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2018 Ford Escape

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
6 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

68 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.

Recalls1 critical 4

Complaints26 crash · 6 fire · 30 injured reported 1,821

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 26 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Ford Escape is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Escape FWD, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 1821 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Ford Escape — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Ford Escape (2001 generation) · Photo: Elise240SX · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Escape FWD	Gas	FWD	1.5L 4-cyl turbo	23	30	26	$2,600
Escape AWD	Gas	AWD	1.5L 4-cyl turbo	22	28	24	$2,800
Escape FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	28	24	$2,800
Escape FWD	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	21	29	24	$2,800
Escape FWD FFV	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	21	29	24	$2,800
Escape AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	27	23	$2,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39463, 39469, 39464, 39466, 39465, 39470.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Escape FWD	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Escape AWD, Escape FWD	3 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / California LEV-III ULEV125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Escape FWD	5 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Escape FWD FFV	3 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes)	—
Escape AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower

171 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	4x2
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Parking assist

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Automatic emergency braking, Blind-spot monitoring, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: S, SE, SEL, Titanium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	178.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.4 in
Height	66.1 in
Wheelbase	105.9 in
Track, front	61.4 in
Track, rear	62.2 in
Curb weight	3,552–3,677 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	58/42

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD, 4-door SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Equipment

26S01

116,672 vehicles

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. 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. For

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Interim owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 26V011000 reported Jan 15, 2026 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Power Train

22S43

2,925,968 vehicles 73% reported repaired

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. 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.

NHTSA campaign 22V413000 reported Jun 10, 2022 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

18S04

88 vehicles 88% reported repaired built Oct 29, 2017 – Oct 30, 2017

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. 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 18V104000 reported Feb 12, 2018 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

17S44

11,113 vehicles 94% reported repaired built Nov 13, 2017 – Jan 12, 2018

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. 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V803000 reported Dec 18, 2017 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Escape

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Ford publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Ford’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Ford Escape, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

1821complaints filed

26 involved a crash · 6 a fire · 30 injuries · 0 deaths reported

59 per 10,000 built · Ford reported 310,882 Escape built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 25 · 2019: 42 · 2020: 43 · 2021: 55 · 2022: 150 · 2023: 256 · 2024: 466 · 2025: 490 · 2026: 294

Most-cited components

Engine → 1514

Power Train → 278

Unspecified 107

Electrical System → 58

Fuel/Propulsion System 57

Steering 32

In depth: engine problems → · transmission and drivetrain problems → · electrical problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Windshield (Ford #2215 carlex acoustic) cracked under normal driving conditions on highway. 2 windshields replaced/repaired in 2 weeks

Visibility/Wiper at 6,310 miles Mar 25, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11191479

While traveling in a rotary our car was struck violently by a vehicle on the left trying to make an incorrect exit. The impact was hard enough to cause the engine to stop operating resulting in a total loss of steering land braking. Because of no power, the steering did not respond nor did the brakes.

Engine at 2,000 miles Feb 18, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11180975

I was being to accelerate after stopping at a stop sign, when the steering froze then violently turned to the right. When the steering turned to the right I inadvertently pressed on the accelerator pedal speeding up slightly to approximately 15 MPH.

Steering at 5,100 miles Dec 19, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11162510

When driving the vehicle after a cold night or not being used the transmission laggs shifting between 2-3 gear usually on surface streets there is a 3-5 second delay in acceleration which has almost resulted in two collisions from behind. I took it to the dealer which yeilded no problems found.

Power Train at 3,500 miles Dec 14, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11161299

The warning lights intermittently come on in april 2018. Mostly check engine for several months. Took to auto zone got a read out for sensor. But aaa repair shop wouldn't use their report and when I took it to them, light wasn't on. So they didn't look at it. Was gone out of town 6 months. Light off and on. Randomly.

Electrical System at 15,300 miles Nov 19, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11152488

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 10 MPH, the rear liftgate opened and a suitcase fell out of the vehicle onto the road. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and went to retrieve the suitcase from the road.

Structure at 6,709 miles Jul 25, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11113565

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Ford itself: 44 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 3 killed, 52 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 14 per 100,000 built. Every Escape model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 81k

miles, typically

Half the 671 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 50,000 and 102,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 36

10k–20k 36

20k–30k 34

30k–40k 24

40k–50k 35

50k–60k 42

60k–70k 59

70k–80k 57

80k–90k 82

90k–100k 71

100k–150k 185

150k + 10

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Engine	564	86,000	1.72×
Power Train	94	80,000	2.31×
Electrical System	18	35,000	1.55×
Unspecified	16	15,300	—
Steering	16	35,000	2.41×
Fuel/Propulsion System	15	108,500	3.4×
Service Brakes	12	32,000	1.13×
Vehicle Speed Control	12	33,126	2.37×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2018-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: engine (1.72×), power train (2.31×), electrical system (1.55×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2018–2022 model years the Ford Escape ranks 75 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 2.78× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 60,000 miles against a fleet 23,512).

