2013 Ford Escape recalls & complaints

1. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. 6L engine. These vehicles have an engine compartment fuel line which may split, resulting in a leak.

What could happen: If this leak occurs in the presence of an ignition source, there is an increased risk of a fire and/or personal injury.

The 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. Owner…

What to do

1. Do not drive this vehicle until the recall repair is done. The manufacturer has told owners to park it.
2. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
3. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 12V336000.
4. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
5. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
6. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The 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 ca…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V471000 (manufacturer code 18S20).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 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).

What could happen: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 15V813000 (manufacturer code 14S17-S1).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. 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. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (…

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 14V597000 (manufacturer code 14S21).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. 0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. 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).

What could happen: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 14V495000 (manufacturer code 14S17).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-392-3673.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. 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."

What could happen: The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 14V164000 (manufacturer code 14C03).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-392-3673.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Engine

What's wrong, in plain English: Engine problems range from stalling to fire. 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 engin…

What could happen: If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicle’s hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.

The 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 d…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 12V551000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 12V319000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. 6L engine subject to prior safety recall NHTSA 12V-336. 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.

What could happen: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 13V584000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Engine

What's wrong, in plain English: Engine problems range from stalling to fire. 6L engines. The affected vehicles may experience localized overheating of the engine cylinder head which may cause cracks that could allow oil to leak.

What could happen: Leaking engine oil may come into contact with a hot engine surface potentially resulting in an engine compartment fire.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 13V583000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

11. Engine

What's wrong, in plain English: Engine problems range from stalling to fire. 6L engines. The cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in significant loss of engine coolant.

What could happen: As leaking engine coolant evaporates on the hot engine, the glycol may ignite causing an engine compartment fire.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 12V431000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

12. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

What could happen: 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.

The 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 m…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 22V413000 (manufacturer code 22S43).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

13. Engine

What's wrong, in plain English: Engine problems range from stalling to fire. 0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

What could happen: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

The 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 owne…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V011000 (manufacturer code 26S01).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

14. Body / structure

What's wrong, in plain English: Body panels, frame, doors, hood, trunk or latches. 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.

What could happen: A door that opens unexpectedly may result in an unrestrained occupant falling from the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 14V239000 (manufacturer code 14S03).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-392-3673.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

15. Latches / locks

What's wrong, in plain English: Doors, hood or trunk may open unexpectedly. 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.

What could happen: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 16V643000 (manufacturer code 16S30).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

16. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. 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.

What could happen: If the side-curtain rollover air bag is delayed in deploying in certain rollover circumstances, the risk of injury to the passengers is increased.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 14V237000 (manufacturer code 14S04).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-392-3673.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

17. Latches / locks

What's wrong, in plain English: Doors, hood or trunk may open unexpectedly. 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.

What could happen: 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.

The 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.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 13V085000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

18. Latches / locks

What's wrong, in plain English: Doors, hood or trunk may open unexpectedly. 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.

What could happen: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

The 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 l…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 ESCAPE.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V331000 (manufacturer code 20S30).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Engine (1443), Transmission / drivetrain (402), Electrical system (340), Steering (302), Unknown Or Other (300).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.