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:
8 / 61
Injuries / Deaths:
14 / 0
Average Mileage:
55,047 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.
Car cuts off when accelerating after a warm start (car has been driven with no problems, sits for about 20 minutes and then is restarted). Car starts easily, is driven out of a parking lot, brakes are applied before proceeding turning on main road, car engine cuts off. This is the scenario each time. Doesn't happen every time car is driven but it is a constant safety issue. Always have to make sure no traffic is coming wither way because car has to be placed in park to restart. Car shows no codes when placed on computer. Dealer says they have never heard of this recall or problem. Problem is intermittent so impossible to demonstrate to dealer. Online research indicates many people experiencing this problem with this engine but no solution available, just many suggestions. So resolution is unknown.
When starting the vehicle, 70% of the time the vehicle stalls after 1 minute, sometimes on the road which is dangerous. Now it is stalling after it has been driven for awhile and I place it in park. It now stalls while idling. In all instances I can restart the car with no problems...except if it stalls again, which is now approximately 50% of the time.
The car has stalling issues. When I start it it chugs and stalls. I restart it and drive approximately 15 miles. Let the car sit a few minutes and get in to drive away and it stalls again. It also intermittently stalls while driving down the road. I also have a heating issue. I purchased the car Dec.26. 2020 and it has been in the Ford service dept since Jan 4, 2021. Only the heat has been gbeing looked at. The stalling hasnt been looked into. Heat only works when accelerating.
Vehicle stalling at different times. There is no codes when it happens and no set time. Don't feel safe driving this vehicle as we are seniors and don't want to get stranded some were! going back to my personal mechanic on 2/2/21 to see if they can fix the problem. I think Ford should foot the bill as this car is unsafe for our highways.
I drive vehicle a little and if I stop then when I start car it will stall when I start driving and I have to crank it again and it will go a little and die again. I pulled into intersection and car died leaving me in sitting in the highway. I almost got hit by another car.
- Wilkesboro, NC, USA
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The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in the driveway of her boyfriends residence, the contacts boyfriend noticed leaks of fuel on the ground. The contact stated that an abnormal oder appeared as the vehicle was idling. The vehicle was taken to the dealer koons Ford of annapolis (2540 riva road, annapolis, md 21401 (410) 224-2100) where it was diagnosed that the fuel line was leaking into the engine compartment. The fuel line was repaired however, the failure recurred. The contact mentioned NHTSA campaign number: 13V583000 (engine) as a possible solution to the failure however the repair was performed back in 2016. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.
I was driving home when the engine to my 2013 Ford Escape started smoking enough to engulf the inside of the vehicle with black smoke. The engine then caught fire while I was still in drive. I placed the vehicle in park and jumped out when in a matter of seconds the entire engine was in flames, seconds after that the whole vehicle was on fire. The fire dept. Came to put it out. The fire dept. Left and the fire was extinguished. Approximately 45 minutes later, the car started on fire again. This time it was letting off small explosions' of sparks. The fire dept. Came again and extinguished the fire. I asked them if they had any idea what caused it. One fire fighter's reply was "no idea, I have never seen any thing like this before in my life" the car had 89000 miles on and had been inspected by Ford a few months ago with no complications found in the engine. The heat gauge never raised to make myself, the driver aware of any over heating. The fire started right infront of my home as I was pulling into my driveway while I was still in drive/motion.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing out of her driveway, the high temperature and low engine coolant service warning lights illuminated. There was no visual leaks present. The contact purchased coolant to place in the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. North central Ford (1819 N central expy, richardson, tx 75080, (972) 584-1338) was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,800.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing anti-freeze prematurely. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to have a diagnostic test performed that located the failure that the engine cylinder cup plug was not secured to the cylinder head causing the antifreeze leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 58,000.
We have a 2013 Ford Escape and it dies/stalls out periodically. When this happens, there is no warning and typically it is after idling (ex: At a stop light). My daughter was at a stop light after getting gas and once the light turned green, and she began to accelerate, the vehicle died and she had to coast across a 7 lane busy street to get out of traffic. This is not a new problem, it has happened on more than one occasion. We have taken it to the mechanic and it doesn't typically bring up a "code" on the machine they use. On one occasion, it did and we replaced the fuel pump ($600) which did not solve the problem. This is a huge safety concern!!! and after reading some additional information, there are a lot of people with the same problem! please do something!
