Could be spark issues, fuel issues. Plugs and coil packs are the likely cause of a misfire. Grounding on the coil over plugs should be checked first before buying parts. You’ll need to get a code reader to determine which cylinder is missing or you’re shooting in the dark.

When the Check Engine or Service Engine Soon light starts blinking (as opposed to staying steadily illuminated), this means that a catalytic converter-damaging condition is occurring. When this Check Engine or Service Engine Soon light flashes, you should pull over safely and shut the vehicle off as soon as possible.

If the check engine light in your 2018 Ford Escape starts flashing, that means that the problem needs rapid attention and your Ford should be brought in expeditiously. This blinking light usually illustrates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system.

Flashing Check Engine Light The rule of thumb is that if the check engine light is flashing, you can’t keep driving the car. It’s an emergency. Often it indicates an engine misfire. If you keep driving, you will likely cause irreversible damage, mostly to the (expensive) catalytic converter.

Engine misfire occurs when one or more of the cylinders fail to provide power to your vehicle with the possibility of raw fuel making its way into the catalytic converter. You should consider engine misfire to be a severe condition and have it repaired right away to avoid expensive repairs and a possible car fire.

A random misfire code usually means the air/fuel mixture is running lean. But the cause might be anything from a hard-to-find vacuum leak to dirty fuel injectors, low fuel pressure, a weak ignition coil, bad plug wires, or compression problems.