Recalled components: fuel system, latches, locks and linkages, air bags, electrical system, and 7 more. Most-described problem: overheating or coolant loss (654 complaints, 24%). Most-reported area: engine (1,269 complaints, 46%; median mileage when it happened: 75,000).
One of the Escape years to avoid
The 2013 drew 389 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 178 for a typical Escape year: 2.1 times as many.
Years to avoid: 2011 and 2013; best years: 2018, 2019, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Oct 2, 2026
Year to avoidBest year
18 safety recalls for the 2013 Ford Escape
Parts with a do-not-drive or park-outside recall come first, then the rest, largest first. Within a part, do-not-drive and park-outside recalls come first, then the newest. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for what is wrong, the fix and the full notice.
Risk: If this leak occurs in the presence of an ignition source, there is an increased risk of a fire and/or personal injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
These vehicles have an engine compartment fuel line which may split, resulting in a leak.
Fix: Ford will notify and instruct owners to stop driving their vehicles and contact a Ford or Lincoln dealer to arrange pick-up of their vehicle. Customers will be provided with a rental vehicle if needed. The dealer will replace the engine compartment fuel line, free charge. The recall began on August 10, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
9,320 vehicles.
This is Ford recall number 12S35.
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through July 11, 2012, and equipped with a 1.6L engine.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
In some cases, the engine compartment fuel line may have been installed incorrectly when repaired under the prior recall. The misinstalled fuel line could chafe and eventually leak fuel.
Fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will inspect the engine compartment fuel line, and if necessary, replace it, free of charge. An interim notice will be mailed to owners during January 2014. The recall began on April 9, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S12.
9,469 vehicles.
This recall is in addition to NHTSA recall 12V-336.All covered vehicles, regardless of being remedied under the earlier recall, require an inspection and a remedy for this campaign.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through July 11, 2012, and equipped with a 1.6L engine subject to prior safety recall NHTSA 12V-336.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246,16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
2,147,323 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max,2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
2,046,297 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles.
Risk: The operator may incorrectly believe the child lock is engaged. However, the door may be opened from the inside, increasing the risk of injury to an unrestrained child.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The left rear door child lock was built incorrectly. As a result, the child lock may not engage when the operator uses normal force to activate the child lock.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
5,675 vehicles.
Ford's recall campaign number is 13S02.
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012.
Risk: The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.
746,842 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Components: Air bags; Air bags: side/window; Seat belts. Ford campaign 14S21.
Risk: If the side-curtain rollover air bag is delayed in deploying in certain rollover circumstances, the risk of injury to the passengers is increased.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
In the affected vehicles, the restraint control module (RCM) may have errors in the programming software which may result in a delayed deployment of the side-curtain rollover air bag.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the RCM, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S04.
594,785 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014C-MAX, and Escape vehicles.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Components: Air bags: frontal, sensor/control module-inactive; Air bags: side/window. Ford campaign 14S04.
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17-S1.
9,017 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013.
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17.
133,227 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines.
Risk: If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicle's hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through November 29, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicle's powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service. Owners were recently notified to contact dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
Risk: As leaking engine coolant evaporates on the hot engine, the glycol may ignite causing an engine compartment fire.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in significant loss of engine coolant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will seal the existing plug and add a secondary plug cover, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 11, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
6,146 vehicles.
Ford's recall campaign number is 12S39.
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through August 31, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Ford campaign 12S39.
Powertrain 2 recalls
automatic transmission · gear position indication (prndl)
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
2,925,968 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018C-Max,2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Components: Powertrain: automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl); Powertrain: shift linkage/cable/rod. Ford campaign 22S43.
automatic transmission · lever and linkage · floor shift
Risk: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the transmission. The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
504,182 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions.
Risk: A door that opens unexpectedly may result in an unrestrained occupant falling from the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
Due to an assembly misalignment between the exterior door handle and the door outer panel, the affected vehicles have doors that may be difficult to close or may possibly open while driving.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the mounting of the door handles, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S03.
581,986 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through April 10, 2014.
Risk: The reduced clearance may result in the driver's foot contacting the side of the brake pedal while transferring the foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal, increasing stopping distances and the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
Due to mis-positioned carpet padding the center console trim panel may be pushed outboard of the intended position, reducing clearance relative to the pedal package.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the carpet padding and left-side console trim panel replaced with a new panel, free of charge. The recall began on july 20, 2012. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
8,266 vehicles.
Ford's recall campaign number is 12s34.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 escape vehicles manufactured from march 8, 2012 through june 7, 2012.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Components: Brakes: pedals and linkages; Body structure. Ford campaign 12S34.
