What 2,743 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Escape Gas

THE HEAT SHIELD ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR IS VERY CHEAPLY MADE AND IS FALLING APART. IT IS BASICALLY FIBERGLASS INSULATION COVERED WITH SHINY ALUMINUM FOIL. IT IS VERY FLIMSY AND EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. THE SHIELDING HAS TORN LOOSE AND IS NOW HANGING DOWN FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE. IT IS LAYING OVER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND DIRECTLY TOUCHING IT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. I'M SURE ONCE IT CATCHES ON SOMETHING IT WOULD BE EASILY RIPPED FREE OF THE VEHICLE AND LEAVE ABSOLUTELY NO HEAT SHIELDING BETWEEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE FLOORBOARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY REPAIR. HE BELIEVES THAT SNOW HAS CAUSED THE DAMAGE. THERE IS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE EVEN THOUGH THE HEAT SHIELD IS HIGHER THAN OTHER PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560601

THE HEAT SHIELD ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR IS VERY CHEAPLY MADE AND IS FALLING APART. IT IS BASICALLY FIBERGLASS INSULATION COVERED WITH SHINY ALUMINUM FOIL. IT IS VERY FLIMSY AND EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. THE SHIELDING HAS COME LOOSE AND THE MORE I DRIVE, THE MORE THE WIND PULLS IT AND TEARS IT FROM THE CAR. IT IS NOW HANGING DOWN FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND ALMOST TOUCHING THE GROUND, LAYING OVER THE EXHAUST AND DIRECTLY TOUCHING IT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY POOR DESIGN TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS SO DELICATE AND FLIMSY TO BE DIRECTLY EXPOSED JUST INCHES FROM THE GROUND ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE WHERE ANY SORT OF ROAD DEBRIS COULD EASILY DAMAGE IT AND CAUSE IT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH A HOT EXHAUST PIPE. I'M SURE ONCE IT CATCHES ON SOMETHING IT WOULD BE EASILY RIPPED FREE OF THE VEHICLE AND LEAVE ABSOLUTELY NO HEAT SHIELDING BETWEEN THE EXHAUST AND THE FLOORBOARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10556776

VERY DISAPPOINTED BY THE DESIGN. WHEEL WELL ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE ICE AND SLUSH THEY ARE TOO SMALL AND CAN'T REMOVE DEBRIS. WIPERS IN THE FRONT IS NOT THE GREATEST. LOSES CONTACT ON WINDSHIELD HAVE A HEARD TIME SEEING WHERE I AM GOING. TERRIBLE WIPERS WHEN PURCHASED NEW WIPERS REQUIRED. ENGINE HAVING REALLY ODD NOISE AND SLUGGISH. I SUPPOSED THEY REPLACED THE INJECTORS. HAD SOME TORQUE BUT SOUNDS LIKE TIMING CHAIN LOOSE OR LIFTERS ISSUE. SEATS ARE NOT COMFORTABLE IN THE REAR. NOT ENOUGH CUSHION. WINDOWS BARELY WENT UP AND DOWN. LOTS OF GIVE... TOO MUCH REPLACED FRONT WINDOW MOTORS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10552580

THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION WHICH CAUSES THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551557

WHEN CLOSING THE REAR HATCH USING THE INSIDE HANDLE, THE FLAIR AT THE BASE OF THE DOOR HIT ME ON THE BRIDGE OF THE NOSE. MY GLASSES WERE KNOCKED TO THE GROUND AFTER THEY CUT INTO THE SKIN. I HAD TO HAVE 4 STITCHES TO CLOSE THE WOUND. THE DOOR IS DIFFICULT TO CLOSE FROM THE OUTSIDE WITHOUT USING THE INTERIOR HANDLE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE HANDLE AND THE LENGTH OF THE DOOR FROM BOTTOM EDGE TO HANDLE, IT IS LONGER THAN A TYPICAL REAR HATCH. I WAS INJURED IMMEDIATELY AFTER RENTING THIS CAR AND HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550303

THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDAL ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BRAKE, YOU COULD ALSO BE PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL IF YOU HAVE NORMAL SIZED FEET. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO RACE AND YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE HARDER WHICH PUSHES DOWN THE GAS PEDAL MORE AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO RACE MORE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN THE LAST MONTH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10536407

INSIDE REAR HATCH HANDLE CAME OFF WHEN PULLING THE HATCH DOWN TO CLOSE. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY FOUND A SCREW INSIDE THE HATCH PANEL HAD CAME OUT. REPLACED WITH NEW SCREW THEN SNAPPED HANDLE BACK IN PLACE. THIS HANDLE IS WEAK AND POORLY DESIGNED. ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS JUST SNAPS ON. THE STRESS THE HANDLE AND PANEL MUST TAKE AS TO PULL THE WEIGHT OF THE HEAVY HATCH DOWN BEFORE YOU CAN PLACE YOUR HAND ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HATCH TO CLOSE NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED IN THE NEWER MODELS. I AM NOW NOT SO RELAXED WHEN CLOSING THE HATCH ON MY OWN CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10520068

THE CAR WAS PARKED, I TURN ON THE ENGINE MY SON WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WITH HIS RIGHT LEG OUT THE CAR AND DOOR OPEN. I WAS PACKING SOME STUFF TO THE BACK SIT. WHEN THE SUV WENT ON REVERSE WHILE THE GEAR WAS ON PARK. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION OF HOW THE CAR WENT ON REVERSE. THE RIGHT DOOR WAS OPENED AND HIT A BRICK FENCE THAT WAS ON THE SIDEWALK THE INSIDE PANEL OF THE BROKE WITH THE IMPACT AND CUT MY SON'S LEG. AMBULANCE TOOK HIM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND 10 STITCHES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WERE DONE TO HIS LEG. I COMPLAINT TO FORD AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR 4 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FOR PROPER INSPECTION. THE PROCESS MAY TAKE 1 TO 2 MONTHS. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM SERVICE DEPT SAYING THE THERE WHERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS FOUND AND TO PICK UP THE CAR.POLICE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED AND NO LEGAL PAPERWORK WAS RECEIVED YET FROM FORD. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPENED BUT FORD IS NOT RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM. HOW I KNOW THAT A PROPER INSPECTION WAS MADE AND THAT THIS CAR IS SAFE? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10513355

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE DID NOT RETURN TO THE CLOSED POSITION, CAUSING THE DOOR TO NOT LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,200. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10503154

2013 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HOOD DAMAGE BY DEALERSHIP AND SEVERAL RECALLS. *SMD

NHTSA ODI 10492721

I HAVE THE 2.0 SE WITH ROOF RAILS AND PANORAMIC SUNROOF. THERE IS A WATER LEAK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLINER RIGHT NEAR THE A-PILLAR. I PULLED BACK THE HEADLINER AND WATER IS DRIPPING FROM AN AREA ADJACENT TO A NYLON FASTENER. THE CAR IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS HIGHER THAN THE REAR, SO THE SUNROOF CANNOT BE THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10477458

THE GAS PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE BRAKE. WHEN I WEAR BIG SHOES, THE BACK LEFT SIDE EDGE OF MY SHOE CATCHES THE BACK SIDE OF THE BRAKE WHEN I LIFT IT OFF THE GAS. SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10465273