2013 Ford Escape Complaint Log

My car battery is dying for no apparent reason. After 1 mechanic and 2 ford dealerships, it may be my auto control module slowly draining my car battery. I replaced the battery 3 weeks ago and the car has died at least 3 times since then.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly hesitated, after which the RPM quickly elevated, but the vehicle was unable to accelerate above 30 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 186,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the Emission failure message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle lost motive power and then stalled. The contact had to depress the accelerator pedal continuously to regain normal acceleration. The failure occurred four times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a fracture on the canister purge valve resulting in the fuel failing to power the engine correctly. The contact was informed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report a failure. The failure mileage was 108,206.

Several times in the past month the "power steering assist " fault has appeared when I start the car and I am unable to mover the steering wheel. It locks in place. I have to turn off the car and turn it back on again, trying several times for the steering wheel to unlock. This is a serious issue and I'm afraid it may happen while at a stop light or while driving.

Several times over the past month upon starting my 2013 Ford Escape the following warning message appears: " power steering assist " fault, and my steering wheel locks. I believe there was a recall on this same issue with other Ford's but I searched the recall list with my VIN number and a recall does not exist for my 2013. This is a severe safety issue and will cost me thousands of dollars to replace.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle sputtered. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 189,000.

Coolant leaked into the cyclinder heads, causing overheating, misfiring and engine damage that necessitates a full engine replacement.

My 2013 Ford Escape SEL FWD has been having warning light to "check engine" for a while. Mechanic read a misfire and changed thing. As it continued, Mechanic said computer needed to be "flashed" since it was not an engine problem they found. It went into check engine between 48-55 mph. Later the engine just quit with hot engine warning and antifreeze was empty. Refilled, drove home. The car continually runs our of fluid without obvious signs of leakage. This antifreeze problem continues, occasionally we see smoke from the engine but cannot find a source when we pull over to look. Smells like antifreeze. The car can drive 50-60 miles on a full antifreeze reservoir before getting too hot. I see multiple concerns over this issue but no recall.

The interior back door panels on both rear doors at the bottom corner gets hung in the on molding of the car body and prevents you from being able to get out of the car.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and refilling the coolant reservoir, the coolant leaked onto the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The heater hose was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. In addition, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. The coolant reservoir was refilled and leaked out unto the ground. The contact stated that the message “Vehicle in Protection Mode” was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle inadvertently stalled and failed to restart, requiring the contact to tow the vehicle to the residence. Upon attempting to jumpstart the vehicle, the vehicle had electrical power but failed to start. The message "Transmission Not in Park" was displayed. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Coolant leak into engine block. Coolant needs to be topped off weekly to avoid overheating. No loss of coolant on the exterior of cooling system

MAP sensor, Oxygen sensor issues. Engine fault service light keeps coming back on once the problem get repaired.

Constant coolant leak and not sure where the coolant is going. Have replaced the reservior, valve cover gasket, cylinder head and valves, coolant level bottle sensor, coolant thermostat, and engine coolant temperature sensor. Check engine light is still on and Coolant is still leaking and engine overheating. Can't find where the leakage is and there is no visible evidence on the floor of the garage. Losing coolant obvious because the level is low ever 2-3 days of highway driving. Car will shut down because of the overheating. Mechanic doesn't know what else to do. Car was purchased on June 4, 2024. Have not received the title or license plates. Tried to return it to the company who sold it to me; however, owner of the company refused to refund my money.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel became very stiff, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact was able to maneuver the steering wheel using excessive force. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The ABS, brakes, stability control, and air bags warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while stationary at a stop sign, there was an abnormal rumbling coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle was shuddering. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The contact stated that the failure persisted while stationary or while reversing. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed a failure with the transmission valve. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The VIN was not available.

Vehicle overheated and displayed check engine light and overheating was towed to body shop was fixed Overheated 2hours later and was towed back Overheated the next day and was towed where they say nothing is wrong

I was driving on.the road the power steering stop working, I almost caused an accident ,I had a warning light power steering fault , dealer said can be an expensive repair

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.

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.

Was prompted with a steering assist fault while in the middle of driving had couldn’t turn or steer because the wheel locked up I almost crash and had to try and pull over safely. The amount of people with the same experience who have reported about this same problem for this vehicle and there still isn’t a recall is concerning!!!

