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#BS-2013-FORESC-7581

2013 Ford EscapeProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 3,689 owners and 18 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
3,689
Crashes
66
Fires
132
Recalls
18
TSBs
155
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 3,689 complaints, 66 crashes, 132 fires, and 18 recalls. Complaint rate is 7.9x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine stalls shuts down while driving

46 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
2

transmission failure

28 complaints • Severity 9.2/10

$X,XXX
3

power steering failure

26 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
4

at idle or low rpm the engine bucks and stalls

18 complaints • Severity 7.8/10

$X,XXX
5

check engine light

18 complaints • Severity 7.6/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

1427 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 73K miles.

!Inspect the DrivetrainMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

481
0–30K
474
30–60K
723
60–90K
525
90–120K
276
120–150K
138
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (723 reports) • Median: 73K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (1427 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine1427 (39%)
Drivetrain390 (11%)
Electrical331 (9%)
Other300 (8%)
Steering298 (8%)
Fuel System284 (8%)
Speed Control90 (2%)
Brakes65 (2%)

2013 Ford Escape: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 39% of all reports filed for the 2013 Ford Escape, with 1427 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 73,228 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 73K-mile mark.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2013 Ford Escape, with 390 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2013 Ford Escape, with 331 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2013 Ford Escape, with 298 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

40
12
151
13
198
14
170
15
234
16
303
17
431
18
538
19
390
20
298
21
307
22
234
23
217
24
116
25
62
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2013 Ford Escape. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (18 recalls)

12V319000Jul 2012

STRUCTURE

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.

12V336000Do Not DriveAug 2012

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

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.

12V431000Sep 2012

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

12V551000Dec 2012

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

13V085000Mar 2013

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

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.

+ 13 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2013 Ford Escape NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

PE16001ClosedOpened Jan 2016 · closed Oct 2016

Door Latch Failure

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

PE18007ClosedOpened Jul 2018 · closed Dec 2024

Loss of Motive Power

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

RQ19005ClosedOpened Dec 2019 · closed Feb 2022

Door Latch Failures

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

The worst model year for the Ford Escape is the 2014 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2013 Ford Escape vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

This vehicle

3,689

Class avg

469

7.9x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 3,689 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 18 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Ford Escape Model Years

202620252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000
View all Ford Escape years →

2013 Ford Escape: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ford Escape?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2013 Ford Escape is related to the engine, with 1427 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2013 Ford Escape reliable?
The 2013 Ford Escape has 3,689 complaints, 66 crash reports, and 132 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 7.9x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How safe is the 2013 Ford Escape?
NHTSA rates the 2013 Ford Escape 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2013 Ford Escape problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2013 Ford Escape have any recalls?
Yes, the 2013 Ford Escape has 18 recalls on record. At least one is a critical “Do Not Drive” recall. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford Escape problems start?
Based on 2617 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 73,228 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2013 Ford Escape data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 3,689 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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