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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.

2013 Ford Escape electrical problems

electrical problem

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2013 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 6 of 16)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #210

May 222019

Escape

  • 60,478 miles

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

After turning the engine off in opening the car door my radio still stays on when it shouldn't as well as I can not always use my remote keys to lock or unlock the door yet alone the electrical lock inside the door to lock it.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

problem #209

Aug 172019

Escape

  • 32,000 miles
When entering the screen shows powering off to conserve battery. Lights go off and steering wheel and start button lock up. This issue occurred two weeks ago and the battery then would not charge. Bought a new battery from dealer and now the problem is repeating. 32,000 miles and no accidents. Parked in garage both times.now 9/26/19

- St. Paul, MN, USA

problem #208

Sep 112019

Escape

  • 70,500 miles
I was driving my children to school. I was pulling on to our main road a highway from a stop sign and the engine shutoff. I was able to start it and drive it about a block when it happened again. This happen a total of 4 times. Each of these times I was left with my 2 children in a stalled car in the middle of traffic. It is a miracle we did not get hit or hurt in any way. When I was finally able to start it enough and maneuver us out of traffic and danger, we were then stranded on the side of the road. The first time we were turning onto the highway, all other time we were in motion on the highway. We had ran the code with a mechanic and it was a fuel connector error.

- Koosharem, UT, USA

problem #207

Sep 032019

Escape

  • 169,000 miles

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

My check engine light came on and I received an error reading stating my engine coolant is low. I checked coolant and it is full. My car started to stall while I was driving it. I looked up info on this website which mimicked my issues exactly. The Ford recall campaign number is 12S41. I called Ford Motor Compay customer relationship center and asked them about my car and explained the problems and how they mimicked the recall listed above. They said my car was not included in that. I informed them that it was a 2013 Escape which shows to fall under it and they told me that my car probably didn't get made with the same parts and may have been made at a different time. I will now have to pay out of pocket and I have a hard time doing that since obviously the symptoms mimic the recall. My vehicle is in motion when it stalls out and tells me my system is overheating and to pull over. It is a random thing. It can happen when just started or when I'm driving down the road.

- Stockbridge, MI, USA

problem #206

Jan 012019

Escape

  • 39,000 miles
Information display panel went out this is a problem cause cannot renew registration and insurance without mileage and cannot know whats going wrong with car

- Covington, GA, USA

problem #205

Aug 092019

Escape

  • 156,000 miles
I was driving my car on a very busy highway and then the engine failure light came on and my car went into limp mode and stalled out several times while I was driving, this was very unsafe as I had cars going by me as I was stalling out, this could have caused a crash. I took it to the mechanic and he stated that it is a problem with my wiring harness. There is a tsb out but it says that my car was manufactured two months prior then the dates listed for the tsb. There is also a recall for my year make and model in the correct manufacturing dates but I am being told by a Ford representative that it isn't my car without them even looking at it.

- Center City, MN, USA

problem #204

Aug 092019

Escape

  • 65,000 miles

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

Vehicle continually stalls at idle rendering the car unsafe to drive. The manufacturer has made 3 separate attempts to resolve the issue all to no avail.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #203

Aug 012019

Escape

  • miles
Engine stalls when in low or idle when engine is warm. Does T every time I come back out to my vehicle after going somewhere.

- Joplin, MO, USA

problem #202

Jul 302019

Escape

  • 100 miles
The transmission shift cable wore down and broke off several Ford Escapes are already recalled for this but mine is not on the list. My vehicle was in motion when this happened on a city street and would not continue to move I have 2 small children and I am pregnant this was a very unsafe situation

- Joplin, MO, USA

problem #201

Jul 222019

Escape

  • 84,600 miles
Engine & transmission operating erratically and engine shutting off going down highway. Also check engine light came on.

- Newton, NC, USA

problem #200

Jun 252019

Escape

  • 83,000 miles

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

Radio made a long banging sound on ovation for about 2 weeks. Then occasionally the radio would make loud crackling and popping. Car would need restarted to reset. Eventually radio stopped working and car would need restarted, mixed in with crackling and popping issues intermittently. Now the radio just won't work no matter if you restart the car or not. The loud banging sound and loud popping can starrtle a driver. The radio not working should be under a recall, but currently is not. Happens moving and stationary. Has happened on city streets and highway, all issues.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #199

Jun 192019

Escape

  • miles
Informational display behind steering started flickering and now does not light up so I cannot see mileage or anything else thats going on with vehicle. I have attached a pic of what my display shld look like, however the middle display in my vehicle is black, nothing will display. The flickering started last month and now my display is completely black/blank

- Covington, GA, USA

problem #198

Jun 202019

Escape

  • 26,000 miles
My Escape all of a sudden completely stopped accelerating in the middle of driving took it to a Ford dealer they said there were no codes the 2013 Ford Escape 2.0 was recalled for the same reason!!! you need to recall the 1.6 Ford Escape ecoboost my car litterly did what the recall said was happening

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #197

May 302019

Escape

  • 100,182 miles
While driving in morning rush hour (bumper to bumper) traffic on the highway, my vehicle died. The check engine and battery light came on and it took several attempts for it to start again. I had my battery replaced a month ago and the alternator checked with no issues.

- Cottleville, MO, USA

problem #196

May 102019

Escape

  • 73,000 miles
Having issue with engine harness-almost go into accident twice- my car is not under recall however all other Ford Escapes in 2013 were under recall for engine wiring/harness. I got it fixed at Ford for a cost of $1000. 2 weeks later I was traveling to another state and it happened again, almost got into accident due to this issue! this should be included in the recall that you already made for all the other 2013 Escapes! car was moving then started to buck and slow downm, almost stall-then wouldnt move, all lights came on...

- Algonquin, IL, USA

problem #195

Apr 132019

Escape

  • 33,000 miles
Cars transmission failed with only 33,000 miles on the car! I think there is an electrical problem with the car because the battery and the internal components failed at the same time! both times I was driving the car and moving forward when the car stalled out both times, the second time I had just left Ford with the vehicle and they said it was fixed when it stalled out again in forward motion, this time I had the car towed back to Ford and it's been sitting there since April 13th and today is May 1st and Ford has not responded back to me to resolve the issues with the car" I had the car towed to a transmission place on 4/30/2019 that is only charging me $3,100 for a rebuilt transmission with a 2 year 24,000 mile warranty and Ford wanted $7,400 to put a rebuilt transmission in the car? hmmmmm what would you do? customer service at Ford is sloooooow to say the least? it's bad enough I've got a car with only 33,000 miles on it and with an internal transmission issue and than Ford wants me to wait until when to respond back with a solution"

- Hudson, WI, USA

problem #194

Apr 082019

Escape

  • 70,300 miles
Car stalled several times while going about 10-15 mph and this is about the tenth time this has happened in several days.

- Neptune, NJ, USA

problem #193

Feb 282019

Escape

  • 38,500 miles
The car quit in the middle of traffic (no warning) Ford motor says its in the wiring harness (many recalls on this same problem (replacing the map sensor does not help) this car needs a recall! this is a 2013 with less than 40,000 miles.

- Quimby, IA, USA

problem #192

Apr 042019

Escape

  • 70,000 miles
Car stalls somewhat after starting up. Rpms go towards zero.

- Neptune, NJ, USA

problem #191

Mar 152019

Escape

  • 58,520 miles
Car has continued to stall.= repair was done and splices were replaced in bulliten and test drive. Appears to be like recall on my vehicle but manufactured earlier in 2013. Seeking reimbursement from Ford

- Ridgefield, CT, USA

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