Risk: Leaking engine oil may come into contact with a hot engine surface potentially resulting in an engine compartment fire.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The affected vehicles may experience localized overheating of the engine cylinder head which may cause cracks that could allow oil to leak.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the engine shielding, cooling and control systems, free of charge. An interim notice will be mailed to owners during January 2014. The recall began on April 9, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S12.
139,917 vehicles.
For some of the vehicles included in this campaign, this recall is in addition to NHTSA recall 12V-551.All covered vehicles, regardless of being inspected and repaired under the earlier recall, require an inspection and a remedy for this campaign.Owners may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through June 2, 2013 and equipped with 1.6L engines.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
116,672 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine.
Risk: The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. The affected seat backs may have insufficient strength to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C03.
Fails federal standard 207 (seating systems) · 43,135 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured June 5, 2012, through August 12, 2013, and 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured from July 23, 2012, through May 28, 2013.
NHTSA listing: ESCAPE. Ford campaign 14C03.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 3 investigations that name the 2013 Ford Escape; all 3 are closed. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
Loss of motive power
Preliminary evaluation PE18007Closed Dec 27, 2024 (opened Jul 16, 2018)
On July 16, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to investigate alleged instances of sudden stalling without warning on model year (MY) 2013 Ford Escape vehicles… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA listings: ESCAPE, ESCAPE HYBRID. Component: Engine and cooling.
Door latch failures
Recall query RQ19005Closed Feb 7, 2022 (opened Dec 19, 2019)
In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA ties this investigation to recall 20V-331, listed above.
NHTSA listings: ESCAPE, ESCAPE HYBRID. Components: Latches, locks and linkages; Body structure.
Door latch failure
Preliminary evaluation PE16001Closed Oct 29, 2016 (opened Jan 16, 2016)
In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA ties this investigation to recall 16V-643, listed above.
A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. A recall query is a review of whether a recall covered the right vehicles or whether its fix works. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 2,755 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Escape. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Overheating or coolant loss654 · 24%
Median 85,000 miles at failure, from 456 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off646 · 23%
Median 77,000 miles at failure, from 547 reports with mileage
Check engine light309 · 11%
Median 86,100 miles at failure, from 253 reports with mileage
Power steering problems or locked steering215 · 8%
Median 83,000 miles at failure, from 143 reports with mileage
Loss of power or limp mode190 · 7%
Median 79,000 miles at failure, from 159 reports with mileage
Smoke or a burning smell150 · 5%
Median 85,600 miles at failure, from 118 reports with mileage
Hesitation or slow acceleration141 · 5%
Median 70,000 miles at failure, from 114 reports with mileage
Engine failure or replacement137 · 5%
Median 88,000 miles at failure, from 99 reports with mileage
Median 75,000 miles at failure, from 938 reports with mileage
Powertrain402 · 15%
Most named: automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shift (8); automatic transmission (3) · Median 82,000 miles at failure, from 313 reports with mileage
Electrical system340 · 12%
Most named: wiring (4) · Median 61,000 miles at failure, from 264 reports with mileage
Steering302 · 11%
Median 81,300 miles at failure, from 191 reports with mileage
Fuel and propulsion system248 · 9%
Median 76,200 miles at failure, from 179 reports with mileage
Engine and cooling175 · 6%
Most named: cooling system (5); cooling system, hoses/lines/piping/fittings (3) · Median 105,000 miles at failure, from 149 reports with mileage
Speed control92 · 3%
Median 57,500 miles at failure, from 72 reports with mileage
Unknown or other300 · 11%
Median 80,000 miles at failure, from 159 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Ford Escape recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2013 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2011 Escape drew the most (451) and the 2013 drew 389.
Owner complaints
2013: 2,755 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Ford Escape
Model year
Complaints
2010
2,129
2011
1,353
2012
617
2013
2,755
2014
2,086
2015
1,106
2016
1,131
2017
2,689
2018
1,804
2019
588
2020
1,891
2021
492
2022
378
2023
133
2024
87
2025
29
2026
4
Safety recalls
2013: 18 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Ford Escape
Model year
Recalls
2010
3
2011
2
2012
1
2013
18
2014
16
2015
9
2016
4
2017
4
2018
4
2019
3
2020
25
2021
21
2022
21
2023
13
2024
10
2025
10
2026
3
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 2,755 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Escape, the problems described most are overheating or coolant loss (654), stalling or shutting off (646), and the check engine light coming on (309). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2013 Ford Escape safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2013 Ford Escape earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2013 Ford Escape?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no open investigations for the 2013 Ford Escape. It lists 3 closed ones; the most recent closed on Dec 27, 2024.
How do I check if my Escape has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Oct 2, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: ESCAPE, ESCAPE HYBRID.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.