2013 Ford Escape Complaint Log

Just bought this car from a Ford dealership back in Nov 2022 , in the past 3 weeks I've put in over $2000 in repairs and now it may need a new engine, there cracks running all through and leaks coming from oil pan and gasket. And turbo is bad ...... Which is gonna cost over 5000 to fix .... I've been seeing a lot of complaints on the engine of this model. Ford won't help , telling me there's nothing they can do. Clearly this make has engine problems and needs to be recalled. As I speak my car is just sitting at the dealership cause I cant afford to pay for a new engine , and why so it will go out again???? The repairs cost more than the car .I'm a single mother that relies on my car to get to work so I can support my family without my car I'm at risk of losing my job. Why isn't Ford taking this seriously? Car has been in the shop basically since April 5 2023 and still there

My wife and I own a 2013 Ford Escape SE that developed a "Steering Assist Failure" error message on the dashboard. This failure causes the power steering to drop and the steering wheel has to be manually turned. When she drove it, she didn''t know what to do, so she drove it a few blocks to our house and told me about what happened. When I drove it and that happened to me, I put the vehicle back in park and shut the engine off for about 10 seconds. When I turned it back on, the error message went away and I was able to use the power steering without any problems.

I own a 2013 Ford Escape with EcoBoost. I bought it used about 6 years ago and it has been problematic from the start. First the engine coolant and engine light kept coming on with no noticeable leak, had it checked at Auto Zone was told it was the engine coolant bypass valve, had it replaced. The vehicle has run hot twice causing the engine to shut down on me, once on my way to work and once when taking my son to the Doctor. Continued to have the same issue with coolant, had to get the water pump replaced at the dealership last May. The engine coolant warning light started reappearing with leakage issues again and the vehicle began losing power and cutting off about 2 months ago. I took it back to the dealership and all they could find was a valve cover gasket leak. They stated that the oil from the valve cover gasket may be leaking onto other components and causing the car to cut off. They repaired that for a whopping $1150. The car started cutting off on me again about a month after that repair so it is currently at the dealership where they're telling me that the Turbocharger wastegate solenoid valve needs to be replaced for $950 and if that doesn't solve the problem then I will need to replace the engine. Ford should be ashamed! This vehicle should be part of the many recalls regarding these same type issues as I have read. I called Ford customer service, all they did was run the VIN which the dealership and I have done many times, told me that my vehicle did not qualify for any special programs and all warranties had expired, said I could pay for the repairs and hold onto my receipt in case there were recalls later. I am a single parent and I just cannot afford these repairs. Other recalls repaired such as the door latch which is very dangerous as I experienced my left side passenger door opening while driving on the highway with my special needs son in the backseat, before the recall, smh, thought we had done something wrong...this car is a true lemon.

In 2019 Ford replaced my "entire fuel line" due to a recall. Yesterday I found out why my car started to smell like gas, there's a pinhole size leak in my fuel line. Mechanic said it's not rubbing on anything and it's protected by the undercover piece and there would be no way for flying debri or anything to damage it. How did the recalled fuel line last longer than the replacement fuel line?!

Well I went to start my car after getting gas and it would not start after a few mins it started , but it was trying to lunge forward even though it was in park , after I finally got it going went home and the whole time I smelled gas in my car ? Then I pulled in my driveway and the check engine light was on , had my brother in law do a digital scan on my car and it had PO456 evaporated emissions leak, I don't understand why , I'm scared to drive it now because I don't want to have the cab fill up with gas smell in my car and it's bad for me and my kids

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with premature transmission failure. The dealer notified the manufacturer, who declined to cover the cost of the repair. The contact followed up with the manufacturer and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

We had several instances where the Steering Assist Fault Service Required warning message would come on when the vehicle was started, and this resulted in a loss of power steering. When the vehicle was turned off and restarted, the power steering would come back on. We took the car to the Ford dealership and they confirmed that there was a Control Module internal electrical failure (PSCM) and they recommended the power steering system be replaced at our expense. The repair bill was $2550.16. The loss of power steering in a vehicle is a critical safety issue, as it could result in an accident.

I had a fuel line recall on my vehicle a few years ago but didn't get the notice until my car almost caught fire. The recall melted some coolant components that were replaced free of charge when they replaced the "entire fuel line". Now my car has constant coolant problems, heat and air problems, and suddenly (just started yesterday) it smells of raw gasoline in the cabin of the car and some on the outside of the car near the front. No visible leaks can be seen under the car(coolant or gas). Please help.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault message was displayed, and the steering wheel became firm. The dealer was contacted and confirmed knowledge of the failure but confirmed that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Coolant leak

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond while the gear shifter was shifted to drive (D). There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under an Extended Warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started overheating. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic stated that the vehicle was experiencing similar failure as listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was contacted, and the dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. There was no additional assistance provided. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 175,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in rainy weather, the front driver’s and passenger side windshield wipers failed to operate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wiper motor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,500.

Steering Assist fault warning has been coming on intermittently for the past 6 years. This car is being driven by my daughter while attending college in Virginia. In the past I have taken it to my mechanic in New Jersey but by the time I get it there the warning is off and nothing is detected. It is coming on more frequently. Why is there no recall for this. I will advise her to take it to a Ford dealership in Virginia this week.

