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

On June 24, 2025 at approx 4:45 pm, my wife and I were driving home. The car was running fine, no lights, gauges were normal, no info on screen, when all of a sudden the engine shut down, info on screen stated steering assisi unavailable, and smoke started coming from vents. We were aproaching a sharp curve in the road, so I had to manhandle the steering to keep from crashing. Then used the emergency brake to stop after insuring we cleared the curve. By that time, we were unable to see anything for all the smoke inside the car. Nothing would work so we could not roll the electric windows down. When stopped, we opened the doors and jumped out. Then I heard the engine compartment crackling due to a fire. Luckily, we escaped with no injuries except for smoke inhalation. I have been driving for over 58 years and doing mechanical repairs for over 60 years. I have never experienced anything like this. We bought this car new and I have maintained it in 'like new' condition since. Now it is completely destroyed. I also know Ford has had recalls on this vehicle and we have taken care of all these except the one on the shifter linkage bushing. I am very concerned something went very wrong with this car and others may, too. Plus, I am a dedicated Ford owner and may be concerned on replacing with something else after this terrifying incident.

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The fuel line caught fire while driving under normal load. There is no active recall on this model any longer, but had one years ago for same issue. This vehicle has 89k miles, serviced regularly, and fire

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2013 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INOPERABLE DOOR CODE ON DRIVERS DOOR AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE THE HANDLE ABOVE THE DOOR TO GET IN THE VEHICLE, IT SNAPPED. THE CONSUMER FELL TO THE GROUND AND BROKE HER FOOT. ALSO, THE INSTUMENT PANEL AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERABLE. *JS

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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ( US 82 IN TEXAS), THERE WERE FLAMES SEEN COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. A SEPARATE VEHICLE PULLED UP BESIDE OUR 2013 FORD ESCAPE, AND YELLED THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. MY SON QUICKLY PULLED OVER, AND HE AND HIS MOTHER QUICKLY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND BACKED AWAY FROM IT. A FIRE TRUCK CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. MY WIFE WAS ALSO TREATED FOR SMOKE INHALATION ON SITE, AND LATER HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS BREATHING. I HAVE CHECKED THE VIN ON OUR VEHICLE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON OUR VIN. AFTER RESEARCH, I SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN OTHER FIRE ISSUES WITH OTHER VINS. I BELIEVE OUR SITUATION NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, BECAUSE THE RECALL MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED. WE ARE CURRENTLY UPSIDE DOWN ON OUR CAR NOTE, AND WILL LOOSE ABOUT $4,000 OUT OF POCKET. I BELIEVE OUR ISSUE COULD BE RELATED TO ISSUES OTHERS HAVE HAD WITHIN THE RECALLED VIN'S. THIS HAPPENED ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 15TH NEAR SHERMAN, TEXAS.

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CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE BEING DRIVEN

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ELECTRICAL FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAR WAS PARKED FOR 10 MINUTES STARTED SMOKING AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. TOTALED CAR. HAD RECENTLY HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND SAY WARNING HIGH TEMP. STOP SAFELY. TOOK TO FORD THEY SAID IT WAS A SENSOR ON BACKORDER. TOLD ME THE CAR WAS NOT REALLY OVERHEATING

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TAKATA RECALL MY VEHICLE HAD ENDLESS ISSUES AND PROBLEMS. I WOULD DRIVE A MILE OR SO TO GAS STATION, TURN OFF CAR, GET GAS AND THEN THE CAR WOULDN'T START OR DRIVE 15 MILES, DO A JOB, 30 MINUTES LATER GET IN AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. IT TOOK SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE VEHICLE TO TURN OVER AND THEN STAY RUNNING. I WOULD THROW IT INTO GEAR TO GET THE ENGINE RUNNING AND SOMETIMES IT'D BE FINE, OTHER TIMES IT WOULD BOG DOWN AND STALL. I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND MY CAR WAS TOTALED. I HAD MECHANICS LOOK AT THE ISSUE AND THEY WOULD SAY THE O2 SENSOR, WASTEGATE SOLENOID OR EVAP LEAK. THEY WOULD NICKEL AND DIME ME WITH ALL THESE LITTLE THINGS. THE CODES WERE, P0234,P26B7 AND P0456. THEY SAID COOLANT WAS GETTING INTO THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THAT WAS CONTRIBUTING TO THE STALLING AND PROBLEMS. I HAD TO SEE A CHIROPRACTOR AFTER MY ACCIDENT DUE TO SPINAL PAIN AND DISCOMFORT. HOWEVER, IT WAS WORTH THIS GETTING RID OF THIS LEMON ONCE AND FOR ALL. IF ANYONE ELSE IS EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS, POST THE FIX SO THAT IT CAN SAVE SOMEONE ELSE FROM FINANCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL PAIN. I DIDN'T LET ANYONE DRIVE MY VEHICLE(WIFE/FAMILY) BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW WHEN IT WOULD STALL AND WHERE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED DROPS OF FLUID EMERGING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT INTO THE VEHICLE CABIN. THE CONTACT PULEDL OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (FRONTIER FORD, 3701 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, (408) 241-1800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A WIRING HARNESS WAS BURNT AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11113960

