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

This Ford Escape has had numerous issues with coolant leaks leading to total engine failure on October 2025. The vehicle is unrepairable with the turbo being damaged and is no longer on the road

NHTSA ODI 11735961

The coolant leaks into the engine. I had the coolant container replaced as well as the coolant bypass valve.Coolant still leaks into the engine and container has to be filled every day. It’s unsafe to drive. It stalls. The mechanic says it’s dangerous and to get another car but I can’t. There is a class action for same issue. Coolant leak has destroyed the engine making it unsafe to drive. I can’t afford another car for my kids and I. Mechanic says his mom had same issue with her ford escape and it’s a fatal engine flaw and u safe to drive. This has been a problem since I purchased the car. I finally could afford to get the new container thinking that was the leak problem but it wasn’t. Then the coolant bypass valve broke too. I’ll put the date the repairs were made but this has been a problem with coolant contaminating the engine forever.

NHTSA ODI 11724405

This was a recall earlier, twice, and it was supposedly fixed but the fuel vacuum line to the gas tank is leaking and giving off gasoline odors in the passenger area. Also another recall that was supposedly taken care of is an oil leak that is occuring often. The oil was changed only a month ago and already the oil has just about all leaked out. Both of these issues are fire hazards and the fuel leakage can can the operator or passengers to succomb to carbon minoxide. These were told to us by a Ford dealer who put the car on a diagnostic but they are saying that the recall is over and it will cost $1,400. for the fix. I bought this car, in June 2025 ;from a used car dealer. I am still paying on it. I never receive a car history of any kind from this dealer. . I had no idea that there were 18 recalls on this vehicle. That is really a lot. If either of these problems were fixed on a recall, could they re-occur again. On this particular fuel re-call, I read that it had to be done again because the first recall fix was not done well. I do not have $1,400. to fix this. I am an [XXX] senior woman and am buying this car for my daughter. It seems to me that one a recall is made that it is a permanent thing until there is an assurance that it is fixed and won't happen again. It also seems to me that a vehicle that has that many recalls should not be allowed to be sold to the public. Can I hold the dealer who sold it to me accountable for not letting me know about the recalls or not letting me know the history of the vehicle? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11719080

Was opening the moon rooftop And I noticed smoke started coming from the middle of the radio / navigation system, all through vents smoke coming out something was burning I shut the vehicle, and waited about 10 minutes till it went away Don't know why this happened, but I'm curious that the recalls that coming up for this vehicle are very significant, running hesitation & smell of burning, vibration in front of vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11710574

Steering wheel locked up hard to turn wheel Consuming(burning) way more gas than normally would

NHTSA ODI 11676928

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

I just purchased this 2013 Escape with roughly 133,000 miles on it. The Car Fax showed the open recalls (latches and bushing) but that was it. Had the recalls done. Car immediately had issues with actuator and heater core. I tried to return the car and local dealer refused. Had heater core replaced for second time, after engine overheated due to coolant leak. Fuel sensor also had to be replaced due to fuel leak. Days after these repairs were done, car began leaking coolant again while driving, overheated and shut down.

NHTSA ODI 11657269

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 65 MPH, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that after stopping the vehicle and raising the hood, the engine was very hot. The contact stated that the coolant level was not checked. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11648732

The contact's mother-in-law owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his mother-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to shake excessively, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that a cylinder was overheating. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V584000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11647873

Engine randomly stalls when pulling out into traffic. This has happened on at least 10 occasions in the last year, and 3 or 4 of those were extremely dangerous situations. Many parts have been replaced, but nothing has solved the problem. There are no codes or check engine lights, and since it only happens randomly, the service centers have not been able to reproduce the problem. There is no advance warning when this is going to happen. There are tons of similar reports that can be easily found with a google search of "2013 Ford Escape 1.6 stalling", but none have a clear fix. 1000's of these cars are on the road, and are ticking time bombs just waiting to cause an accident.

