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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:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
83,530 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 engine problems

engine problem

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2013 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 1 of 7)

problem #132

May 282024

Escape

  • 63,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine. The mechanics determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

- Finleyville, PA, USA

problem #131

Jun 102024

Escape

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine misfired while the vehicle was being driven on a hill. In addition, the check engine and low coolant warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant leak into the cylinder. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

- Barnesville, PA, USA

problem #130

Mar 092024

Escape

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, white smoke was coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that coolant was leaking into the engine compartment and evaporating, causing the white smoke. The vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The contact related the failure with the NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

- Forney, TX, USA

problem #129

Jun 032024

Escape

  • 120,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a low coolant service engine soon message was displayed. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who advised the contact that there was a leak coming from a hose. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic and repaired again. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was a message stating: -??Excessive Engine Temperature -?" Turn off Engine; and Park Safely-??. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the mechanic found coolant fluid on top of the engine and cooling system hoses leaking. The independent mechanic advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

- Manchester, NJ, USA

problem #128

May 292024

Escape

  • 145,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the coolant reservoir had failed, and an unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

- Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

problem #127

Dec 152023

Escape

  • 109,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while pulling out of a parking lot and driving into traffic, the vehicle started overheating and failed to exceed 3 MPH. The contact activated the hazard lights and drove back into the parking lot. The contact parked the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to cool down after 30 minutes. The vehicle was towed to the dealer it was purchased from, and the coolant temperature sensor and other unknown sensors were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where unknown hoses were replaced and other unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure recurred upon starting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the coolant temperature sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted in a parking lot. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to cool down after 3 hours and was parked overnight in a business parking lot. The contact returned the next day; however, the failure recurred while starting the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle remained parked in the business parking lot for another night and was towed to the residence on the third day. The local dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #126

Mar 212022

Escape

  • 93,652 miles

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated with the "Engine Overheating" message displayed. In addition, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the radiator, valves, gasket, cylinder head, thermostat, and several other unknown parts were replaced. The contact stated that the failure recurred repeatedly. The vehicle was towed to a different dealer where the vehicle was several other unknown repairs were performed. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the vehicle was taken back to the first dealer where several more unknown repairs were performed. The contact stated that the failure recurred, and the vehicle was not repaired. The contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 93,652.

- Tampa, FL, USA

problem #125

Jan 012024

Escape

  • 125,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 20 MPH, there was steam coming from under the hood. The contact stated that the Low Coolant warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and checked under the hood. The vehicle was driven to a nearby independent mechanic where the contact was informed that coolant needed to be added to the reservoir. The coolant was added by the independent mechanic and the contact continued driving; however, approximately a week later, the message was displayed again. Due to the independent mechanic's diagnosis prior, the contact added coolant to the reservoir. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer confirmed that the recall repair for NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) was performed for the previous owner of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #124

Oct 212022

Escape

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the message "Add Coolant" had been displayed and the vehicle began to hesitate and sputter. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the standpipe was faulty and needed to be replaced. The standpipe was replaced but the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- Apple Valley, MN, USA

problem #123

Sep 052022

Escape

  • 160,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated when he started the vehicle in the morning, the vehicle was idling roughly, and clouds of white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that once the vehicle had warmed up, the smoke would stop. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that additionally, he would lose forward momentum and he saw that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he checked the vehicle and became aware that the coolant reservoir was consistently low and needed to be refilled. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-2100 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

- Warren, MI, USA

problem #122

Feb 222024

Escape

  • miles

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

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" Coolant system is experiencing major leak at the coolant stand pipe. Also vehicle is reading a protection code and vehicle appears to be overheating but it's not. Coolant leak is seeping onto the belts and hoses that were also replaced. Engine seals have also leaked and have been recently replaced several times. Vehicle is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Safety recall 13S12 with a risk of localized overheating of the engine cylinder head that may lead to oil leaks and fires was not completed per the procedure provided by FORD motor company. The dealership that was responsible for completing the recall located at 488 U.S 1 Highway in Vero Beach Florida in 2019 is no longer operating. Several components of the 64 page recall were not completed as verified by a copy of the work order I have in my possession. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center" Yes, my ford service advisor in Thomasville, GA has verified that this recall was not done properly and that my car falls under the manufacturer year that was negatively effected by this common problem with all cars produced within the same specific time frame by the manufacturer (FORD). The loss of coolant and potential overheating of the engine is a major common issue with this vehicle make/year/model. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others" No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" Yes, check engine light is currently on and a protection code for the engine overheating has displayed on dash board for several months however my service advisor has advised me to contact ford motor company. Ford has told me to file a complaint with your division. Battery also drains repeatedly.

- Thomasville, GA, USA

problem #121

Oct 172023

Escape

  • 98,924 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the low coolant warning light illuminated. The vehicle was parked at the residence where coolant was added to the vehicle. On another occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low coolant warning light illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 98,924.

- Springfield, OH, USA

problem #120

Dec 312023

Escape

  • 110,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Coolant Low message was displayed, and the vehicle then lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact added coolant and was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

- Johnston, IA, USA

problem #119

Jan 012021

Escape

  • 89,621 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. The contact added additional coolant, but within a week half of the coolant had leaked out. The engine was hot, and a message to -??Pull Over-?? was displayed. The vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to locate the leak. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed about a recall however, the contact declined the repairs. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 89,621. The VIN was not available.

- Winder, GA, USA

problem #118

Jan 052024

Escape

  • miles
Cars is losing antifreeze with no visible leaks in engine compartment or under vehicle. Strong smell emitted around vehicle when driven.

- Feeding Hills, MA, USA

problem #117

Jan 052023

Escape

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH the messages "Engine overheating" and "Coolant level low" were displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle decelerated from 40 MPH to 5 MPH. The contact had coasted to the side of the roadway and waited for approximately an hour for the engine temperature to cool down before continuing to drive. The failure had occurred 3 times. The contact stated that during one failure, in addition to waiting, the coolant level was refilled above the suggested fill line and the vehicle regained proper function. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was determined that coolant was leaking into the engine. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and 12V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was referred to the dealer. The dealer was contacted and it was confirmed the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

- Roanoke, TX, USA

problem #116

Jan 022024

Escape

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated after starting the vehicle, he noticed that coolant was leaking significantly onto the ground. The contact stated that he added coolant to the vehicle and drove to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cylinder head plug was fractured. The mechanic determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that the NHTSA was responsible for the VIN selection. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

- Forked River, NJ, USA

problem #115

Oct 152023

Escape

  • 144,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the engine was running rough. Additionally, the contact stated that she was continually refilling the coolant reservoir due to an excessive coolant consumption. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with an internal coolant leak. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be taken apart for a full diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #114

Mar 012023

Escape

  • 95,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the "Coolant Level Low, " message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that there was a hairline crack in the coolant reservoir. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that there was blueish-colored smoke coming from the vehicle upon a cold engine start. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

- Kenai, AK, USA

problem #113

Nov 302023

Escape

  • 144,618 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the engine was misfiring, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he drove to the residence. The contact stated that he used an OBD reader and retrieved DTC code: P0304 (Cylinder #4 Misfire). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 144,618.

- Lake Winnebago, MO, USA

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