Model year
2013 Ford Escape
NHTSA lists 18 recalls and 2,753 complaints for the 2013 Ford Escape (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). NHTSA also lists 0 recalls and 5 complaints under ESCAPE HYBRID. Those counts are separate from the numbers above. 1 recall marked do not drive. The components listed on the most complaints are ENGINE (1,266), POWER TRAIN (390), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (331). NHTSA lists 3 investigations. NHTSA rated 2 variants 4 stars overall. EPA rates it 24–26 mpg combined depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $2,600–$2,800, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2001 996 complaints
- 2002 1,027 complaints
- 2003 558 complaints
- 2004 499 complaints
- 2005 1,394 complaints
- 2006 464 complaints
- 2007 254 complaints
- 2008 1,974 complaints
- 2009 1,693 complaints
- 2010 2,070 complaints
- 2011 1,318 complaints
- 2012 604 complaints
- 2013 2,753 complaints
- 2014 2,089 complaints
- 2015 1,130 complaints
- 2016 1,166 complaints
- 2017 2,701 complaints
- 2018 1,821 complaints
- 2019 596 complaints
- 2020 1,612 complaints
- 2021 350 complaints
- 2022 236 complaints
- 2023 101 complaints
- 2024 76 complaints
- 2025 26 complaints
- 2026 3 complaints
Recalls
26V011000 · Jan 15, 2026
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
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.
22V413000 · Jun 10, 2022
POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/ROD; POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
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.
20V331000 · Jun 8, 2020
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
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…
18V471000 · Jul 16, 2018
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
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…
16V643000 · Sep 6, 2016
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
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…
15V813000 · Dec 2, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
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…
14V597000 · Sep 26, 2014
SEAT BELTS; AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW; AIR BAGS
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,…
14V495000 · Aug 11, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
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…
14V239000 · May 7, 2014
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
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…
14V237000 · May 7, 2014
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE; AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
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.
8 more recalls are in the NHTSA file for this name and are not listed here. Campaign numbers above link to NHTSA.
Complaints
2,753 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 49, fire flag on 91, injury field 54, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Other NHTSA names
These names matched the same EPA model but are not included in the headline counts above.
| Name | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| ESCAPE HYBRID | 0 | 5 |
Investigations
| Action | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE16001 | Door Latch Failure · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH; LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | Jan 16, 2016 | Oct 29, 2016 |
| PE18007 | Loss of Motive Power · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | Jul 16, 2018 | Dec 27, 2024 |
| RQ19005 | Door Latch Failures · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH; LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES; STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR; STRUCTURE:BODY | Dec 19, 2019 | Feb 7, 2022 |
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV 4x2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.191 | NHTSA photo |
| SUV 4x4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.185 | NHTSA photo |
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escape FWD · 2.5L · Automatic (S6) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 30 | 25 | — | — | $2,700 |
| Escape FWD · 2L · Automatic (S6) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 29 | 24 | — | — | $2,800 |
| Escape AWD · 2L · Automatic (S6) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 21 | 28 | 24 | — | — | $2,800 |
| Escape AWD · 1.6L · Automatic (S6) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 29 | 25 | — | — | $2,700 |
| Escape FWD · 1.6L · Automatic (S6) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 23 | 32 | 26 | — | — | $2,600 |
Open this model year in the fuel-cost calculator. The calculator starts with no fuel price filled in.
Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2013 Ford Escape at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.