NHTSA ODI 11621407

I bought the vehicle and February of 2020 and didn’t even have it for 6 months before it needed major repairs. In any other state, lemon laws would have applied and I wouldn’t be driving a dangerous vehicle. This model should not be on the market anymore, period. There have been countless failures: the transmission has been changed 3 times in less than 3 years, the purge valve has been changed twice and is going bad again, which has caused more problem for the engine cooling system. A coolant hose EXPLODED just yesterday, which I had changed not even 3 months ago. The electrical system has been “fixed” by countless mechanics, including Ford, and continues to malfunction and I assume is showing incorrect codes or not showing them at all, as there was NO ENGINE HEATING ICON that appeared prior to the hose exploding, as would normally be expected. Every problem I have just described is a recall that Ford has acknowledged on my same year, model and even manufacturing date, but they not only claim it’s not their responsibility, but they have bullied me any time I attempt to bring this up. As I stated, this car should never have been allowed to be sold. It began to dangerously malfunction less than a year after buying it. This included the overheating issues I described above, and major drivability issues that have caused the car to lose power and or acceleration while driving at highway speeds. As also stated, the coolant system is extremely flawed leading to a hose exploding, which tells me an engine fire would not have been far behind had we not been close to home. I have tried every measure possible to address all parties accountable. The dealership that sold the vehicle, the warranty company that did repairs that didn’t need to be done, the repair shops that did the repairs and did further damage to my car that still hasn’t been repaired, and the Ford dealerships themselves. I have on record multiple parties saying they don’t know how to fix the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11613320

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was an abnormal rattling noise and an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle while the vehicle was idling. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that there was a leak in the fuel line. The mechanic referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11609032

On Tuesday July 30,2024 I started to notice the smell of gasoline inside my car, did not drive for 2 days, then on August 3rd the fumes were so strong they were making me sick. Parked car and called dealership Monday morning July 5. Not able to take me in until August 15, 2024. There were no warning lights on dashboard just the smell of gasoline, This problem could start a fire under the hood, hope to get it to dealership and they can resolve the problem.0

NHTSA ODI 11606482

Constant coolant leak and not sure where the coolant is going. Have replaced the reservior, valve cover gasket, cylinder head and valves, coolant level bottle sensor, coolant thermostat, and engine coolant temperature sensor. Check engine light is still on and Coolant is still leaking and engine overheating. Can't find where the leakage is and there is no visible evidence on the floor of the garage. Losing coolant obvious because the level is low ever 2-3 days of highway driving. Car will shut down because of the overheating. Mechanic doesn't know what else to do. Car was purchased on June 4, 2024. Have not received the title or license plates. Tried to return it to the company who sold it to me; however, owner of the company refused to refund my money.

NHTSA ODI 11606230

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that there was fuel leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel leak was coming from the engine compartment fuel line. The contact was informed that the engine compartment fuel line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,399. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11606199

I own a 2013 Ford escape SEL, and I have had a continuous coolant leak for over a year now. Codes from computer reading have come back as spark plugs and cylinders misfiring. I have taken it to a licensed repair shop. They have informed me that they could not find a coolant leak within the cooling and radiator system. However, after personal research and additional information from, my mechanic, I have come to realize that other issues within the Ford escape 2013 1.6 L eco-boost engine, our part of the problem. In my opinion, the Ford Motor Company has neglected to acknowledge, or repair the issues with this engine and what’s causing the vehicle to lose coolant, then causing other engine problems. It has put me in unsafe situations as acceleration and or overall performance is putting people at risk.

