2013 Ford Escape problems & reliability
2,742 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Escape, alongside 18 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
46 complaints report injuries (54 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2013 Ford Escape vehicles were involved in 114 fatal crashes with 58 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,263 | 46% |
| Power Train | 399 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 339 | 12% |
| Steering | 302 | 11% |
| Unknown OR Other | 298 | 11% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 246 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 174 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 92 | 3% |
| Structure | 86 | 3% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 65 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 76,069 miles (middle 50% between 47,000 and 104,529 miles), based on 1,917 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH on the freeway, the front passenger’s side door suddenly came ajar. The "Passenger Door Ajar" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Jul 24, 2026
“Vehicle: 2013 Ford Escape SEL (1.6L EcoBoost) Approximate current Mileage: 134,646 miles System: Engine / Engine Cooling / Powertrain Incident Description: I am filing this complaint to report a severe and systemic safety defect regarding the 1.6L EcoBoost engine in my 2013 Ford Escape. The vehicle is experiencing…”
Engine · filed Jul 17, 2026
“Engine coolant intrusion into engine resulting in excessive visible smoke/steam on startup and coolant consumption. This issue has been inspected by a Ford dealer and private party mechanics, however could not be accurately diagnosed without engine disassembly. No evidence of external coolant leaks were present. The…”
Engine · filed Jul 2, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Door Latch Failures
Recall Query RQ19005 · opened Dec 19, 2019 · closed Feb 7, 2022 · led to recall 20V331000
- Loss of Motive Power
Preliminary Evaluation PE18007 · opened Jul 16, 2018 · closed Dec 27, 2024
- Door Latch Failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE16001 · opened Jan 16, 2016 · closed Oct 29, 2016 · led to recall 16V643000
Technical service bulletins
155 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2013 Ford Escape. The 10 most recent:
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…
SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
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
25B61 · Other · issued Feb 17, 2026
Some 2013-2016 Escape vehicles may exhibit an ABS warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U2300 after the ABS module is replaced.
SSM 53176 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 27, 2024
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. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024…
SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 10, 2024
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…
SSM 52476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2024
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle…
SSM 51536 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2023
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…
SSM 51261 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 16, 2022
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…
SSM 51181 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2022
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…
SSM 51120 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 6, 2022
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…
SSM 50804 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 24, 2022
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2013 Ford Escape has 18 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2013 Ford Escape?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 76,069 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.