2013 Ford Escape

Family: Escape · filed with NHTSA as ESCAPE, ESCAPE HYBRID

Summary

In its first three years the 2013 Escape drew 389 complaints — 2.8× the median of its generation (2013–2019). It is among the most-complained-about years of this generation.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Of the 2,595 complaints that name a component, 55% concern Engine (1,430).
18 recalls filed for this model year, 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning.
4 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

In the news

Ford door latch recalls 2011–2016: doors that open while driving OCT 17, 2026

At a glance

Owner complaints: 2,758
Recalls: 18
Investigations: 4
NCAP overall: 4 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 24–26
Annual fuel cost: $2,400–$2,600
Median mileage at complaint: 75,000 mi (n = 1,973)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 50 / 91 / 55 / 0

What owners report

Engine

1,430 complaints · 55% of complaints that name a component · median 79,000 mi (n = 1,075)

Owner report I recently purchased this vehicle for 2400.00 from a private seller. Within 3 weeks of very minor driving the car got 1 block from home and showed very hot and dumped all the coolant. And that was the 1st time it had been driven that day and it was 69 degrees outside. We let it sit for about a week and refilled the coo…

Owner report The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheating warning light illuminated. The contact noticed an unusual odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to …

Powertrain

402 complaints · 15% of complaints that name a component · median 82,000 mi (n = 313)

Owner report The shifter wouldn't go into park or start in park had to put in neutral to start it, was at a gas pump and the car started moving on its own had to jump in and pull the emergency brake to stop it and the vehicle was off, also the backup camera is upside down had it fixed but it goes right back upside down.

Owner report Transmission stopped working. It completely disengaged and i was unable to move the vehicle in the middle of an intersection. This created a potentially fatal breakdown.

Electrical System

340 complaints · 13% of complaints that name a component · median 61,000 mi (n = 264)

Owner report Barrings in transmission been failure since I've bought the truck they had a recall on the transmission now I don't see the recall at ford windshield motor just stop working I've only had the car a year

Owner report The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure powertrain control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the f…

6% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2013–2019)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 141.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2013	2,758	389	most complaints
2014	2,089	193
2015	1,133	104
2016	1,172	141
2017	2,702	221	most complaints
2018	1,822	110
2019	599	71	fewest complaints

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

26V011000 · EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

Filed 2026-01-15 · 116,672 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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 owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

22V413000 · POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/ROD | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

Filed 2022-06-10 · 2,925,968 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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 mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

20V331000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Filed 2020-06-08 · 2,147,323 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. 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.

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

Remedy: 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 latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.

18V471000 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

Filed 2018-07-16 · 504,182 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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 can be made.

16V643000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Filed 2016-09-06 · 2,046,297 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. 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.

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

Remedy: 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.

15V813000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Filed 2015-12-02 · 9,017 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. 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).

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

Remedy: 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.

14V597000 · SEAT BELTS | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Filed 2014-09-26 · 746,842 vehicles

Defect: 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 (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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.

14V495000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Filed 2014-08-11 · 133,227 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 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).

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

Remedy: 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.

14V237000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Filed 2014-05-07 · 594,785 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 C-MAX, and Escape vehicles. 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.

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

Remedy: 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.

14V239000 · STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Filed 2014-05-07 · 581,986 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through April 10, 2014. 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.

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

Remedy: 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.

14V164000 · SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Filed 2014-04-02 · 43,135 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured June 5, 2012, through August 12, 2013, and 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured from July 23, 2012, through May 28, 2013. 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."

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

Remedy: 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.

13V584000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Filed 2013-11-25 · 9,469 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through July 11, 2012, and equipped with a 1.6L 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.

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

Remedy: 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.

13V583000 · ENGINE

Filed 2013-11-25 · 139,917 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through June 2, 2013 and equipped with 1.6L engines. The affected vehicles may experience localized overheating of the engine cylinder head which may cause cracks that could allow oil to leak.

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

Remedy: 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.

13V085000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Filed 2013-03-07 · 5,675 vehicles

Defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012. 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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.

12V551000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Filed 2012-12-03 · 80,057 vehicles

Defect: 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 engine fluids.

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

Remedy: 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 dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

12V431000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Filed 2012-09-04 · 6,146 vehicles

Defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through August 31, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. The cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in significant loss of engine coolant.

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

Remedy: 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.

12V336000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Filed 2012-07-18 · 9,320 vehicles Do not drive

Defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through July 11, 2012, and equipped with a 1.6L engine. These vehicles have an engine compartment fuel line which may split, resulting in a leak.

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

Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

12V319000 · STRUCTURE | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

Filed 2012-07-06 · 8,266 vehicles

Defect: FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2013 ESCAPE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 8, 2012 THROUGH JUNE 7, 2012. 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
DP22005	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM	2023-01-27	2023-08-07	22V063000
RQ19005	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH	2019-12-19	2022-02-07	20V177000
PE18007	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	2018-07-16	2024-12-27
PE16001	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH	2016-01-16	2016-10-29	16V643000

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

RQ19005: Door Latch Failures

PE18007: Loss of Motive Power

PE16001: Door Latch Failure

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Escape AWD	1.6L 4cyl	Automatic (S6)	All-Wheel Drive	22	29	25	$2500
Escape AWD	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic (S6)	All-Wheel Drive	21	28	24	$2600
Escape FWD	1.6L 4cyl	Automatic (S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	23	32	26	$2400
Escape FWD	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic (S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	22	29	24	$2600
Escape FWD	2.5L 4cyl	Automatic (S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	22	30	25	$2500

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2013 Ford Escape SUV 4x4	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2013 Ford Escape SUV 4x2	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 158 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2026-02-24	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the access…
2026-02-17	POWER TRAIN	Certain 2013-2014 Model Year Escape and 2013-2016 Fusion Vehicles Equipped with a 6F35 Transmission Shift Cable Bushing Inspection and Protective Service Cap Installation
2024-11-27	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Some 2013-2016 Escape vehicles may exhibit an ABS warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U2300 after the ABS module is replaced.
2024-10-10	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. …
2024-04-24	EQUIPMENT	All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during ini…
2022-12-16	SERVICE BRAKES	Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should o…
2022-11-04	SERVICE BRAKES	Some 2013-2016 Escape/Fusion/MKZ vehicles may display an error message when updating the All Wheel Drive-ATC Barcode using the IDS service function after installing a new rear drive unit assembly (RDU) or active torque coupling (ATC) clutch…
2022-10-06	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC	Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should o…
2022-05-24	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Some 2013-2023 Ford or Lincoln vehicles with modems activated through FordPass or LincolnWay may experience 12 volt battery drain symptoms when the customer uses non-Ford/Lincoln phone applications as an alternate channel to access vehicle …
2022-03-21	EQUIPMENT	This article supersedes TSB 21-2236 to update the models and year affected. Some 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2020 Fusion/MKZ, 2013-2022 Escape, 2015-2018 Focus, 2015-2019 MKC, 2015-2022 Edge/F150/Mustang, 2016-2018 MKX, 2016-2019 Explorer, 2017-2…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Escape, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Escape model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.