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.

NHTSA ODI 11671672

Fire started in engine from oil leak in cylinder head on Saturday, 9/9/23 at approximately 1:15 pm. Car had been running for around 2 hours with no signs or indication of malfunction. Driver pulled car over after entering Mt. Rainier National Forest at a viewpoint. At this point driver noticed engine was smoking. NO lights or indicators on dashboard lit up notifying of overheating or malfunction. The temperature gauge did not indicate the engine was over heating. The safety of 4 passengers was at risk. Fire started with four passengers including the driver in the car. Vehicle was located in Mt. Rainier National Forest where passengers and driver had no cellphone service. This also occurred in a National Forest during the high risk season for forest fires/wildfires. Fire could have put lives of passengers at risk as well as those in nearby area, if car went ablaze in the forest. With no service, preventing the car fire from turning into a forest fire would be very difficult. This problem occurred AFTER TSB on this vehicle was completed for safety recall 17S09-S1 in April 2014 at Bellingham Ford. The crack in the cylinder caused by the recall was patched by Bellingham Ford by filling it with Copper silicone rather than removing the cylinder and replacing it. Repair shop (Mike's Shop - Buckley Washington) that inspected vehicle after incident on Sept. 9th 2023, found that copper silicone patch had split causing oil to leak into engine and catch fire. This inspection indicates that the initial repair done by Ford Manufacturer did not prevent leak from occurring and causing a fire to start in engine.

NHTSA ODI 11544340

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

NHTSA ODI 11498820

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30mph when the vehicle lost engine power. The contact stated fuel pump warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and towed the vehicle to a local mechanic where it was informed that the vehicle had experienced a fire but was extinguished due to the water pump bursting. The vehicle was diagnosed with needing the engine and fuel pump replaced but was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V584000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of failure and told the contact to call NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

NHTSA ODI 11453851

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY 82, A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THERE WAS NO NOTICE OF A FIRE WITHIN THE CAB. NO SMELL AND NO VISIBLE SMOKE. AFTER BEING FLAGGED DOWN ABOUT IT, WE MANAGED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND SAVE JUST A FEW THINGS OUT OF THE CAR, BEFORE THE FRONT HALF OF THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI 11280553

MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE SE 1.6L CAUGHT FIRE IN MOTION DUE TO A FUEL LEAK ON A CITY STREET. BRAKES FAILED AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP AND GET OUT AS SMOKE AND FLAMES CAME THROUGH THE VENTS.

NHTSA ODI 11232880

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY 52 YESTERDAY EVENING MY FORD ESCAPE 2013 CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE AFTER IT SEIZED (BRAKES QUIT IN THE PROCESS) AND HAD TO JUMP OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AS THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE AND ENGULFING THE DRIVER SIDE.

NHTSA ODI 11207404

CAR NOW SHUTS OFF FREQUENTLY AFTER SHIFTING INTO REVERSE AND BACK INTO DRIVE. RECENTLY HAPPENED WHILE MY WIFE WAS PULLING OUT OF A HEAVY TRAFFIC AREA.

NHTSA ODI 11206110

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.

NHTSA ODI 11149580

CAR IGNITED GOING 70 MPH DOWN THE INTERSTATE. I 85 JEFFERSON GA

NHTSA ODI 11073004

MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE NOVEMBER 12TH 2017. ONE DAY AFTER YORK FORD REPAIRED CAR THAT I PICKED UP ON NOVEMBER 11TH 2017.YORK FORD SAID IT WAS ON WARRANTY ,NEVER MENTIONED A RECALL, CAR KEPT STALLING, YORK HAD IT TWICE FOR REPAIRS, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE VERY NEXT DAY. LATER FOUND OUT FORD HAD 139,000 RECALLS ON 2013 ESCAPES FOR FUEL LINES AND POTENTIAL ENGINE FIRES. I DO HAVE PHOTOS AND A VIDEO BECAUSE AFTER I CALLED 911 I HAD MY PHONE OUT. MASS STATE POLICE AND REVERE FIRE DEPT. RESPONDED MAPFRE INSURANCE CO. DECLARED IT A TOTAL LOSS.. DONNA FROM YORK FORD TOLD ME TO FILL THE TANK UP BECAUSE THEY PUT A CLEANER IN THE FUEL.??? PLEASE EMAIL ME SO I CAN SEND YOU THE PHOTOS AND PROVIDE ANY OTHER DOCUMENTATION.

NHTSA ODI 11054479

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

NHTSA ODI 11034510

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND LOW COOLANT WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROADWAY AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AND THE COOLANT WAS REFILLED. THE NEXT DAY, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THICK, BLACK SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBO FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, A STRONG FUEL ODOR WAS DETECTED IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE MECHANIC STATED THAT FUEL LEAKS WERE A COMMON ISSUE WITH FORD VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 12V551000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 12V336000 (FUEL SYSTEM,GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ODI 11018997

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND SAW GREY SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE OTHER VEHICLE'S DRIVER ASSISTED IN INSPECTING THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SPROUSE AUTO, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE A CALL BACK AFTER 15 DAYS. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE, BUT WAS INFORMED ON 6/13/16 THAT THEY WERE INVOLVED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V584000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.

NHTSA ODI 10994607

DRIVING MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE SEL WITH ONLY 52000 MILES ON IT HOME FROM SHOPPING IN RENO, NEVADA. I WAS IN WASHOE VALLEY, NV WHEN I THOUGH THE HIGH WINDS WERE KEEPING MY CAR FROM SPEEDING UP, WHEN I COULD NOT ACCELERATE I PULLED TO THE SLOW LANE AND THEN ONTO THE SHOULDER. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND LOOK AT MY DASH TO SEE IF I WAS OVERHEATING OR ANY OTHER ISSUES WERE APPARENT. MY DASH SHOWED NOTHING WRONG AT ALL. NO LIGHTS OR WARNINGS OF ANY KIND. THE GAGES WERE ALL RUNNING NORMAL. I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND WITHIN A SECOND OR TWO A LARGE VERY BLACK BILLOW OF SMOKE CAME UP BACK PART OF THE ENGINE NEAREST TO HE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THEN SECOND LATER LARGER FIRE FLAMES CAME RIGHT BEHIND IT THAT WENT OVER THE TOP OF MY CAR. MY CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES IN JUST MOMENTS. I HAD TO JUMP FROM THE BURNING CAR TO SAFELY.

NHTSA ODI 10957573

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

NHTSA ODI 10480692