As I was getting to leave for work early in the morning, I had a low coolant light so I added coolant in the reservoir. I drive the car and within 50 ft the panel light up with “Stop - your engine temperature is high” and the vehicle started coasting. I stopped and fortunately I’m still in my neighborhood so I turned off the vehicle for couple minutes to cool. Then I started and returned to my driveway. But now I noticed the engine light is on. I have been filling up my coolant reservoir every so often but no leaks have been found. Took it to the shop couple of times and did pressure checks but no sign of leaks. Ford needs to do something about this. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while at a complete stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occured on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a local PepBoys, where the failure could not be duplicated. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,900.

Vehicle overheating and shutting down creating a hazardous traffic situation and potential for vehicle fire. Coolant level dropping, P1299 diagnostic code displayed on code reader. Vehicle has been inspected by a local repair shop who refused to work on it. I contacted the local Ford dealer in Fort Myers, Florida, and they indicate no open recall for the issue. The consumer should not have to be responsible to pay for costly repairs to maintain safety when Ford is well aware of the design defect that puts people's lives at risk.

Vehicle steering assist went out and I couldn't navigate the steering wheel.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle back to the residence. Upon restarting the vehicle, the power steering returned to normal functionality. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, she noticed an excessive amount of fluid underneath the vehicle. The vehicle had consumed approximately a gallon of coolant within a week. Additionally, the coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact the coolant needed to be flushed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.

While driving the following message appeared in my hub "The steering assist fault service required". Immediately I lost steering power and the steering wheel got really heavy. I stopped the vehicle, turned it off, and restarted it, but the problem persist.

While in motion the steering assists suddenly stopped working, A warning also show on dash "Auto steering assist failure" -(or something to that effect. Steering is then very very stiff. Only a very strong person is able to turn the wheel. Restart motor and it works again. Problem is intermittent.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and exiting the driveway, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and messages were displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V813000 (Electrical System) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

Was driving along and my steering wheel got stiff, couldn’t turn it either direction. Almost resulting in a crash into the guard rails. When I pulled harder to avoid going into said rails it literally pulled a 45degree turn into oncoming traffic!!!! I was able to brake in time before fully sending into the ditch narrowly missing traffic! The fact that there isn’t a recall on the electric power steering with all of the complaints is atrocious at best!!!!!!!!

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, she noticed that coolant had leaked on the ground and that the coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that upon inspection, she noticed that the coolant reservoir was empty and needed to be refilled every week. The vehicle was taken to and independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that coolant leaked out of the engine and a protective cap needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,771.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the EPS warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed as a steering rack failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.

Steering Assist Fault sensor comes on which creates total loss of control of the wheel when driving placing anyone utilizing the road in danger as steering is not possible. Has occurred over 25 times. This was part of a recall and has been removed from being a recall now. Warning sensors go off randomly in the car all of the time and are inaccurate creating distractive driving for youth and has created dangerous situations. DMV citation during driving test regarding the sensor malfunctions. Back-Up Camara Broken, and Trunk will not open or close in weather below 40 preventing use in late fall winter early spring.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 25 MPH and making a right turn into the residence, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact’s husband took the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact inquired about the vehicle possibly being included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V431000.The contact stated that while parked there was visible coolant on the pavement under the vehicle and an odor of burnt coolant was observed .The contact stated that coolant is applied to the vehicle on a daily basis and that the check engine safety light was illuminated. The vehicle was seen by an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the coolant hoses needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred twice in less than a month. The manufacture was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,842.

Steering assist fault

oil is pouring out of the bottom of the vehicle. i believe the cylinder heated up and cracked causing oil leak ,which is a serious fire hazard.

With a cold engine approximately 1-2 miles after beginning driving, the engine coolant low warning comes on quickly followed by the engine temperature rapidly rising, engine overheat warning and engine shutdown. This has occurred periodically since owning the car, 65,000 miles to 85,000 miles. It used to occur only when driving uphill which was mitigated by manually shifting but now occurs on a cold engine. The coolant leaks and requires additional coolant approximately every two weeks but engine shutdowns do not always correlate with low coolant. Mechanic ran a pressure diagnostic for coolant and claimed no leaks (Sept 2022). Problem seems consistent with other NHTSA complaints.

When coming to a stop the vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated making it very difficult to stop. I had to put the vehicle in neutral and turn off the engine. When I restarted the vehicle, the problem no longer existed and has not happened since but this problem could easily cause an accident, resulting in one or more injuries. Have not had the vehicle inspected and likely won't, unless it happens again.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the message to add coolant started flashing consistently causing the contact to add coolant to the vehicle more than usual. The contact stated that while the vehicle was running, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There was no fire and the smoke dispersed independently. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Car went down on Friday. Won't start. Brand-new battery and the starter and alternator was tested and they both are good. Looked up VIN and was not notified that there was a recall on a certain part on my vehicle. I'd like to get this issue fixed because now my windows won't even go up or down.

