CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2013 Ford Escape has been in the news quite a bit and for all the wrong reasons. Within a few months of its release the SUV was recalled three times, twice because of engine fires.
In July 2012, due to a fuel line that could split and leak, Ford told owners to park their cars because even driving to the dealership for repairs was deemed too dangerous. Instead, in a somewhat unprecedented move, Ford sent tow trucks to pick up the affected vehicles and handed out rental cars while the owners waited for repairs.
A few months later the Escape was recalled again because antifreeze could leak out onto the engine due to a freeze plug becoming dislodged. As the coolant hit the hot engine there was, once again, a threat for fire.
The 2013 is the first model year of the Escape's 3rd generation and proves once again that you want to avoid the first model year when at all possible.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 14
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
50,868 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.
I own a 2013 Ford Escape sel 1.6 with 103,000. After recently almost being involved in a car wreck due to my Escape stalling, I took it to my local mechanic to get a fuel sensor replaced after reading online that it could be the cause to stalling. Few days after repair my Escape is still stalling. Absolutely no warning lights let alone warning when my Escape decides it wants to die. My Escape stalls at low speeds and when I'm idle. As an essential worker, I feel more safe working with the public than driving my Escape. This is a very dangerous issue.
Ford did a diagnostic on it which 2 codes showed but they tested and could not find the issue. So I then took it to the approved service shop. The first time they replaced the PCV valve but when I picked it up the next day, the engine light came back on and was now flashing. The shuddering was now happening while driving 70mph. I took it directly back to the shop where they worked on it for about 3 hours. As it was a Saturday, they asked me to bring it back in on Tuesday when the sr. Tech was there. On that day it was there for another 6 hours. They consulted with their head tech who has been there over 30 years and also with several Ford lead technicians. They replaced the egr valve and asked me to let them know how it was. The next morning I had the same issue. They asked me to bring it back in and they were told by Ford to replace a sensor. Once replaced that did not fix the issue. At that point they decided with Ford to take it to Ford to do another diagnosis. The code shows what they've already fixed. At this point there is not much else they can do. I have a vehicle that can't be fixed and I don't feel safe driving.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle suddenly shut off in the middle of traffic. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the failure as the electrical system wiring. The vehicle was then taken to the campbell Ford Lincoln, Inc. (2801 S 11th St, niles, mi 49120) where diagnostic testing determined that the failure was related to the security system and key fob. They stated that another key needed to be made. The issue recurred and the vehicle has been back to the dealer for a month with no fix yet for the issue. The manufacturer just stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 117,653.
I've had a 2013 Ford Escape in for service for the same mechanical issue more than a half-dozen times. The vehicle would stall and engine shut down unexpectedly while driving on the highway, often on major highways at speeds at or over 40mph; this has happened nationwide and has been reported in over a thousand complaints. This is a dangerous, hazardous defect. I have been forced to pay for the repairs for this ongoing consistent dangerous defect. I have repair records documenting all of the problems and ongoing failure to correct this same issue. My vehicle should have been part of the recall for stalling issues. This is a safety defect and Ford should be held responsible. View the posted link NHTSA has probed the problem. Chapman Ford in northeast philadelphia knowingly sold this vehicle aware of the problem. The dealership will not acknowledge it. Ford corporation denies recall for my vehicle. I lodged a complaint with the ftc and with the Pennsylvania consumer protection Agency. Ford will wait to be liable when somebody gets hurt or killed on a highway when the 2013 Ford Escape stalls out loses power. I have reported this to Ford, they deny this safety issue. Beware of the 2013 Ford Escape. Https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/Ford-Escape-investigation-targets-stalling-problem
This is the tenth time that the coolant system lights come on and the the car stalls out and will only go approximately 5 miles per hour. This happened this time with a car behind me that almost crashed into me he had ti hit his breaks and go across a double line into oncoming traffic lanes to keep from hitting me, blessedly there was no oncoming traffic. I was driving the vehicle. Now it won"T stay charged even with a new battery. As soon as I turn the motor off the car is dead until I charge it again. It runs from point a to B but if you turn it off it is completely dead and the key wont work or anything
- Fresno, CA, USA
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When started, vehicle displays 'power steering assist failure-requires service' warning and power steering is lost. This has happened three times over the course of two days. It does not happen every time the car is started, it just randomly happens. I drove home last night from work with no power steering, and along with this issue my usb ports would not charge my phone. My phone recognized that it was plugged in, but not enough power was being supplied to actually charge it. I'm nit sure if that is linked with the power steering module, but I've never had that issue before all of this mess.
My car has the same problem as the recall 14S17-S1 except my engine is the 1.6L and they won't fix it. I started my car after work and the engine fault service engine soon light came on. I tried to drive it but there was no power and was wanting to die so I parked it and called a tow truck. It is the map harness wiring.
While driving down the highway the car would lose power, stall out and die! after coasting over to the emergency lane and wanting a few minutes, I would then turning the car off then back on. It would start but I never know when its going to happen again. The car had sufficient fuel and oil, battery connection are tight and clean.