The contact's daughter owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that coolant leaked into the engine causing the vehicle to overheat and stall while driving at various speeds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to future Ford Lincoln of roseville (650 automall dr, roseville, ca 95661) and was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V551000 (engine and engine cooling) however, upon performing a VIN search, the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
I've been having problems with the coolant system and my vehicle has been shutting off while driving. There has been a severe leak near the engine and I don't know what other problems it may have caused. I almost had an accident riding into traffic with the car shutting off in the middle of driving.
I just came out of a state inspection a few months later the engine overheats and the car just shuts off. Now, if I had one Ford I would not pay attention to this, but I have more than one and the same thing has happened. Now, at times where there's a recall, but when they have other items that get fixed without a recall, we never hear about that. I know I'm not the only one. This has never happened on this car, but my Ford Focus, and it happens after a car has been in for service lately during the virus worst for some reason. This is a danger and could kill someone on a freeway. As when the car stopped on a recall before. From the doors opening on the freeway to this mess. Ford needs to be investigated at a higher level. I do know my antifreeze has been water down as I found out today, ucz their orange fluid has been discontinued for over a year I was told.
Two different times while driving, the engine started missing, no power. Got to edge of road, shut car off. Re started and it was fine. Today (1/10/2021 power steering quit working while in line to get coffee. Made it home barely, shut off car, now it's working.
There has been multiple coolant line issues result in the car stopping immediately no matter where you are. There has been a previous stated issue I do not feel like my car was fixed properly before buying it and the recall should be reopened and considered an hazardous issue. I have been stranded, left on the side of the road unsafely, there is little to no warnings. The vehicle will shut itself off if you can't pull over in time. It will end up hurting people if it isn't resolved. There is a current class action lawsuit open for it, I don't want that I just want my vehicle safe. I actually love it. It has happened multiple times I always havre coolant with
February 2019 I had my water pump, water gasket, and heater hose replaced by Ford because they found coolant pump and heater hoses were leaking. Before they fixed this issues I would smell a horrible smell when I used my heater. Lately, I have been smelling the same smell from the coolant leaking when I use my heater, this smell gives me headaches every time I drive my car. My check engine light came on December 29th 2020. I had taken it to auto zone to check the codes. They detected the code P26B7 -replace coolant bypass valve and the smell is increasing when I drive my car and use my heater. Now I am going to be out more money for the same issue that looks like to be happening for years now. This is not right!
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle began to stall while a warning message to pull the vehicle over appeared on the instrument panel. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the vehicle was overheated and that there was no coolant in the reservoir. Upon restart of the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate upon depressing the accelerator pedal. Due to the failure, the contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic who confirmed that there was a coolant leak however, the mechanic was unable to determine the source of the leak. Ted russell Ford Lincoln (8551 kingston pike, knoxville, tn 37919) was also notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 12V431000 (engine and engine cooling) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
I have been having issues with my 2013 Ford Escape 1.6L ' the coolant light service required light indicator has been coming on. I first would fill the coolant reservoir with antifreeze and a month or so later the light would come on again. I would repeat the process. I brought it in to bay state Ford in easton, Massachusetts and was informed that my water pump was the cause of the leak. ($1,500). I had them repair it. I got the car back and a month or 2 later the coolant light came on again. I brought it back and they did diagnostics on (compression tests) and informed that there were no leaks and that there might have been air pockets that caused it. I took my car back again and within 1 month the coolant light came back on again. Again, they do diagnostics and said there was no leak and blamed air pockets. I took it back and within 1 to 2 weeks the coolant light came back on again. They look at it again and did the same diagnostics and now tell me that there is an internal leak and that it could be within the engine and wanted my approval to perform more diagnostics at my expense as they were not sure where the leak is coming from internally. This could cost me thousands of dollars as they think it could be the engine. This vehicle is only 7 years old and should not be leaking coolant internally and I already replaced the water pump. They told me my choices are to trade up to a new car or pay for the replacement of engine if indeed that is the issue. This is not fair to me. They are telling me that there is no recall on this vehicle and that I had a 2.0 engine. (I do not have a 2.0 engine, I have a 1.6L engine). Recall number 12V551000 is an engine and engine cooling issue and it sounds that my Ford Escape is part of or should be part of this recall.
On my 2013 Ford Escape whenever I pour coolant in it automatically leaks. It has been smoking, overheating and dangerous. I need the car fixed. I scheduled an appointment with autonation Ford margate at 5401 w copans rd, margate, fl 33063 and when I got there they told me it would be a charge to diagnose. Ford should be aware of the issue and ready to fix it for the customer. There has already been a recall for this and need it fixed for free.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Suffolk, VA, USA