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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.

Another concern is the 2012 Escape rolled onto its roof during an NHTSA side impact test so it only received a marginal side impact rating ... not good.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
25,031 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2012 Ford Escape suspension problems

suspension problem

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2012 Ford Escape Owner Comments

problem #7

Mar 112024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While doing an exhaust inspection on my car, I noticed the front subframe is rusted completely through on the right hand side near the rear lower control are bushing. This is a major structural component of the vehicle and I believe it is a huge safety risk driving it. The car has around 114,000 miles on it. I feel Ford should issue a recall and replace these rusted trough front subframes. I cannot afford to replace it at the cost of $2000 including labor. Please help, thank you.

- Dearborn, MI, USA

problem #6

Oct 202022

Escape

  • miles
Passenger side front control arm mount has extreme rust that degrades the integrity of the front suspension. Many others report this same problem especially with the V6.

- Paris, KY, USA

problem #5

Mar 152019

Escape

  • miles
My vehicle makes loud noise when I drive from the wheel barrel

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #4

Nov 102017

Escape

  • 158,900 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Started last year. Problem occur forward or backing up. Steering will become heavy and turning to the right. While driving steering wheel will get locked and the car will simultineouly stop but engine stays on. I will have to turn the car to off and turn back to on. Then I resume driving until it will occur again. This happened multiple times. I am not able to drive the car since I feel it is dangerous and unsafe. I contacted the Ford dealer they declined any recalls. They claimed recalls are only available for the prior year 2011. The cost to repair could be up to $1300 as an estimate based on the symbol diagnosis code that appear on the dashboard. Strted a year ago with mileage around 135,000 and continue till todate. Wheel bearing were exchanged by other repair shops unkowing to me of the recall.

- Kingston, NY, USA

problem #3

Feb 032016

Escape

  • miles
When I turn it makes a pop, the tail gate (trunk) will not open and back light shortage out at times. Car balls out sometime when I'm trying to go and will idle up on its own at times.

- Kilgore, TX, USA

problem #2

Aug 142014

Escape 6-cyl

  • 15,320 miles
Please forward to appropriate personnel, on Thursday, August 14th at ~5:45pm a clear day: Our mom/mother in-law had just dropped of my daughter after shopping and was making her way home thru the windy back roads less than two miles from our home. As she climbed a hill a few blocks around the corner from her home and stopped at a stop sign on the crest of the hill. The 2012 Ford escaped lurched/surged forward uncontrollably. As from her description, she heard loud rumblings coming from the engine; the Escape shook and launched her forward while she had her foot on the brake. The Escape propelled her uncontrollably forward crashing into a large boulder, she then ricocheted across two lanes up hill, over an embankment /wall, just missing a tree, collided with another parked vehicle pushing it approximately three feet, passed that into another small wall just missing the house. We are thankful on many levels; that our daughter was not with her, that our mom was not severely injured and no one else was injured. I was researching online and there was an investigation open for this vehicle at one time. A recall is needed for this vehicle model before there is a fatality involved. We are very concerned knowing that many other family members and friends drive Escape models. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. We have many pictures from the scene for you to review. Kind regards, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- White Plains, NY, USA

problem #1

Apr 012013

Escape

  • 1,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the shocks on the rear of the vehicle made noises whenever a pothole was. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the shocks were replaced. The dealer stated that they were going send the shocks to Ford's engineers to be inspected since this was a known problem. The vehicle had not been inspected. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage and current mileage was 1,000.

- Barberton, OH, USA

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