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:
9 / 60
Injuries / Deaths:
14 / 0
Average Mileage:
56,186 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.
Check coolant light came on, took to my local Ford dealer. Diagnosis from Charles Gabus Ford: Vehicle is losing coolant due to a crack in the engine. This is a known Ford defect. The car is currently not in operation due to the risk of the engine catching fire. Estimate from Ford = $8,880.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not immediately accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated and the vehicle would occasionally stall. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 105,000.
Engine sputtering, took into dealer service week of 7/30/2021 - had wiring harness replaced. Took car back, engine light came back on, returned to dealer service week of 8/6. Car gave Evac code of a solenoid sensor issue. Team suggested solenoid replacement and new spark plugs - work done and picked up Friday 8/6/2021. By Monday 8/9/2021 Check engine light back on. Took back to dealer service. Code given out was #4 Cylinder Misfire and cylinder was "wet" looking. Overnight pressure test was completed and leaking was found from the coolant system into the engine. A boarscope was used and coolant was found on top of #4 piston. Engine is leaking coolant internally. Service Manager at dealership says this is a design flaw not an indication of use/wear/tear. Said there was a tech bulletin put out about the flaw, but that tech sheet has now been wiped from their system. There is a former recall in 2012 about a similar issue affecting the 2013 Ford Escape and 2013 Fusion. Ford denied our request because of their policy that the date of the warranty (2/13/2013) is more than 7 years old. We believe this is a design flaw of the engine itself and not a wear and tear issue. Our concern is how many of these vehicles are on the road and are having the same issue unknown to the owners. The additional coolant/liquid in the engine can cause the engine to corrode or sieze while driving - creating a hazard condition.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "engine temperature high" message was displayed. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic performed a diagnostic test but could not determine the cause for the overheating. The mechanic pointed out a recall notification with NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V583000 (Engine) relating to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.
- Newport, MI, USA
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The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle overheated due to a coolant leak. The contact stated that the service engine message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 13V583000 (Engine) however, the Vin was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that Vin was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 232,227.
The vehicle overheats. Happens every now and then. It once overheated, shutdown and had to be towed to the Ford dealer; who said there is nothing to do other than turning off the AC when going up a steep hill. And even that doesn't work.
The coolant low gauge failed, stating that the coolant was low and the car was overheating and needed to be pulled off to a safe side. With the odometer not reaching the H showing it was approaching hot too soon. Before an individual could fully pull off the road safely car started to shake, the light went red, the dash said car overheating pull off, and the car turned off. The individual was still somewhat in a lane and on the side of the freeway where cars could still possibly hit the car and roll off the side of a cliff. This problem has been confirmed by a dealer before. The vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer. The warning lights and messages did not give enough warning to get off the road to safety.
Coolant has been leaking from vehicle over the course of a month and a half. Fill reservoir only to have to refill within a week to two weeks with coolant.
The purge valve (whole system) has failed on my vehicle when it was on less than 5 years old. This can cause for the vehicle to pause which is dangerous. Because my purge valve (whole system) failed, not only did input my family at risk for danger, I now have to pay out of pocket to have this repair. I did not have the money to get it repair and now that I do I have to pay over $600. Ford has recognized that this is a systemic issue, however they somehow were able to focus their recall to specific manufacturers which did not cover all including my vehicle.
One of the radiator hoses, causing all of the coolant to drain in less than 1 second, followed by tremendous amounts of smoke coming from the engine. A warning light came on the dash, with a loud alarm. The car immediately overheated and had I not stopped driving the car in seconds, it would have overheated & destroyed the engine. This occurred in heavy traffic, on a highway while I was in a middle lane. This made it hard to get to the shoulder and other drivers were not letting me move over easily. Once of the shoulder, I was stuck for 4 hours with an engine that was smoking so badly, I thought it might catch on fire. Prior to the moment the part failed, there was no warning. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer repair and they replaced the hose. The dealer repair person said that these hoses fail with some regularity and I was just unlucky to have it happen under the circumstances (being on a highway, at speed, during high traffic time).
Vehicle will not start after fueling. Takes up to 20 minutes delay to start vehicle after filling tank with fuel. Not a single incident. Has happened every time I have fueled the vehicle over the course of several months. Mechanic stated it is an emissions problem with this model vehicle, but there is no recall issued.
Code P26B7 Engine Bypass Coolant is shown when diagnostic is performed. I have to add coolant on a regular basis (1-2 x-€™s a week) My VIN has not been included in SAFETY RECALL 13S12 or any other pertaining to engine/coolant issues. My year model, date manufactured which is 1/13, engine type (1.6L) should qualify for this type of recall. This has been an ongoing problem for 3 years plus. I always check my coolant levels before I leave to see if I need to add coolant and I keep extra coolant in my car to add whenever warning light -€œcoolant low-€ warning appears (which I never know when that will happen). The first incident I did not have coolant in my car and it overheated and engine shut down. I had it towed to nearest auto parts store to purchase and add coolant. I have not had it fixed by the dealership because of cost of repairs to fix since it was not included for recall. I am the only owner of this car, I purchased it May 2013.
While driving vehicle, the temperature warning light came on as did the power steering light. Went into limp mode. Coolant was full. Had to have it towed. This is second time this happened. Let vehicle sit for a day and tried it again. With in 2 minutes of it cranking, it did the same thing. Now have it at a mechanics shop.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact-€™s daughter stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started to overheat and stalled. The emergency shutdown message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that the Vin was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
FORD has recalled certain 2013 Escape's for the Engine coolant bypass solenoid. My 2013 Escape has failed(check engine light code P26B7) but is not covered. The Ford dealer wanted to charge $550 to fix it. I declined as the part is $59 and labor at 2 hours is $120 in my area.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" - Engine overheating. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - The engine overheats while driving and the car stalls. This put me and my family in danger as the engine does not provide any power to the vehicle and essentially stalls and 'shuts down'. If the car overheats it could potentially catch on fire putting me in danger. Additionally, if I am traveling on a highway or a city street with no engine power, I risk a collision with other drivers. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - The car has been to the dealer for service on 8+ occasions for this issue. They have seen the vehicle overheat and have downloaded the codes from the vehicles computer that confirm the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - The vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer's engineers. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" - Yes, there was a warning each time the vehicle overheated. However, the warning happened simultaneously to the overheat issue. So, while it technically warned me - it was a moot point because i was already traveling at city street speeds. This is a recurring issue that began 5+ years ago and persists today. Ford has not been able to properly diagnose the root cause, or provide a fix to the issue. I am nervous to put my family in this vehicle. Uploading the initial service request below - can provide additional files if needed.
The car will stall out and say it-€™s overheating when it isn-€™t. This is very dangerous because it can cause a major accident. I have taken it to Ford dealership and another mechanic and each time they say there is nothing wrong with it but it-€™s been doing this since 2017 when I bought it.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Tulsa, OK, USA