Home · 2013 Ford Escape Phev · Complaints

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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (2,743)Crash / fire / injury (152)Engine (1,264)Transmission & drivetrain (400)Electrical system (340)Steering (302)Fuel system (284)Engine & cooling (174)Speed control (92)Body & structure (87)Brakes (72)Latches & locks (64)

72 of 2,743 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters · page 1 of 3

Jun 1, 2026Brakes

The anti-lock brake system is no longer available. When I start the car, a warning comes on that the Uphill assist is unavailable. Other lights come on concerning the brakes. I have contacted my repair shop and they have contacted the FORD dealership and have been told that presently there is no fix available. I understand this failure may be on other Ford Escape 2013 since I was told there are at least 400 vehicles awaiting this replacement part at this time and I would not know how many failures there were in the past.

NHTSA ODI 11741327

Mar 29, 2026BrakesCrash

test

NHTSA ODI 11727768

Mar 29, 2026BrakesCrash

VDP TEST

NHTSA ODI 11727773

Oct 20, 2025Brakes

When I change gears to P or R the car shut down , also it shakes when I break

NHTSA ODI 11694447

Jun 30, 2025BrakesBody & structure

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his foot was depressing the accelerator pedal, the back of the contact’s foot would strike the brake pedal due to a reduced clearance between the accelerator and brake pedals. The contact stated that failure restricted the ability to properly depress the brake pedal while driving at highway speeds. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V319000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Structure); and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000.

NHTSA ODI 11670169

Jun 26, 2025BrakesCrash

While coming to a stop sign the vehicle was going about 3MPH when the master break cylinder failed causing the breaks to fail and the car to hit another vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11669368

Aug 1, 2024Body & structureBrakesEngine

*car shakes as it brakes *coolant leaks (i see in the ford escape recalls there is one for coolant leaking) *upon opening doors it feel a slight stuck before opening. the doors don’t feel intact properly. *rubbers around windows appear loose. windows may not be secured.

NHTSA ODI 11605806

Oct 31, 2023Brakes

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that an independent mechanic had performed a replacement of the inner and outer tie rods, the wheel bearings, and other unknown parts. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the ABS, traction control, Hill Assist, and instrument panel warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that she was unable to drive uphill, and the vehicle swayed while coming to a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the ABS sensor had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered under Ford Campaign Number: 14N02. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.

NHTSA ODI 11552819

Jul 16, 2023SteeringBrakesEngineCrash1 injury

December of 2022 - Took car to shop due to engine overheat light and oil smell inside vehicle as well as other "codes coming up. Vehicle was repaired. May 2023 had to take car back to shop due to cranking and it immediately saying engine overheating, low coolant, and various other codes as well as brakes not properly functioning. Repair shop said it was low on coolant and added fluid, stated no leaks and returned vehicle. But repair shop shows it pulled 15 codes, including loss of communication with ABS control module A as well as 3 other "lost communication with" codes and the engine overheating. The NEXT day we had the same issues and had to put it back in the shop. They flushed system and replaced motor because a bad head gasket caused oil to mix with the water (again). Got the vehicle back July 10th and the traction control and braking felt off as it had before in Dec 2022 but then was fine. Noticed on 7/11 that there appeared to be something in the fluid tank that shouldn't be there (like black chunks) and called the repair shop to see about scheduling another diagnostic. On 7/13 my son was driving from work and the engine suddenly stalled saying overheating when it wasn't showing overheating. Pulled over, started to crank it back up and it was fine. On 7/14 on his was to work, he pulled to the edge of the roadway to miss multiple deer in the road and was unable to steer the vehicle back onto the roadway. The traction control kicked in and he could not steer the car back onto the road, brakes did not work and ended up causing him to crash. I have driven the car a few times when traction control would kick in when it really shouldn't and it would not allow me to steer, accelerate, or really do anything until it shut back off.

NHTSA ODI 11532521

Jan 4, 2023EngineBrakes

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his brother was driving at an undisclosed speed, he depressed the brake pedal however, the brakes failed to engage. No warning lights were illuminated. As a result, the contact’s brother swerved off the road but was able to engage the parking brake. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 161,905.

NHTSA ODI 11500182

Dec 8, 2022Engine & coolingTransmission & drivetrainBrakes

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that coolant was leaking from underneath the vehicle. The coolant detector would not accurately detect the coolant level. The coolant reservoir needed to be refilled weekly. The ABS warning system would chime and illuminate whenever the vehicle was started, and the vehicle would fail to move. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle several times, the ABS warning light turned off and the vehicle operated as needed. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping out of the park(P) into drive(D). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the wheel hub bearing needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the wheel hub bearings were replaced four times and the front axles were replaced twice; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11496553

Nov 25, 2022BrakesEngine

UNKNOWN, There are not any warning lights on, my cars rpm jumps when I try to accelerate. As I push the gas it acts as if it does not want to drive and won’t. I’ve had to pull over with hazards and wait for someone to come assist.

NHTSA ODI 11494922

Sep 20, 2022Brakes

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the brake pedal was hard while being depressed. The contact placed both feet on the brake pedal and shifted the vehicle into neutral(N) and was able to safely pull to the side of the roadway while the vehicle slowed down. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vacuum pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 113,000.

