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What 1,734 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Escape Gas

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,734)Crash / fire / injury (38)Engine (1,100)Engine & cooling (338)Transmission & drivetrain (262)Electrical system (53)Fuel system (51)Steering (29)Brakes (26)Wheels (22)Speed control (21)Body & structure (19)

53 of 1,734 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters · page 3 of 3

Sep 9, 2018SteeringElectrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash2 injuries

WENT TO STOP ON WET ROAD TRACTION CONTROL KICKED IN WHEELS LOCKED UP CAUSING ME NOT BE ABLE TO GUIDE MYSELF OFF THE ROAD FROM HITTING CAR IT FRONT SLIDE THE WHOLE CAR SHUT DOWN DOORS LOCKED CAUSING ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT HAD TO KICK THE DOOR OPEN AND MY PHONE WAS HOOKED UP TO THE BLUETOOTH AND NO COPS WERE CONTACTED LIKE I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE! IT FELT LIKE MY CAR WAS A ROBOT AND SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN AND I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING AFTER HITTING MY BRAKES IT WAS LIKE HAVING NO TIRES FROM THAT POINT ON AND MY CAR ONLY HAD 9,000 MILES ON IT!

NHTSA ODI 11128379

May 15, 2018Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ILLUMINATED AND THEN DIMMED. THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM READING THE SPEEDOMETER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO METRO FORD OKLAHOMA CITY (2800 INTERSTATE 44 SERVICE ROAD, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73112) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

NHTSA ODI 11093920

May 11, 2018Electrical systemBody & structure

BACK ELECTRIC TAILGATE DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY. THIS IS INDICATED BY THE HORN DOUBLE HONKING WHEN LOCKING THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INDICATOR ON THE DASH WHEN THE CAR IS ON THAT THIS IS NOT FULLY LATCHED. I BELIEVE THIS COULD LEAD TO EXHAUST IN THE CABIN, ESPECIALLY IF IDLING.

NHTSA ODI 11093294

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Working with the data? Download all 1,734 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 18, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2018 Ford Escape Gas verdict →