CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2012 Ford Escape has an acceptable complaint history so far, with leaking rear window problems showing up as the main concern so far. NHTSA complaint data shows an early pattern of problems with stalling while driving.
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
While cruising at speeds ranging from 25 to 55 mph, car will suddenly lose power, with rpms decreasing to 1200-1500. Depressing accelerator has no effect for 3-5 seconds, when the car will act normally. A similar problem is noted at random times when accelerating under light throttle from a stop or when applying full power to pass another vehicle on the highway. This presents a dangerous situation when the car cannot be relied upon to perform normally. The problem has not been isolated to any specific environmental or operational conditions. The problem was worse during the first 5,000 miles, but continues less frequently (vehicle has 40,000 miles now). Dealer technicians are unable to locate any faults.
The transmission in my Escape shifts badly. Has a lagging upshift from starts and a harsh downshift when coming to a stop a common problem with the 2012 Escape from what I have read. Took it to the dealer twice said nothing was wrong just the way the transmission is.
This is the 2nd time this has happened. This time I was attempting to make a U-turn in a loading dock on a busy street, and was going forward, to put the car into reverse to back up a little bit and the car shut off. Again there were no warnings on the dashboard, no sounds and no lights. This time there were cars coming toward me honking at me, and one in the loading dock trying to back up honking at me. I started it back up and backed up to continue where I was going. This is very unsafe. I took the car to my Ford dealership where they tested the throttle body and said that wasn't the problem. They also said they couldn't find anything wrong. What am I supposed to do if this cuts off in the middle of a busy intersection? someone needs to fix this!!!
I was getting ready to back into a my parking space, so I had just pulled into the parking lot (going forward) and came to almost a stop so I could put it into reverse and my car suddenly shut off. There were no warning lights on the dashboard, no sounds, nothing. Because it had never done this before and I had the car for almost 2 years, I thought I had done something to cause it. I started it back up and put it into reverse to back into the parking spot. It started just fine.
- Chester, VA, USA
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The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. After starting the vehicle and shifting into reverse, the vehicle hesitated to reverse. The contact also stated that while shifting gears, a popping noise was present and the vehicle jerked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
I was on my way home when the car slowed almost to a stop and started making a jerking motion. I couldn't get enough power to stay in traffic so I pulled over and stopped the and shut it off. By this time the wrench signal came on the dash. I started it again and it seemed ok so I drove it to a nearby garage my mechanic owns. It slowed down again and started jerking on the way. I shut it off and started it again and drove 2 more blocks to the garage. They hooked it up to their computer and said it needed a new throttle sensor. It works fine again after a bill of $455.68.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. While driving various speeds, the vehicle failed to switch gears without warning. As a result, the vehicle hesitated and accelerated rapidly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was operating up to standard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Car makes a jump when accelerating was told there is a extended coverage on the throttle body and that its possibly the throttle body causing the jolt, but Ford will not fix under the extended coverage recall until the engine light comes on.
This vehicle was sold to us a being capable of being towed behind a motor home. During the towing process, the transmission became so hot that components of the drive train melted and liquefied as determined by Ford. This presents a severe safety concern as the car could have caught fire and there would be no way we would have known. This could have resulted in an explosion or worse. We have since discovered that Ford, without telling us, issued a bulletin stating that the car can not in fact be towed. This information has not been widely distributed and none of the Ford dealers we talked to were aware of it. In addition, there are websites from motor home magazine and edmonds as well as others that still list the 2012 Escape as a good choice for motor home tow vehicles.
As I was stopped at a red light on my way to work, all of a sudden the battery light came on, then oil can light and then the car stalled/shut off. I tried to re-start it and it wouldn't work. The light turned green and I turned my hazards on so folks would know to pass me. I started dialing aaa and tried to start it again. It did start and no warning lights appeared. I called my dealership and they said probably just a computer glitch and to just drive it around my work parking lot a few times, they hadn't heard of this. Then I did research and found it could be the electronic throttle body issue. I have reached out to them to have it looked at this weekend. No problems since the initial stall.
Made left hand turn from a stop sign, as accelerating, lost power., put it in neutral started it again, put in gear, accelerated, approx 30 ft, did it again, I pulled over, called roadside assist, it was towed to dealership where I bought it, next day, they "said" it would cost me 104.50(ish) to have it analyzed, I said ok, later they finally told me that it was the air intake module was clogged, this all cost me $184.18. They also said that I have an oil leak, and he was going to "try" to get it fixed on my drive train warranty, but didn't know at the time if he could, now the control arm is a different story, he said he didn't know if it would take care of this also, he would let me know. If not it will cost $452 plus tax I do not understand, the vehicle is just now 2 yrs old and I can understand if I lived on bumpy gravel road or traveled on alot of bumpy gravel roads, but I do not, in fact 90% of the miles on my vehicle are highway miles, and I avoid bumpy gravel roads as much as possible, because I know they will eventually tear up a vehicle.
Ford Escape lost speed and was manueverable at idle speed only. Repair wrench light came on. Put hazard lights on and pulled into nearby parking lot after almost getting run in to by another car who did not slow down in response to hazard lights. Turned car off and on again. Problem was corrected. In driving to dealership for check, the car stalled out/entered limp home mode 2 more times. Computer update done. Car still having engine surges multiple times on way home. Brought to second dealership which said first dealer made computer adjustments incorrectly. Awaiting pickup of car for 2nd time to see if corrected. Dealers refusing to replace throttle body at this time.
