How many seat belt complaints does the 2013 Ford Escape have?

NHTSA lists 43 Seat Belt complaints for the 2013 Ford Escape, which is 2% of the 2,749 total complaints filed for that model year.

Is there a seat belt recall for the 2013 Ford Escape?

Yes. Recall 14V597000, reported September 26, 2014, covers seat belts and air bags and involves replacing the restraint control module (RCM) free of charge.

Have seat belt problems on the 2013 Escape caused crashes or injuries?

NHTSA data tied to this complaint category shows 5 crashes and 7 injuries, with a median mileage at failure of 83,500 miles.

How does the 2013 Escape compare to other Escape years for seat belt complaints?

The 2013 model year has the highest raw count in this dataset at 43 complaints, ahead of 2012's 19 and 2014's 26, though its 2% share is similar to several other years.

2013 Ford Escape Seat Belts Problems

NHTSA lists 43 Seat Belt complaints for the 2013 Ford Escape, 2% of its 2,749 total complaints, tied to 5 crashes and 7 injuries at a median 83,500 miles. One related recall, 14V597000, covers restraint control module issues affecting seat belts and air bags.

Seat Belts complaints: 43; 2% of 2,749
Crashes reported: 5
Fires reported: 0
Injuries reported: 7
Median mileage: 83,500 mi
Related recalls: 1

Typical seat belt symptoms owners report

Seat belts fail to engage or lock during rear-end or frontal collisions, leaving occupants unrestrained.
Driver-side seat belts do not retract properly after use, with dealers reportedly acknowledging it as a known issue.
Seat belt pretensioners fail to activate during a crash, with airbags also failing to deploy at the same time.
Owners report long waits for recall 14V597000 repairs because replacement restraint control module parts were unavailable at dealers.
Some owners state they were never notified about the open recall until they contacted the manufacturer or dealer themselves.

When 2013 Ford Escape seat belt complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 26, 2012, latest Jun 20, 2025.

43 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2012 to Jun 2025; peak Jan 2014 (2).

Seat Belts recalls for the 2013 Ford Escape

NHTSA 14V597000Sep 26, 2014Seat Belts746,842 vehicles
Seat belts
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.
Risk: The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.

Seat Belts complaints by Escape model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

20105 (0%)
20116 (0%)
201219 (3%)
201343 (2%)
201426 (1%)
201514 (1%)
20165 (0%)
201714 (1%)
20189 (1%)
20196 (1%)
202012 (1%)
20218 (2%)
20225 (2%)
20231 (1%)
20242 (3%)
20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many seat belt complaints does the 2013 Ford Escape have?: NHTSA lists 43 Seat Belt complaints for the 2013 Ford Escape, which is 2% of the 2,749 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a seat belt recall for the 2013 Ford Escape?: Yes. Recall 14V597000, reported September 26, 2014, covers seat belts and air bags and involves replacing the restraint control module (RCM) free of charge.
Have seat belt problems on the 2013 Escape caused crashes or injuries?: NHTSA data tied to this complaint category shows 5 crashes and 7 injuries, with a median mileage at failure of 83,500 miles.
How does the 2013 Escape compare to other Escape years for seat belt complaints?: The 2013 model year has the highest raw count in this dataset at 43 complaints, ahead of 2012's 19 and 2014's 26, though its 2% share is similar to several other years.