Research Another Vehicle

Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2018 Ford EcoSport is associated with 723 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine & Cooling, accounting for 264 reports (37% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1l 3-cyl and 2l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 25 to 28 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 723 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine & Cooling (264 / 37%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 18 crash / 2 fire / 7 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 25–28 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Ford EcoSport?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
EcoSport FWD 1L 3-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 27 MPG 29 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
EcoSport AWD 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 23 MPG 29 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Ford EcoSport?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD 20.4%
4 DR AWD 19.1%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Ford EcoSport models.
View complete 2018 Ford EcoSport crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Ford EcoSport?

Summary of 723 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
723
Crash Reports
18
Fire Reports
2
Complaints w/ Injury
7
Total Injuries
10

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine & Cooling 264 complaints (1 crash)
Engine 210 complaints (1 crash)
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 25 complaints (1 crash)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE 19 complaints
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 19 complaints (1 crash)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Ford EcoSport problems & component breakdown (73 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Ford EcoSport?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V905000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP

Defect Summary: Ford 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers 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. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.
NHTSA Campaign #18V312000 Active Recall
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Defect Summary: Ford 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."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Ford 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.
View all 2018 Ford EcoSport recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2018 Ford EcoSport

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Ford EcoSport

How many safety recalls does the 2018 Ford EcoSport have?

The 2018 Ford EcoSport is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2018 Ford EcoSport?

NHTSA records list 723 consumer defect complaints for the 2018 Ford EcoSport. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 264 filings (37% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2018 Ford EcoSport defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2018 Ford EcoSport?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2018 Ford EcoSport earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2018 Ford EcoSport get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2018 Ford EcoSport range from 25 to 28 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.