Traveling at highway speed (65mph) the first two times vehicle lost power, throttle/power train light on, went to idle. Forced to shoulder, shutoff vehicle, restart, resumed normal operation. Third occasion same day same problem in the middle of intersection (25mph) in addition to throttle light got check engine light. Fourth occasion same results(35mph).
The vehicle has lost power on 5 separate occasions while it was in motion. Twice on surface streets. Twice while entering a freeway on-ramp. Once while entering a driveway. The first incident occurred approximately November 8, 2012. The most recent incident occurred on July 16, 2014. The dealership (galpin Ford) has been contacted and the vehicle has been taken in for service for this issue several times. Ford finally acknowledged (approximately April 2014) that the issue could have been caused by a faulty "throttle body" and galpin Ford subsequently replaced the part. Approximately June 9, 2014, the vehicle was taken back to galpin Ford to "recalibrate" the "throttle body". this vehicle is unreliable, could cause serious bodily injury and an investigation should be opened to find a solution to the problem.
As per my vehicle report from the dealership: Concern 52*: tech notes clutch slave cylinder is leaking. Cause: Verify concern, find that vehicle has clutch fluid leaking from inside bell housing area. Correction: Remove trans & inspect, find that slave cyl is seeping fluid. Install new slave cyl & adapter. Assemble vehicle, no leaks found inside bell housing, but clutch live from master cyl to slave cyl will not seal properly. Install line, bleed system & retest, all pass. 52-3: manual transmission slave cylinder- hydraulic clutch - replace.
As per my vehicle report from the dealership: Concern 51: Verify cust concern, find that veh spins over but will not start, install ids & performed koeo, all pass. Perform relative compression test, 80% loss 3,4. correction: Perform manual compression test. Cyl 1-180, 2-175, 3-0, 4-0. perform leakdown & pressure test, find that intake valves in 3 & 4 are not sealing. Remove valve cover & inspect camshafts, no damage found. Spin vehicle over & verify timing. Find that crank pulley has bracket out & vehicle has jumped time. 51-1: remove intake, exhaust manifold, timing components & cyl head. Inspect and finds that valves in 3,4 have contacted pistons, no damage found on pistons. Install new head gasket, cyl head bolts, 2 new diamond washers, all related gaskets & perform timing procedure. Assemble vehicle, change oil & fill fl. 52-2 koeo, pass. Roer vehicle has dtc PO524. Perform pinpoint test, replace vct solenoid, koer all pass. Test drive. Vehicle runs properly at this time. 51-5: cylinder head gasket- leakage (external leaks)- test.
As per my vehicle report from the dealership: Concern 51: C/S that battery light is on, please check and advise. Cause: Verified concern. Found belt thrown. Also found and oil leak at the front cover via a dime sized hole in the cover. Correction: Replaced front cover and vbelt. Also replaced motor mount that was stripped out. Verified repair. Battery light is off and no oil leaks at this time.
My 2012 Ford Escape has transmission issues, and from what I'm being told it's not only my vehicle. It seems to be all over the place as I drive it. One time at a stop light it will slip, and not go into gear just acting like it is in neutral. The next time I take my foot off the brake, and it will jam it self into gear almost rear ending the vehicle in front of me. It does the same as I drive it I'm never sure which result I'm going to get, but I do get one or the other. I've had it into three Ford dealerships a total of seven times, but from rebooting the software to rebuilding the transmission from the limited parts available it continues to get worse. I was told at the last dealership that it needs a new transmission, but none are available as they have so many complaints about them. I've complained to customer service who told me to talk to customer relations, and the case manager doesn't call me back. I finally called Ford credit to tell them about the situation, but they just transferred me to the voicemail of the case manager that doesn't call me back. If they are having all the complaints I've been told about I thought someone should report it to you before gets seriously hurt.
2 months prior to this date, I was going home, 50mph merging towards another lane when the car, all of a sudden, began shaking and the acceleration slowed down tremendously. I thought I was gonna stall so I decided to push my hazard lights and parked on the right shoulder and turned off the engine. It was traffic time, but luckily I was not hit. A minute later, I turned on the engine and drove, and I was able to get home. On April 1, 2014, I was driving to work on I-5, san diego, ca going 60, I heard a thud, and when I looked at the dashboard, the wrench light was on. In heavy traffic with my hazard lights on I was able to coast very slowly to the right, narrow shoulder and turned off the engine. Every driver behind me was so mad, blowing their horn. A minute later, I turned the engine back on and left. I arrived at work very upset, disturbed, and still a bit shaking. I could have caused a major pile-up, and perhaps I could have been in severely injured. That afternoon, when I drove home, I took the inland street to be a little safer. And lo and behold, the wrench light came on again. So with my hazard lights on, I quickly parked the car and turned off the engine. Then I proceeded driving home without any problems. I have not brought my car to the dealer yet because I want to ensure the problem is covered by my warranty. On April 8, 2014, I will drive my car to perry Ford in national city, ca. I also called customer satisfaction program twice, and I hope they could relay my message to the dealer I was going to drive my car to for repair. In google, numerous complaints mentioned the ebt, and I'm sure it's the problem. I am a 67 year old driver who needs the safest car to drive to work on the freeway, Monday to Friday.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Fairdale, KY, USA