2013 Ford Escape Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report stalling or sudden loss of power while driving, and a slow coolant loss that can lead to overheating and engine damage. Power steering assist dropping out and transmission harshness or failure are also recurring themes. Many reports involve vehicles well past 60,000 miles, though some owners describe stalls and steering faults at lower mileage.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Coolant loss, overheating and engine damage

   • 871 complaints (32%)
   • median 86,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (610 state mileage)
   • 35 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 63 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Complaints describe coolant disappearing with no visible puddle, the low-coolant light returning after refills, and the engine overheating or shutting down. Several owners say a mechanic later found coolant entering a cylinder, a cracked head or block, and recommended engine replacement; dealers reportedly topped off coolant or could not find a leak in earlier visits. Typically reported between 60,000 and 160,000 miles, often after repeated low-coolant warnings.

   Recall 13V583000Recall 12V551000Recall 12V4310001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check the coolant reservoir level cold and look for white exhaust smoke or a sweet smell; ask whether cooling-system recalls 12V431000, 12V551000 or 13V583000 applied and were performed, since many owners report their vehicle was not covered by VIN build dates.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My coolant levels become low about every two weeks. I'm alerted by my dash light, I fill then check for leeks. No visible leeks but coolant keeps needing refilling. I have almost overheated once and car when into limp mode until got down to a reasonable temp. I'm afraid to drive long distances if fear I'll be stranded because overheated.”

   NHTSA complaint #11378619, filed 2020-12, 95,000 miles

   “I have a coolant leak somewhere with my car. I have brought the issue up multiple times with Ford and the issue has not been fixed. Now, after 2 years of dealing with it, I have white smoke coming out of my exhaust when I start up my vehicle. Indicating that coolant is leaking into my engine, which can cause a fire.”

   NHTSA complaint #11324273, filed 2020-05, 95,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Stalling or sudden loss of power while driving

   • 770 complaints (28%)
   • median 77,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (657 state mileage)
   • 23 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,900 (median of 33 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Owners describe the engine shutting off or losing power without warning at highway and low speeds, sometimes with an 'Engine Fault Service Now' or reduced-power message, and say it often restarts normally afterward. Several report repeat visits where the dealer could not duplicate the failure, and a few mention throttle or sensor codes being cleared without a lasting fix. Most reports fall between roughly 40,000 and 130,000 miles, at both highway and stop-and-go speeds.

   Recall 15V813000Recall 14V495000

   What to check: Ask whether the engine wiring harness splice recalls (15V813000, 14V495000) were completed, and have a scan tool check for stored or pending powertrain codes before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When starting the vehicle, 70% of the time the vehicle stalls after 1 minute, sometimes on the road which is dangerous. Now it is stalling after it has been driven for awhile and I place it in park. It now stalls while idling. In all instances I can restart the car with no problems...except if it stalls again, which is now approximately 50% of the time.”

   NHTSA complaint #11395297, filed 2021-02, 72,000 miles

   “My vehicle stalls and chugs. This happens while I'm driving and stationary.Ford did have a recall for a map sensor manifold issue back in october of 2014 for Ford escapes with this description . The code is p0106 . I am struggling to get help for any dealer because there is no longer an open recall for this issue. I could be driving and my car shuts off. This is a nightmare.”

   NHTSA complaint #11408337, filed 2021-04, 103,466 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission harsh shifting, gear slip and failure

   • 405 complaints (15%)
   • median 85,000 mi at 6.7 yrs old (297 state mileage)
   • 21 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,300 (median of 40 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Complaints describe hard or delayed shifts, hesitation on acceleration, the vehicle dropping out of gear or refusing to leave first, and in some cases a warning that the transmission is not in park. Owners report dealers finding metal debris or burned fluid and recommending transmission replacement, sometimes with no manufacturer assistance. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 130,000 miles, with some failures near 60,000.