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	18%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	19%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 173

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-02-24

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 173 service bulletins

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Power Train, Structure.

SSM 54601 Service bulletin
2026-02-24 · Electrical System
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). Th
TSB 25-2570 Service bulletin
2025-11-26 · Electrical System
This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink related performance Travel Link not present
SSM 54366 Service bulletin
2025-11-12 · Power Train
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.
SSM 53040 Service bulletin
2024-10-10 · Unknown Or Other
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
TSB 24-2165 Service bulletin
2024-05-27 · Unknown Or Other
This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance relat
SSM 52476 Service bulletin
2024-04-24 · Equipment
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool.
SSM 52335 Service bulletin
2024-03-06 · Engine And Engine Cooling
For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has evaluated turbochargers replaced for oil leak symptoms and although oil may collect on the external surface of a turbocharger, it is extremely rare for a turbocharger assembly to b
SSM 51838 Service bulletin
2023-08-02 · Electrical System
In various 2017-2023 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, customers may receive a message in the FordPass or LincolnWay App stating Feature Unavailable. Since this is a fleet vehicle, it cannot access the (SYNC Connect) FordPass or LincolnWay app through the TCU Embedded Modem. If this message appears, the vehicle may be equipped with a fleet telematics module. Replacement of the TCU or TCU related repairs

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0302 P0302 on Ford →	Cylinder 2 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	1 bulletin · 29 owner reports
P0316 P0316 on Ford →	Misfire in the first seconds after start-up.	Engine	13 bulletins · 16 owner reports
P0303 P0303 on Ford →	Cylinder 3 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	1 bulletin · 22 owner reports
P1299 P1299 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	12 bulletins · 10 owner reports
P0300 P0300 on Ford →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	13 bulletins · 8 owner reports
P0217 P0217 on Ford →	The engine has run hotter than its permitted limit.	Engine	12 bulletins · 4 owner reports
P1285 P1285 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	12 bulletins · 4 owner reports
P0301 P0301 on Ford →	Cylinder 1 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	1 bulletin · 13 owner reports
P0012 P0012 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins · 3 owner reports
P0014 P0014 on Ford →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Power Train	5 bulletins · 2 owner reports
P0304 P0304 on Ford →	Cylinder 4 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	7 owner reports
U0198 U0198 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	7 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.2%

failed emissions

9,691 initial inspections of 9,442 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 Escape	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.2%	3.0%	9,674
Failed the safety inspection	2.2%	1.9%	9,691
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.08%	0.22%	9,691
Miles driven a year	9,680	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	80,157	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Escape by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 C 3 4 40 mpg 2025 F 10 31 40 mpg 2024 F 10 88 39 mpg 2023 F 13 138 40 mpg 2022 F 21 384 41 mpg 2021 F 21 497 41 mpg 2020 F 25 1,905 41 mpg 2019 C 3 596 26 mpg 2018 this page D 4 1,821 26 mpg 2017 C 4 2,701 26 mpg 2016 D 4 1,167 26 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 Escape

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Ford Escape have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford Escape, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 26V011000, covering Equipment. 2 of them were filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Ford Escape?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Ford Escape 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (68/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Ford Escape?

Across the 6 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Ford Escape, the best EPA combined figure is 26 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Ford Escape?

Transport Canada measured it at 178.7 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.1 in tall, on a 105.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,552–3,677 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Ford Escape?

Owners have filed 1821 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Escape, most often about engine, power train, unspecified. Of those, 26 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 30 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Ford Escape?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Ford Escape runs 3 to 5 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Ford Escape?

The manufacturer has filed 173 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Escape, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-02-24. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Ford Escape do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Ford Escape failed the emissions check on 2.2% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.2% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	6 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	6 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	4	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	1821	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	173	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	13 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API

2018 Ford Escape

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Seating

Transmission

Driver assistance

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (4)

Equipment

Power Train

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Air Bags

Whether any of this applies to one specific Escape

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2018 Ford Escape

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Median mileage by component

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

Escape by model year

Common questions about the 2018 Escape

Does the 2018 Ford Escape have any recalls?

How safe is the 2018 Ford Escape?

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Ford Escape?

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Ford Escape?

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Ford Escape?

How clean is the 2018 Ford Escape?

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Ford Escape?

How does the 2018 Ford Escape do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method