I WAS DRIVING DOWN I49, SHREVEPORT, LA. AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, HIGH TEMPATURE WARNING CAME ON FOLLOWED BY ENGINE FAILURE WARNING, AS I WAS MAKING MY WAY TO THE ROADSIDE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. STEAM STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, WHEN THE VEHICAL CAME TO A STOP, I POPPED THE HOOD, AS I GOT OUT OF THE CAR I NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF BLUE SMOKE, FOLLOWED BY BLACK SMOKE, I DID NOT OPEN HOOD, 30 SECONDS LATTER FLAMES WERE SHOOTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, I CALLED 911 AS THE FLAMES ENGULFED THE FRONT OF THE CAR

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VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE AND SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE STOPPED DRIVING FORWARD EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE ENGINE DID NOT REV. THE DASH LIGHT INDICATING THE TRANSMISSION DISAPPEARED. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JUMPED INTO GEAR SO HARD I SUFFERED WHIPLASH. IT DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES AS I ATTEMPTED TO GET CLEAR OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. I LITERALLY THOUGHT I HAD BEEN REAR ENDED AT ONE POINT AS THE CAR JOLTED SO HARD. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE ROADWAY, THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE SERVICE NOW LIGHT CAME ON. THIS IS CONSISTANT WITH THE PCM WIRING HARNESS RECALL DONE ON OTHER 2013 ESCAPES BUT WAS NOT COVERED FOR MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THE JOLTS TO THE VEHICLE KICKING IN GEAR DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME, IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO STRIKE OR BE HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD BUT THEY STATE MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL AND THAT THEY WILL NOT HELP ME.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND RESUME DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED, SMOKE APPEARED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WHICH LOCATED A FAILURE CODE AT THE COOLANT SYSTEM. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, SMOKE AND A BURNING ODOR WAS DETECTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. GOT OUT TO GET A BETTER LOOK WHEN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT 73 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT, BRAKE WARNING LIGHT, AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WAS ENGAGED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V495000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

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THE FORD ESCAPE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM. THIS KEY ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO UNLOCK THE CAR BY SIMPLY TOUCHING THE DOOR HANDLE. THE SYSTEM ALSO INCLUDES A FEATURE THAT PREVENTS THE DOORS FROM LOCKING OR UNLOCKS THE DOORS IMMEDIATELY IF KEYS ARE LEFT INSIDE THE CAR WITHOUT A DRIVER OR PASSENGER PRESENT. THIS OSTENSIBLY MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR A DRIVER TO LOCK THEIR KEYS INSIDE THE CAR. THE CAR ALSO INCLUDES A AUTO-LOCKING FEATURE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO LOCK ALL DOORS ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND BEGINS MOVING ABOVE 5 MPH. ON THREE OCCASIONS, INCLUDING TODAY (6/11/2015) THIS SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT ITS BEHAVIOR WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF ITS INTENDED DESIGN AND IT BECAME A SAFETY HAZARD. EACH OCCASION HAS INVOLVED MY WIFE, WHO NATURALLY CARRIES THE KEYS IN HER PURSE OR BRIEFCASE. SHE HAS GOTTEN OUT OF THE CAR AND CLOSED THE DOOR WITHOUT LOCKING THE CAR MANUALLY. HER KEYS REMAINED IN HER BAG ON THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD OR SEAT, WHILE SHE WALKED AROUND THE CAR TO RETRIEVE THEM OR TO GO TO RETRIEVE OUR SON OUT OF HIS CAR SEAT IN THE BACK. ON THESE OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS LOCKED ITSELF WITH THE KEYS INSIDE AS SOON AS SHE CLOSED HER DOOR AND SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET INTO THE CAR. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR FAILINGS OCCURRING. THE CARS SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THE LOCKING OF THE DOORS OR IMMEDIATELY UNLOCK THEM IF THE CAR IS PARKED AND IT FAILS TO DETECT A DRIVER IN THE SEAT. THE CAR HAS NO FUNCTIONALITY THAT AUTO LOCKS THE CAR WHEN IT IS OFF AND STATIONARY, YET IT IS DOING THIS. IF YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR WITHOUT THE KEYS AND CLOSE THE DOOR, IT WILL LOCK ITSELF. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT HAS RESULTED IN MY SON GETTING LOCKED IN THE CAR IN THE HEAT. I WAS NEARBY, AND ABLE TO COME UNLOCK THE CAR, OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO SMASH A WINDOW. FORD DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM

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WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN PLOVER WISCONSIN, SMOKE BEGAN TO POUR INTO THE VEHICLE VIA THE FRONT VENTS. I LOOKED FORWARD AND SAW MASSIVE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER, SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RAN. I CALL 911, WHERE IT TOOK 15 FIREMEN AND 500 GAL OF WATER TO PUT OUT THE 10FT FLAMES (SEE FIRE REPORT). THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CAR HAS BEEN DESTROYED ALONG WITH ALL THE CONTENTS. THE FIRE BROKE THROUGH THE FIREWALL AND MELTED UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. FRONT TIRES EXPLODED

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING ABNORMALLY IN AND OUT OF GEARS AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. DURING A SECOND APPOINTMENT, THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE THROTTLE BODY, THE MOTOR, THE ASSEMBLY CONTROL, THE ASSEMBLY TRANSMISSION, AND THE GASKET. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH DOWNHILL, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V495000 (ENGINE). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

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DRIVING IN PARKING LOT FAN SPEED ACCELERATED AND THEN ENGINE SHUT OFF. I TRIED STARTING AGAIN 3 TIMES AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I CALLED AAA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN RENO WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR. THERE WAS A SMELL OF BURNING IN THE ENGINE. THE DEALER REPORTED THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE AIR COMPRESSOR CLUTCH COIL IS INTERNAL SHORT CAUSE BURNING SMOKE. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE AIR COMPRESSOR. FORD SAID MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR RECALL LIST. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE DRIVER BEGAN TO SMELL AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER AND BEFORE THE KEYS WERE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION, FLAMES ENGULFED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,617.

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MY WIFE AND 6 YEAR OLD GRAND DAUGHTER WERE TRAVELING EAST BOUND HIGHWAY 190 AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING FROM THE VENTS AND SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC. MY WIFE WRESTLED THE STALLED CAR TO THE MEDIA WHERE ITT DIED. I HAD JUST TRADED A 2011 ESCAPE WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. IT ONLY HAD 28 K IN MILEAGE AND IT NEVER MADE WARRANTY.\ FORD WONT EVEN RETURN MY CALLS. *TR

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MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE, 1.6 LITER ENGINE, HAD 3 RECALLS, (TWO WERE ENGINE FIRE RELATED). ALL 3 RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, SALEM, VA. WE PICKED VEHICLE UP AFTER THIRD RECALL WORK HAD BEEN DONE ON 9/17/12. WE ASSUMED THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE CORRECTLY, AND THAT FORD'S "FIX" WORKED CORRECTLY. ON 9/21/12 WE WERE TRAVELING EAST AT 65 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE ON I-64 NEAR CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. IT WAS ABOUT 1 PM IN THE AFTERNOON. THERE WAS A "POP" SOUND IN THE ENGINE AREA. INSTANTLY, THE ACCELERATOR HAD NO RESPONSE, THE HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND THEN ALL WARNING LIGHTS, GAUGES, & TACHOMETER ALL WENT DEAD. LUCKILY, WE WERE ADJACENT TO AN EXIT RAMP, AND WE COASTED TO A STOP ON RTE 20/53. IMMEDIATELY, WHITE STEAM CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. KNOWING THE THIRD RECALL DEALT WITH THE "RISK OF ENGINE FIRES", WE GOT OUT, AND MOVED WELL AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. WITHIN MINUTES, BROWN, OILY SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEN FLAMES CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AT THE WINDSHIELD AND OUT THE SIDES OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THEN THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES AND WAS DESTROYED. PICTURES WERE TAKEN OF THE VEHICLE ON FIRE, AND AFTER IT WAS OUT, WITH A CELL PHONE. AFTER THE FIRE WAS OUT, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALER IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.. WE WERE TOLD THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD RETAINED A FIRE INSPECTOR TO LOOK AT THE CAR, AND ASK ME QUESTIONS, WHICH HE DID. LATER THE INSPECTOR SAID THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT REQUIRE A REPORT. WE FEEL WE ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE! *TR

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