The engine coolant keeps leaking and requiring me to put in coolant every couple of days.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while receiving routine maintenance, the mechanic added more oil than the engine required. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was smoking. There was smoke coming from the tailpipe. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder EcoBoost. There were also metal shavings inside the engine, and a short block engine replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

Had Transmission problems 2 yrs ago that had been fixed and parts replaced. Now again 2 years later the vehicle experiencing transmission problems again. Hard shifting, reading the wrong gear on the dash board, and being stuck in drive or neutral when it is actually in park. No warning lights prior. Vehicle had been inspected by a licensed mechanic. This is problematic when the issue occured while driving leaving me and 3 small children stranded.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the steering wheel became firm. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving in the residence parking lot at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became firm. The vehicle was restarted but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 265,000.

When the 2013 Ford Escape was started, a warning message came across the screen stating "steering wheel assist fault" and the steering wheel would not move. Turned the car off and then back on and the message did not appear. Turned the car on this morning and received the same message and the steering wheel would not move. Multiple car owners of this vehicle have complained about this issue and Ford is not doing a recall. It appears this has been an issue with Ford Escapes of many years.

When steering the vehicle a loud,strange noise suddenly occurred. It started being hard to steer around corners and especially when turning right. I took it to my mechanic today and he told me the rack and pinion looked like it had blown apart,he could see inside parts that shouldn't be visible.

I did a $1,500 down payment for a 2013 Ford Escape at Hurley's Salvage and Auto Sales in Amory Ms. I test drove the vehicle and informed the sales agent that there were problems with the windows going up or down, the interior lights didn't work, the sideview mirror control didn't work, and that a high pitched squeaking noise was coming from under the hood. I was told to bring the vehicle back for repairs on the windows, interior lights, and sideview mirrors after I got a free check of the fuses. Because they were too busy to do so. I was told that the squeaking came from the vehicle not being in use for awhile. 2 weeks later I took the vehicle back and told them the results (showed the results of a test ran on the fuses and everything was good with the fuses). I was told it would be fixed when they got time that I would be called. I also told them that the squeaking had gotten worse, I was told that would be looked into when they called me. (5-3-24, the date I told them that the squeaking had gotten worse) On 5-6-24 the vehicle ran hot, I noticed the indicator past the halfway mark. I went to AutoZone checked the antifreeze and the reserve tank was empty. I purchased some antifreeze and it took about half the container to fill it back up. I told them about the antifreeze incident, was asked did I put antifreeze in it. Nothing else was said. On Sunday [XXX] me and a passenger was headed home. When the vehicle temperature hand shot up to max hot and the vehicle lost mostly all power. I was able to park about 75 to a hundred yards in a safe place. I was told a few days later by Hurley's that the vehicle had a oil leak, that the drive belt came off, they replaced it with a new one, and now the vehicle won't crank. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owned a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the rear passenger side door erroneously opened causing a distraction to the driver and the vehicle crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged but the air bag did not deploy. During the crash, the contact sustained neck, shoulder, and back injuries. No medical treatment was received. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 212,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the headlights turned off independently. The contact was able to manually turn on and turn off the headlights to see the roadway. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact was using the high beam headlights instead of the low beam headlights. The contact stated that while switching from high to low beam the headlights shut off. The contact stated that the headlights flickered before shutting off. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

Recurring coolant leak in engine system, coolant tends to also leak out when poured into reservoir. This puts engine at risk of overheating. Message appears marking low coolant, it has to be replenished every 7-14 days. Mechanic has not been able to locate leak.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was diagnosed that the flywheel and the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to Custom Trans, Inc., where the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The coolant reservoir on my Ford Escape is leaking, which is a known common problem with these cars. I have had to refill it every couple of months, and there is often a puddle of coolant on the ground when moving my car. Occasionally when driving, the car temperature monitor gets hot, which is incredibly dangerous; sometimes this happens only a week after refilling the reservoir. I took my car to a shop and they noticed the coolant leak and said it would be expensive, but that it is a common problem.

There have been recalls on this year, make and model for substantial coolant leaks in the past. Our vehicle did not make that recall list, but we have been dealing with a similar issue for many years, and even after expensive repairs we are still losing coolant. The vehicle will not hold coolant for more than 24hrs at this point before having to refill it, and we are in need of more work on the coolant system.