The contact's mother owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his mother driving approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that his mother also noticed that the heater had stopped blowing hot air through the vents. The contact stated that his mother drove the vehicle to a local dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that coolant had intruded into the engine block and that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer stated that it was a known failure for similar vehicles. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the temperature gauge began to rise rapidly. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after he parked the vehicle, he noticed coolant leaking underneath the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving to his destination and added coolant to the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.

Took my 2013 Ford Escape SEL to a Ford dealership to have a recall repaired. The dealership completed a Service Inspection of the car as standard practice. The service manager told me that all of the lug nuts have swelled and if I get a flat I won't be able to change the tire because the lug wrench won't fit the lug nuts. He also told me this is a common problem with Fords. I was not previously aware of this problem as I just bought the car last year. When I got home I tried my lug wrench on the nuts and verified the problem. I read a previous complaint on-line in another forum, where the problem is that the lug nuts are chrome plated, but not sealed causing moisture to get between the lug nut and plating and causing it to swell. I don't know this as a fact, but regardless of the cause, the lug nuts are clearly defective and I feel that Ford should replace them free of charge. This will cost me $250 in repairs. This would create a safety hazard if I get a flat and have to pull off to the side of the road and call for a tow truck to tow my car.

My 2013 Ford ESCAPE SE has a motor that will either be replaced or possibly totaled out by insurance because of price of new motor! Coolant leak into the oil caused fatal damage to motor and cylinder #3 is shot and done.Years ago there was a recall for this same motor and make/model but VIN of my car isn’t included and now I have a motor that’s garbage.

2019: cooling temperature sensor failed. Brought to ford dealership and paid $5000 for new computer and sensors. 2023: radiator overheated with no warning and messed up engine. Now radiator won’t hold fluid and continues to get over heat warning. Brought to Ford dealer and they said the engine needs replaced now. Same issues are reported all over the form forums with these similar issues.

The contact owned a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for the repair of three previously unknown recalls. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that while parked, the front of the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the flames and determined the origin of the fire came from the engine compartment. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was then towed back to the dealer, where it remained awaiting further diagnosis. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V583000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.

I was driving in the snow and the wipers had stopped completely . The passenger doesn’t move at all. The drive side goes up and stays completely up. As I’ve done research I’ve noticed a ton of 2013 escapes have wiper problems. I took it to the dealership. They arnt 100 percent sure what is wrong with it. They think it’s the wiper switch. I’m gonna take it to ford aswell tomorrow. No warnings, just started happening & seems to be a common issue with ford.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not restarted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred after an unknown recall repair was performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,365.

I was on the interstate late, car stopped immediately. warning light said overheated. had vehicle towed. hose in back of motor had to be replaced. This has happened twice. this time water is streaming from lower motor mount was told this is coming from an internal water pump. That this is common for the 1.6 ford eco boost. The antifreeze could also cause a fire on a hot engine. Ford knows of this problem but will not do recalls. to fix this is very costly.

On a few separate occasions beginning in the summer of 2022, my steering wheel has locked up after turning the ignition on. Each time this happened, I had to wait for it to "unlock", which is usually just seconds. However, on January 22, 2023 WHILE DRIVING I received a message on the dashboard that said "steering assist fault" and I had to pull over because the steering wheel was too hard to maneuver, whether it be turning left or right. I felt like it was going to break I had to turn it so hard, and with my entire body. Once I pulled over I turned the car off and let it sit for a couple of minutes and then re-started it. The message went away but the steering was really sloppy, to the point where it felt like I could turn the wheel 180 degrees with the tires barely turning themselves. Once I got home and parked it for the night, I took it to a local mechanic and they were unable to get any messages from it but did discover I'm not the only Ford who has had issues with this message and/or steering. I talked to my Ford dealer and they have heard about the problem with other Fords. I would like someone to check into it because it could become a real liability for Ford if this problem is not resolved. By googling the search terms "ford steering assist failure" I was able to bring up a big forum wherein other Ford owners were complaining of this issue .

The PTU is leaking and it needs to be replaced ASAP. It’s a 2013 with less than 60k miles.

My 2013 Ford Escape SE is part of an old recall that is a 1.6 L 4cyl motor and I bought the car used 1.5yrs ago and have coolant leaking into motor and has destroyed it! I wasn’t made aware of this when I purchased it!

I have coolant leaking into oil-intrusion on #3 cylinder so far and gas into oil and car has been in dealership today and claim started. Ford issued a recall for this issue years ago but my vin isn’t included but has all same problems and I want Ford taking accountability and financially paying for new motor! I want a loaner car because mine is too dangerous to drive

My car stopped moving at full power while driving due to the engine overheating. My engine coolant warning came on that it was low. This has happened several times since I have owned this car. I have been given many different reasons for my engine coolant dropping over the years when I take it for service including the following: 1. Turbo line 2. Turbo unit 3. O-ring 4. couldn't find the leak, likely the cap was loose... This time when I brought it in they say it is an internal engine leak. Over the years, I have smelled burning and as I look into other recalls, it appears I have the same issue that was addressed with recall 13S12-S2. This incident started in 2015, happened twice in 2018, 2020 and the last incident and most severe happened 1/