2013 Ford Escape Engine Problems
Owners filed 1,468 engine complaints on the 2013 Ford Escape, 53% of all complaints that year, with a median failure mileage of 78,000 miles. NHTSA logged three separate engine recalls tied to the 1.6L engine, covering overheating, coolant leaks, and a dislodged cylinder head cup plug.
- Engine complaints
- 1,468
- 53% of 2,749
- Crashes reported
- 12
- Fires reported
- 70
- Injuries reported
- 16
- Median mileage
- 78,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Vehicles reportedly surge or accelerate suddenly with no accelerator input, sometimes leading to a crash at low speeds.
- Owners describe the engine overheating repeatedly even after dealers performed the recall fix, with smoke and a burnt or coolant smell entering the cabin.
- Some owners report smoke or flames coming from the engine compartment while driving or while attempting to start the vehicle, in several cases resulting in a total vehicle fire.
- At stoplights or while braking, some describe the engine revving on its own and the car lurching forward into another vehicle.
- A subset of complaints link recurring engine fires to delayed or incomplete recall repairs, with vehicles later declared total losses.
When 2013 Ford Escape engine complaints were filed
First complaint Jul 11, 2012, latest Sep 10, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2013 Ford Escape
- NHTSA 13V583000Nov 25, 2013Engine139,917 vehicles
Engine
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through June 2, 2013 and equipped with 1.6L engines. The affected vehicles may experience localized overheating of the engine cylinder head which may cause cracks that could allow oil to leak.
Risk: Leaking engine oil may come into contact with a hot engine surface potentially resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the engine shielding, cooling and control systems, free of charge. An interim notice will be mailed to owners during January 2014. The recall began on April 9, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S12.
- NHTSA 12V551000Dec 3, 2012Engine80,057 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling
This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through November 29, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids.
Risk: If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicleÂs hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicleÂs powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service. Owners were recently notified to contact dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
- NHTSA 12V431000Sep 4, 2012Engine6,146 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through August 31, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. The cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in significant loss of engine coolant.
Risk: As leaking engine coolant evaporates on the hot engine, the glycol may ignite causing an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will seal the existing plug and add a secondary plug cover, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 11, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Engine complaints by Escape model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are engine complaints on the 2013 Ford Escape?
- NHTSA lists 1,468 engine complaints for the 2013 Escape, which is 53% of all 2,749 complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2013 Ford Escape engine?
- Yes. NHTSA lists three engine recalls (13V583000, 12V551000, 12V431000) covering overheating, coolant system leaks, and a cylinder head cup plug that could become dislodged, all tied to the 1.6L engine.
- At what mileage do engine problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for 2013 Escape engine complaints is 78,000 miles.
- Did the 2013 Ford Escape engine issues cause fires or crashes?
- NHTSA data tied to this engine problem area shows 70 fires, 12 crashes, and 16 injuries reported for the 2013 Escape.