My 2013 Ford Escape stalls and turns off several times a day. You can drive it several miles, but when you stop and turn it off, then turn it back on it will stall and turn off. It's died several times pulling out of a parking space or in the middle of the road. If I'm able to keep it running long enough to get up to about 30 mph it will skip 3 times then it's fine, until you turn it back off. I've almost been in several collisions with me and my 3 kids. I've called the Ford dealership several times and they keep saying there's no recall and I have to pay to get it looked at and fixed. Apparently this is a known issue by looking at other people having the same issue with it stalling and dying.
While driving down the highway ( us 82 in Texas), there were flames seen coming from underneath the vehicle. A separate vehicle pulled up beside our 2013 Ford Escape, and yelled that the car was on fire. My son quickly pulled over, and he and his mother quickly got out of the vehicle and backed away from it. A fire truck came and put out the fire, but the car is a total loss. My wife was also treated for smoke inhalation on site, and later had to go to the hospital because she was still having problems breathing. I have checked the VIN on our vehicle, but there was no recall on our VIN. After research, I see that there has been other fire issues with other vins. I believe our situation needs to be looked at, because the recall may need to be expanded. We are currently upside down on our car note, and will loose about $4,000 out of pocket. I believe our issue could be related to issues others have had within the recalled VIN's. this happened on Friday November 15th near sherman, Texas.
Me and my dad had brought this 2013 Ford Escape with warranty on August 20, 2018 at don davis Nissan it had 70,093 miles on the truck the sales man name Mr. Freeman was the one who had sold us this truck he had this truck was at don davis Nissan for a week the salesman Mr. Freeman told me and my dad that the reason the truck had took long because they were doing work to it to make sure that everything on it would be ok before they brought it too me and my dad. So we had the truck for about two weeks and everything on their was good until September 5 2018 the check engine light had came on I told my dad what happen he told me to take it back up their to don davis Nissan I took back up to them they tested and they came back and told me that the turbo charge needs fixing and it was going to be $500 dollars so when I told my dad he told the people at don davis Nissan that why should we have to pay for something out of his pockets when we have warranty on this truck and we just gotten this truck so my dad was pissed because we just gave don davis $500 and I looked on the internet and I seen were they a had a recall on this truck so I went out their to don davis Nissan and told them this and they come telling me that my truck doesn't have a recall and I told them like how do you know what I have and I seen on the internet that the same thing that the other customers who had a recall on their truck and as I look at the comments and I seen the same thing happening to my truck like for example the electrical system engine to wear my truck overheats to wear I hardly drive it sometimes I do because I go to school and to my doctor and run errands for my mother or father. And I been telling don davis Nissan since last and now and they acted like they don't want to help me but always be lying to me and my dad I have been telling don davis Nissan this and they straight ignore me.
I drive to town park to go in a store come back to my car start it and go to drive as I pulling in traffic it dies it starts back up and does it again for 4 to 5 times before finally driving normal, on hot days as the car is driving it will read as if it is over heating and pull reduce power in witch as U finally get out of traffic and pull over the heat hand drops back down like it wasn't hot this repeats on ever small hill I go up and the inside temperature reading goes up and down while this is happening and it is leaking coolant on back side of engine as all the other Ford Escape that was recalled that caused the fire
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. While the vehicle was stationary, it stalled and completely shut off. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure recurred. The contact also stated that if the vehicle was not driven at 35 mph or higher, it would stall. The vehicle was taken to precision Ford (945 N main St, lillington, nc 27546, (910) 814-2243) where the contact was informed that the wire harness needed to be replaced; however, the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V813000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer stated that there was no guarantee that additional vins would be added to the recall. The contact was referred to NHTSA to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 64,000.
My car keeps stalling. It all started after one random drive of car sitting all night, all of a sudden my temperature gauge went skyrocketing and my car started smoking. And needed coolant which was fine just before all of that happen. After that it will just randomly stall, the oil pressure light will come on and then my battery light. My oil like on my dipstick is skyrocketing even after letting your car sit. Something needs to be done I drive to college everyday as well as taking my son to school everyday I cannot have a car where the engine catches on fire or I keep stalling out and then I'm 20 30 minutes late to class
2013 Ford Escape sel 08/12 stalling problems. Stalled 4 times on a busy state highway. Hesitated to restart then would stall out again. This has been going on for months. Calling Ford dealer tomorrow to see if it's civered under recall due to being bought used from a dealer
Car shut off in traffic when idling in right turn lane. Hazards turned on and coasted to side. Pressed power button again and car started. Pulled into parking lot. Check engine light was on. Car powered down again. Car started again and drove 10 miles without issue to destination. Check engine light stayed on.
The vehicle stutters and dies upon restart; after being heat soaked from a long drive (highway for a hour). Vehicle throws random codes related to PCM does not do so consistently. Appears to be a problem with wires related to PCM
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Massillon, OH, USA