NHTSA ODI 11485543

Sep 8, 2022Electrical systemSpeed controlBrakes

I picked my car up tonight from Haley’s in FarmVille va they fixed my door latches due to recall on latches. I told Them prior to dropping it off that the ABS light and traction control light and engine coolant light keeps coming on. When I pulled out the parking lot I almost got rear ended because the car didn’t want to go it was moving so slow I had to slowly make myself across the road into kfc parking lot without getting hit. Haley refuses to fix these problems bc the light automatically goes off on its own and they say it’s got to physically be on for them to fix it through recall but it keeps coming on whenever I have the car In my possession and it’s very dangerous

NHTSA ODI 11483599

Aug 14, 2022Speed controlBrakesEngine

We have had to replace vacuum pump 4xs ,had multiple engine repairs done, turbo replaced ,jumped time 3xs, replace ABS sensor 2xs, wheel bearings 2xs, CV axels 2xs, since day 1 has been blowing lights in turn signals and brake lights, wiring issue, have replaced control arms,tie rods,tie rod ends, and so much more, have had transmissions since day one, needs evap system repaired again, transmission replaced a second time, having power reductions, and this vechiile has costed us over 12,000, Have been informed of 2 recalls Time frame 12/2015 to current date.

NHTSA ODI 11479208

Jul 7, 2022BrakesBackup camera & sensors

Lo normal

NHTSA ODI 11472730

Jul 5, 2022Service Brakes, AirBrakes

The contact's daughter owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her daughter related to her that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started independently braking without the brake pedal being depressed. The contact’s daughter stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband drove the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear driver’s side wheel speed sensor and ABS sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ODI 11472384

Jun 29, 2022BrakesEngine

My 2013 ford escape has electrical problems, the biggest issue the gears are jumped. I put it on drive and it gets stuck and then it slows down no power to engine.

NHTSA ODI 11471486

Oct 20, 2021SteeringElectrical systemBrakes

ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS SENSORS.

NHTSA ODI 11437478

Aug 13, 2021Brakes

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal would extend to the floor causing the stopping distance to delay. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,280.

NHTSA ODI 11429007

Apr 22, 2021Electrical systemBrakesEngine

BEFORE HAVING A ENGINE REPLACEMENT DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES I HAD ISSUES WITH THE TURBOCHARGER OVERBOOSTING AFTER THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT I STILL HAVE THE TURBOCHARGER OVERBOOSTING. ON TOP OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM BRAKE PEDAL MISS MESSAGE LOST COMMUNICATION WITH TCM AND LOST COMMUNICATION WITH THE ECM

NHTSA ODI 11413422

Dec 30, 2020Electrical systemBrakes

EVERY WINTER WHILE DRIVING MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE INFO SCREEN DISPLAYS "HILL START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE AND ABS ICON FLASHES. THE RADIO ALSO GOES OFF AND ON. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TO GET THIS CORRECTED AND I AM TOLD THEY COULD NOT SEE ANY CODES FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN OTHER WORDS I AM LYING. I AM SURE BY CHECKING WITH OTHERS, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE THAT THIS CAN BE RESOLVED BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF AND WHEN THIS WILL EFFECT ANYTHING ELSE.

NHTSA ODI 11385669

Sep 29, 2020Electronic Stability Control (esc)Brakes

LAST NIGHT LEAVING FROM WORK, IN THE DARK AT 9;30PM, STARTED CAR AND STARTED TO PULL OFF THE SHOULDER ONTO THE ROADWAY, PRESSED ONTO GAS PEDAL AND CAR WENT SLOW THEN THE ABS SENSOR CAME ON AND A SHORT DISTANCE LATER THE TRACTION CONTROL CAME ON ALONG WITH HILL ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE. I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM EARLIER THIS YEAR, ONLY THE ADDITION OF THE 4WD NOT BEING AVAILABLE AND IT WAS A BAD ABS SENSOR. I HAD IT REPLACED AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL LAST NIGHT. THEN THIS MORNING, I HAD TO BACK UP TO GO TO WORK AND THE REAR END STOPPED THE CAR AND HAD THERE NOT BEEN ENOUGH ROOM I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK. I WAS ABLE TO GO FORWARD THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, SHORT DISTANCE LATER THE TRACTION CONTROL CAME AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO PARK THE NO HILL ASSIST CAME ON. NOTHING VISIBLIY WRONG AGAIN. APPOINTMENT IN THE MORNING TO HAVE THE CODES READ AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11361783

Sep 24, 2020Brakes

ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2020, WITH ROUGHLY 45,000 MILES THE BRAKE LINE ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BURST. THIS APPEARED TO HAVE HAPPENED DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS, AS THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT AN ISSUE THE PREVIOUS DRIVING OCCASION. THIS CAUSED ALL THE BRAKE FLUID TO BE EXPELLED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF RUST WHEN INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN.

NHTSA ODI 11360860

Aug 16, 2020SteeringBrakes

WHILE DRIVING CAR, ABS/TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS AND ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED, CITY DRIVING, BUT NOT AFFECTING DRIVABILITY. AFTER 20 MILES CAR WAS PARKED, AND WHEN RESTARTED DAYS LATER SAME WARNINGS APPEAR BUT WITH ADDITIONAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING, MAKING CAR UNDRIVABLE. WILL BE TOWING IT TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 11349641

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Working with the data? Download all 2,743 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 11, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Ford Escape Phev verdict →