I would like to alert you to a "near miss" situation regarding my 2013 Ford Escape Titanium automobile which very nearly resulted in a car rollover while driving at 65 mph on the freeway. My wife was driving our 2013 Escape on the freeway. Suddenly, the left rear lower control arm cross support arm assembly Ford Part No. CV6Z*5500*L broke into two pieces. When this happened, the car immediately darted to the right because the left rear tire was no longer pointing straight ahead. Her reaction was to compensate by steering to the left. At that point in time, the car came up on two wheels and very nearly rolled over. After that, the car swerved back and forth until she could stop. It was extremely fortunate that she was in the center lane of a three lane wide freeway when this happened and there were no cars to her immediate right or left. After getting the car stopped she saw that the left rear wheel was clearly pointing in the wrong direction. We had the car towed home and since I generally handle all of my own automotive repairs in my home garage, I jacked the car up and noticed the broken cross support arm assembly. I removed the broken part and examined the failure surfaces. I happen to be a mechanical engineer with 40 years of mechanical design experience and I immediately recognized the classic symptoms of a metal fatigue failure. I have attached a series of photographs documenting the failure. The fracture surface consists of rust along the cracked surface about 2/3 the width of the part and then shinny material where the ultimate failure occurred when the crack propagated across the part on a single load cycle. The vehicle is admittedly 11 years old and it has 177k miles, but it is still in very good condition with very minimal rust. You can see from the photos that the failed part was not the result of rust and other than the fracture surface, the part is generally not rusted. I still have the failed part in my possession.

P0299 turbocharger underboost condition.

This 2013 Escape has a 1.6L Ecoboost engine with a known engine design flaw that allows coolant to leak and be consumed through cylinders 2 and 3. This is known to cause car fires, overheating of the engine, etc.. I recently experienced the precipitous consumption of coolant through the engine which resulted in abrupt warning messages and an overheating message after which I stopped the car immediately. This could happen to anyone on a freeway or in bad traffic causing immediate safety issues for the driver/passengers. Thankfully I was very near home when this happened. I have had my vehicle inspected, pressure tested and documented confirmation that coolant is in fact leaking into cylinders 2 and 3. The only known remedy is an engine replacement (with one that was redesigned and released by Ford in 2022). I want Ford to recall all cars with the 1.5, 1.6, 2.0 and 2.3L versions of this Ecoboost Engine which has been well documented to have this flaw, and provide said engine replacement at no cost to the owner.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle then began to slowly decelerate. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was unable to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Power steering completely failed mid drive about 15 mph in a turn, no codes. Worked briefly after restart. Now completely has failed regardless of restart.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed an abnormally strong gasoline odor coming from outside the vehicle. The contact went to check underneath the vehicle and noticed an oil leak coming from the vehicle. The contact also stated that the oil leak had a very strong odor. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed as a failure with the fuel line. The contact was informed that the fuel lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. Additionally, the contact was advised to contact the NHSTA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

I was turning right and as I pulled out my power steering totally went out causing g me to loose control for a second but then it came back on almost causing an accident. This isn't the 1st time just the most recent. There's a recall on other years of the same vehicle with Ford for the same problem but not for 2013.

WAS DRIVING THE CAR PARKED WENT INTO THE STORE AND CAME BACK OUT I STARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD TO GRAB THE WHEEL TIGHT BECAUSE IT FLASHED SAYING STEERING LOSS PULL OVER. i HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR IT WAS SO UNSAFE AND SCARY AND I SEE MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE AND I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE IS NO RECALL

Unknown. Vehicle was coming to a stop and it "surged" forward. Brakes applied could not stop it. Caused accident, it hit the car in front which hit the next car in line. There were injuries. If this vehicle had surged in front of a pedestrian, there could have been a fatality. Vehicle was inspected by insurance company to determine cost to repair, not looking for cause. Vehicle wad totaled.

Steering assist fault light has come on randomly since I bought the car in February of 2022 and just 2 days ago on March 30th 2024 my power steering in my vehicle is starting to go making a God awful sound like someone threw gravel into a wood chipper. I see ford has had a recall out for this once before but ultimately are wiping their hands clean of it. This is ridiculous owning a car that has had this many safety recalls on it.

This Car has had non-stop coolant problems for years.Constantly looses coolant and low coolant light comes on and have to refill.I replaced coolant bypass valve 7/8/21,and again on 3/22/23.Its ok awhile then starts loosing coolant again.Few days ago low coolant light came on after refilling it just a week ago.This time the engine light came on code p1299,with a message to pull over because my car was overheating and it didn't have any power.

The steering became hard as I turned into a parking space at the doctor's office. It has happened 4 or 5 times since then usually at low speeds. i have been extremely cautious since the first time. It is my mother vehicle, but I was driving it at the times the steering became hard/stiff.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the contact discovered fluid leaking on the ground. Additionally, the engine overheated while driving, resulting in a burning odor. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The "Coolant Low" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the turbo was leaking coolant and engine oil, and the head gasket was leaking engine oil. The mechanic performed an unknown repair, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who determined that the turbo was again leaking coolant and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V431000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

My car will just shut off while I am driving without warning. It will restart but will continue to stop and then it won’t start back because now the battery is dead. Got a new battery and the next day it was dead. My mechanic said there is something electrical going on because there was a sparks coming for the battery when were disconnecting it to do coil packs and plugs