Thermostat location

Looking for thermostat on 2018 Ford escape SE 1.5l ecoboost

It is on the left front of the cylinder block as observed from in front of the vehicle. If you have a leak in the area, it might actually be the water pump leaking and not the thermostat housing. The water pump on these engines doubles as the idler for the timing belt and as such, you will need to use a timing tool set to properly do this job. It would be a good idea to replace the timing belt as you are there anyway. The crank pulley on these is keyless meaning the crank and cam both have to be locked in a specific location in order to remove the belt. There is a toolkit on amazon for this which is around $50.

Do NOT attempt this unless you are willing to forfeit your engine. You MUST absolutely know what you are doing.