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2018 Ford EcoSport

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11

Safety Signal

84 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns2

Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA726

Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA28 mpg

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

The 2018 Ford EcoSport is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the EcoSport FWD, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 726 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
EcoSport FWD	Gas	FWD	1.0L 3-cyl turbo	27	29	28	$2,250
EcoSport AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl	23	29	25	$2,500

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39623, 39627.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

23S64

139,730 vehicles

ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.RiskA loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. For

NHTSA campaign 23V905000reported Dec 22, 2023Ford Motor Company

▲high

Equipment

18C04

273 vehicles

ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."RiskOwners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.FixFord will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

NHTSA campaign 18V312000reported May 14, 2018Ford Motor Company

NHTSA defect investigations

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication:Pump — Oil Pump Failure closed

On September 20, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-015 to investigate instances of engine failure due to loss of oil pressure in model year (MY) 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport vehicles. Some consumers reported a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. The investigation revealed that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine seizure, which can result in a loss of motiv

Opened Sep 20, 2023 · closed Feb 14, 2024 · action PE23015

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

726complaints filed

18 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 10 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2018: 5 · 2019: 11 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 48 · 2023: 169 · 2024: 313 · 2025: 131 · 2026: 31

Most-cited components

Engine355

Engine And Engine Cooling314

Power Train68

Unspecified61

Fuel/Propulsion System40

Electrical System35

What owners describe

“Driving down I-85 going 70mph and all of a sudden lose power in front a line of cars. Low oil pressure light illuminated thankfully we got to the side of road safely. Vehicle is currently at Ford dealer for diagnosis.”May 11, 2022 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

“Was driving out of town when the red check oil pressure light came on. Immediately checked oil level which was slightly high and called the nearest Ford Dealership and asked if I needed to get it towed or it would be fine to drive to them. They said it should be fine so I started driving towards them.I then noticed a s…”May 9, 2022 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Low Engine Oil Pressure" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised t…”Apr 29, 2022 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

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.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	19%
SUV FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	20%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other EcoSport model years

2022 Ford EcoSport

2 recalls · 10 complaints

2021 Ford EcoSport

3 recalls · 258 complaints

2020 Ford EcoSport

3 recalls · 394 complaints

2019 Ford EcoSport

2 recalls · 459 complaints

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). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

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

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