   Recall 22V413000Recall 18V4710002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive it through several upshifts and a stop-to-go sequence to feel for harshness or hesitation, check transmission fluid condition if accessible, and confirm whether the shifter cable bushing recalls (18V471000, 22V413000) were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My vehicle was in motion on the highway going about 80mph when the speed suddenly deceased drastically and suddenly to about 10mph. A warning message appeared stating 'transmission not in park. Select p.' I do not know the cause of this incident. Temperature of the car was normal and there were no warning lights shown on the dash (engine light, gas light, etc).”

   NHTSA complaint #11382953, filed 2020-12, 91,000 miles

   “I have a Ford 2013 Escape. It first statred having problems with the headlights keep blowing. I had to replace 4 in the pass 2 years. Now the back brake lights keep saying faulty. The bulb pops out . I have to push it back into place. Then its out again. Now the navigation system is faulty . Plus the trans misson is faulty or everytime I shift the gear into drive it cuts off. I have to put it to neutral and then it moves. When I get to the speed 50 or 60mph thecar trembles. Im afraid that I may wreck.”

   NHTSA complaint #11386819, filed 2021-01, 140,234 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Power steering assist failure message

   • 238 complaints (9%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (153 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 42 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2026

   Owners report a 'Power Steering Assist Fault' or steering fault message followed by heavy steering effort, sometimes while driving and sometimes right after start-up, with normal steering returning after a restart. Dealers have diagnosed steering column or rack replacement in some cases, and some owners report no stored code was found when the vehicle was inspected. Spread widely, from low mileage up to about 150,000 miles, with several reports under 90,000 miles.

   What to check: On a test drive, start the car and turn the wheel at low speed to confirm assist is present; ask whether any steering fault codes or column/rack work have been recorded.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Veh: 2013 Ford Escape, sel 1.6 liter engine, front wheel drive. I intermittently have no power steering when starting the vehicle. Vehicle is stationary at the times I've experienced the problem. If this happens during driving I would be unable to steer the vehicle. Diagnostic code: u3000-49.”

   NHTSA complaint #11365869, filed 2020-10, 51,000 miles

   “While driving on a county road, my wife experienced a sudden loss of power steering. The instrument panel behind the steering wheel displayed a power steering assist failure notification. When she restarted the vehicle, the notification went away and the power steering returned. We took the vehicle to greg darnell Ford in midwest city, ok for diagnostics and were told a gear assembly in the steering column had gone bad (part no. Hv6z-3504-cd). The repair cost is $2129 after a 10% military discount. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11308423, filed 2020-02, 85,000 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel or fluid leaks from lines and seals

   • 113 complaints (4%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (69 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,800 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   A small number of owners describe a fuel smell or a pinhole leak in the underhood fuel line, sometimes attributed to a harness rubbing, and others report transmission or axle seal leaks that went unnoticed until a larger failure. Repairs were typically made at a dealer or independent shop without a repeat of the leak being confirmed publicly. Reported mainly above 100,000 miles, with fuel-line leaks appearing in a few cases around 108,000 miles.

   Recall 12V336000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 13V584000

   What to check: Inspect under the hood and under the car for wet spots or a fuel odor, and ask whether fuel-line recalls 12V336000 and 13V584000 were addressed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After starting the car will start to stutter even when pressing the gas and will stall. Sometimes it will start and run fine for a few mins and then when depressing the brake to stop at a light or turn, it will die again after stuttering. It will stutter and die multiple times in the span of a few minutes this is extremely dangerous especially since my area doesn't have public transportation and a car is the only way around. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11318285, filed 2020-03, 112,885 miles

   “Axel seal was damaged causing transmission fluid to leak. However, there was no sign of a leak due to it caking on to the undercarriage causing the transmission to fry.”

   NHTSA complaint #11387765, filed 2021-01, 103,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection focused on coolant level and white exhaust smoke, steering assist, and transmission behavior is worth the cost on this model year. Ask for recall-completion records, especially the fuel-line, wiring-harness, steering and shifter bushing campaigns, and get any stored codes scanned.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 80 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.