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles. 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.
Remedy: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Air bags: Side/window

NHTSA 17V803000 Reported Dec 18, 2017

Filed by: Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 17S44)
Units affected: 11,113 (estimate)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape 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.
Remedy: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2018 Ford Escape fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2018 Ford Escape EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Escape AWD	1.5L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	22/28/24 mpg	$2,800	370
Escape AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	20/27/23 mpg	$2,900	387
Escape FWD	1.5L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	23/30/26 mpg	$2,600	342
Escape FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	21/28/24 mpg	$2,800	372
Escape FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	21/29/24 mpg	$2,800	369
Escape FWD FFV	2.5L 4-cyl ffv	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85 / E85	21/29/24 mpg	$2,800	369

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2018 Ford Escape crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2018 Ford Escape NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2018 Ford Escape SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	18.5%	Optional
2018 Ford Escape SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.1%	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2018 Ford Escape owner complaints

Owners have filed 1,822 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Escape, most recently on Oct 25, 2026. 26 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 30 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2018 Ford Escape complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	1,169
Engine and engine cooling	338
Power train	265
Unknown or other	107
Electrical system	54
Fuel/propulsion system	45
Steering	32
Service brakes	25
Vehicle speed control	20
Wheels	19

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Ford Escape model years

Ford Escape by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2026 Escape	26–40 mpg	3	4	5/5
2025 Escape	26–40 mpg	10	31	5/5
2024 Escape	26–39 mpg	10	88	5/5
2023 Escape	26–40 mpg	13	139	5/5
2022 Escape	26–41 mpg	21	386	5/5
2021 Escape	26–41 mpg	21	498	5/5
2020 Escape	26–41 mpg	25	1,910	5/5
2019 Escape	23–26 mpg	3	599	5/5
2017 Escape	23–26 mpg	4	2,702	5/5
2016 Escape	23–26 mpg	4	1,172	4/5
2015 Escape	23–26 mpg	9	1,132	4/5

All Ford Escape years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2018 Ford models

2018 Ford C-MAX 2018 Ford EcoSport 2018 Ford Edge 2018 Ford Expedition 2018 Ford Explorer 2018 Ford F150 2018 Ford Fiesta 2018 Ford Flex 2018 Ford Focus 2018 Ford Fusion 2018 Ford GT 2018 Ford Mustang 2018 Ford Taurus 2018 Ford Transit Connect 2018 Ford Transit T150 Wagon

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Ford.