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Ford EcoSport Has Incorrect Brake Fluid Label

NHTSA campaign 18V312000 · Reported May 14, 2018 · Ford Motor Company

medium How serious is it? About this label

Using the wrong brake fluid because of the incorrect label could affect how the brakes perform, and the notice says this increases the risk of a crash. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

Key facts

NHTSA campaign number	18V312000
Reported to NHTSA	May 14, 2018
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Part affected	Equipment:other:labels
Vehicles covered	1 model/year combination, model years 2018
Do-not-drive advisory	No
Park-outside advisory	No
Repair	Free at any franchised dealer

What's wrong, in plain English

Certain 2018 Ford EcoSport vehicles sold in U.S. territories were shipped with the wrong brake fluid reservoir cap label and the wrong owner's manual, both in a European format. Because of this, the vehicles don't meet the federal safety standard for brake systems. Owners could be confused by the incorrect label and end up using the wrong brake fluid.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if your vehicle is included.
2. Contact a Ford dealer, or Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, to have the brake fluid cap label and owner's manual kit replaced.
3. The repair is free.

Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?

Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 18V312000. More in how recalls work.

Affected vehicles (1)

2018 Ford Ecosport

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Ford Equipment Recalls Cover Block Heaters, Cameras, and Labels · all 16 Ford recalls in this area

Other Ford Ecosport recalls

Jun 27, 2025Ford and Lincoln rearview cameras may show blank imagemedium
Feb 28, 2025Ford EcoSport Front Axle Half Shafts May Disconnecthigh
Dec 22, 2023Ford Focus, EcoSport Oil Pump Belt May Failhigh
Dec 17, 2020Ford EcoSport, Transit Connect Airbag Missing Booster Propellanthigh
Jan 2, 2019Ford EcoSport Front Seat Frames Improperly Weldedmedium

Official notice

Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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."
Safety risk: Owners 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.
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.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.