YearToAvoid

2013 Ford Escape Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 16 Escape years

The 2013 Ford Escape has 2,749 complaints, 18 recalls, and a complaint index of 100, ranking it worst of 16 model years with a firm Avoid verdict. Engine problems dominate at 53% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 78,000.

Complaints
2,749
Recalls
18
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
49 / 90
Injuries / deaths
54 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25
22 city / 29 hwy

Top 2013 Ford Escape problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine1,468 (53%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain401 (15%)
  3. Electrical System348 (13%)
  4. Other305 (11%)
  5. Steering302 (11%)
  6. Fuel System286 (10%)
  7. Structure & Body152 (6%)
  8. Brakes107 (4%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires64 (2%)
  10. Airbags54 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration at low speeds, including at stoplights and drive-thrus, sometimes causing the vehicle to crash into the car ahead.
  • Some vehicles reportedly caught fire while driving or shortly after being parked, with drivers noticing smoke or a burning smell from the vents before flames appeared.
  • Side and rear airbags failed to deploy in rear-end and side-impact crashes, according to owner reports, resulting in injuries.
  • Owners describe the rear hatch electronically unlocking and lifting on its own, in one case striking a garage door.
  • Vehicles reportedly shifted into reverse or lurched forward unexpectedly while parked or stopped in drive.
2013 Ford Escape complaints: complaints filed per quarter1702012 Q32014 Q32016 Q32018 Q32020 Q32022 Q32024 Q32026 Q3
3581 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q4 (170).

2013 Ford Escape recalls

18 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V011000Jan 15, 2026Other116,672 vehicles

    Equipment:electrical:engine block heater

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

    Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 22V413000Jun 10, 2022Transmission & Powertrain2,925,968 vehicles

    Power train:shift linkage/cable/rod

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

    Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

  3. NHTSA 20V331000Jun 8, 2020Structure & Body2,147,323 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

    Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.

See all 18 recalls for the 2013 Ford Escape →

2013 Ford Escape fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22 MPG
Highway
29 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other Escape years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Caution601,316222
2012Good33599123
2013Avoid1002,74918 !25
2014Avoid872,0841625
2015Caution531,100925

All Ford Escape years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Ford Escape reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Escape ranks worst among 16 model years of the Escape, with a complaint index of 100 and an Avoid verdict.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Escape?
Engine issues make up 53% of complaints (1,468 of 2,749), followed by transmission and powertrain issues at 15% and electrical system issues at 13%.
Does the 2013 Ford Escape have engine fire recalls?
NHTSA lists 18 recalls for the 2013 Escape, including electrical splice repairs tied to reported fires; NHTSA complaint data shows 90 fire incidents and 70 fires linked specifically to engine complaints.
How does the 2013 Escape compare to other years?
The 2013 Escape has the highest complaint index (100) of any year in the dataset; by contrast, 2022-2025 Escapes score between 0 and 20 and carry Best verdicts.
What is the median mileage when problems occur on the 2013 Escape?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 75,000 miles overall, with engine complaints occurring at a median of 78,000 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.