NHTSA ODI 11601624

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed an abnormally strong gasoline odor coming from outside the vehicle. The contact went to check underneath the vehicle and noticed an oil leak coming from the vehicle. The contact also stated that the oil leak had a very strong odor. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed as a failure with the fuel line. The contact was informed that the fuel lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. Additionally, the contact was advised to contact the NHSTA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

NHTSA ODI 11582361

Always adding coolant, shook on start up, white smoke, eventually completely died which was inspected and had multiple repairs; reconditioned cylinder head, replaced water pump, thermostat and housing, timing belt, headset and head bolts, replace oil filter, fill oil and anti freeze, new battery. Total cost to fix was $3,367.98. The car is available for inspection upon request. Now after paying for all of those repairs, I am once again having the same problem with the car 1.5 years later. There have been no warning lamps either and it’s been going on for over a year and has been serviced for the same reason in the past. There are many other happenings that have happened revolving around failure of the engine system that have significantly affected the safety of myself and others, most recently extreme exhaust that was emitting a gas and burn type smell and the car was shaking heavily at idle.

NHTSA ODI 11581974

This Car has had non-stop coolant problems for years.Constantly looses coolant and low coolant light comes on and have to refill.I replaced coolant bypass valve 7/8/21,and again on 3/22/23.Its ok awhile then starts loosing coolant again.Few days ago low coolant light came on after refilling it just a week ago.This time the engine light came on code p1299,with a message to pull over because my car was overheating and it didn't have any power.

NHTSA ODI 11579785

Losing coolant, engine light came on now vehicle lost exceleration.

NHTSA ODI 11578219

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Coolant system is experiencing major leak at the coolant stand pipe. Also vehicle is reading a protection code and vehicle appears to be overheating but it's not. Coolant leak is seeping onto the belts and hoses that were also replaced. Engine seals have also leaked and have been recently replaced several times. Vehicle is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Safety recall 13S12 with a risk of localized overheating of the engine cylinder head that may lead to oil leaks and fires was not completed per the procedure provided by FORD motor company. The dealership that was responsible for completing the recall located at 488 U.S 1 Highway in Vero Beach Florida in 2019 is no longer operating. Several components of the 64 page recall were not completed as verified by a copy of the work order I have in my possession. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, my ford service advisor in Thomasville, GA has verified that this recall was not done properly and that my car falls under the manufacturer year that was negatively effected by this common problem with all cars produced within the same specific time frame by the manufacturer (FORD). The loss of coolant and potential overheating of the engine is a major common issue with this vehicle make/year/model. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, check engine light is currently on and a protection code for the engine overheating has displayed on dash board for several months however my service advisor has advised me to contact ford motor company. Ford has told me to file a complaint with your division. Battery also drains repeatedly.

NHTSA ODI 11573309

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she smelled a gasoline odor on the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was able to smell a gasoline odor but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V336000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11569583

I HAVE A 2013 Ford Escape THAT HAS HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION DUE TO ITS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED AND WITH NO WARNING FAILURE. 6000 AT FORD DEALERSHIP. THEN THE PROBLEMS WITH COOLANT STARTED. IT WOULD SUDDENLY START OVERHEATING, AND START STALLING . DROPPED DOWN TO TWO MILE AND HOUR TILL YOU LIMP OFF THE ROAD. HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CHECK IT. WILL BE FINE AND THEN SUDDENLY START LEAKING AGAIN. REPLACED COOLANT CAP, COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK, NEW HOSE FOR COOLANT TANK, COOLANT HOSE THAT INSERTS INTO REAR OF ENGINE, STAND PIPE AND BYPASS VALVE.

NHTSA ODI 11568276

From the day I bought the vehicle, it had coolant leak issues. I read that Ford knew this so they installed a feature where the vehicle will shut down/not move if there is low coolant, so as to avoid fires. An abrupt stop is very dangerous as well depending on location. $1000s later and years later, the leaks turned into not being able to hold any coolant at all. I took it to FORD they kept for 6 months and when I got the car back, it no longer drove. I took to another shop and they said there is a class action lawsuit for the issue and that the turbo needs to be replaced. That would almost $5k in repairs… due to labor costs. I loved this car even thought it’s been problematic. I would love nothing more than to have it working again, but not for that price.

NHTSA ODI 11566723

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated on another occasion while driving at various speeds the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

NHTSA ODI 11563102