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Electrical systemPart report

2018 Ford Escape Electrical system Problems

Complaints
57about this part
Share
3%of 1,822 total for the year
Median mileage
17,349miles
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 57 complaints about the electrical system of the 2018 Ford Escape, 3% of the 1,822 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 17,349 miles. 3 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“2018 Ford Escape titanium problem has occurred 2 times within one month. Both times Ford dealership stated they could not duplicate problem.when trying to start car. There is no power whats so ever. Once in my driveway and 2nd time at a restaurant. Car was stationary both times. Tried jumping car but no luck. Called roadside assist to take to Ford dealership. This to me is a safety issue as other people's complaints indicate loss of power while driving and having no control over car. I've owned the car 4 months. …”

NHTSA complaint #11240823, filed 2019-07, 5,466 miles

“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 complaint #11128379, filed 2018-09, 9,000 miles

“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. Oct 2018, heading cross country back home to az. Lights started coming on more often. More lights, ABS, skid, seat belt, within the week, very random off and on. Then more lights would come on. Auto zone again gave me a sensor report, o2 and fuel. …”

NHTSA complaint #11152488, filed 2018-11, 15,300 miles

“I was driving to work this morning and a strong smell of burning plastic/rubber filled the cabin. I did make it to work and had several coworkers sit in the vehicle to make sure I was not imaging an odor. Also lifted the hood to check engine for any melting hoses etc and did not see anything. I took the vehicle in that morning, the service manager and technician did a check and did not notice a smell and told me that the smell was the leather seat covers that I installed... I installed the fake leather seat covers over two months ago. I do know what burnt rubber vs pleather smell like. …”

NHTSA complaint #11202869, filed 2019-04, 3,200 miles

“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Ford Escape. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 80,851and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 69,851.”

NHTSA complaint #11713491, filed 2026-01, 80,851 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Electrical system: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2025727%
20242736%
20234141%
2022198%
20213410%
202016010%
2019376%
2018573%
20171566%
2016958%
201513512%
201421610%
201333912%
2012427%
20111179%
201021610%
20091438%
20081367%
20073012%
2006347%
200515311%
2004316%
2003397%
200212312%
200113614%
2000120%

Other parts of the 2018 Ford Escape

Engine
1,169 complaintsEngine cooling
345 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
275 complaintsOther or unknown
109 complaintsFuel system
57 complaintsSteering
32 complaintsBrakes
27 complaintsVehicle speed control
23 complaintsWheels
22 complaintsBody and structure
20 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
13 complaintsExterior lighting
12 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2018 Ford Escape

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology