general problems of the 2013 Ford Escape - part 1

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).

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

The turbocharger wastegate regulating valve solenoid has been intermittently forcing a obd2 code p0234. The solenoid location has not been determined and why the code goes away and then comes back later after driving the vehicle after clearing the code is not determined either. Ford charges more for this part than any other parts houses. The dealer labor is also costing just as much as the part ($200). This is a problem that is currently happening to quite a few Escape owners.

While getting gas the other day , when I put the fuel in my car the nozzle into the gas tank a hissing sound came out of it out of the gas tank and it smelled like gas really bad, then I ran a code thing on my car said can't un able to bleed up fuel tank , I don't know why then after I got the gas when pulling the nozzle out it did it again , then my car would not start ,.

First: a steering assist fault "service vehicle" started to appear on my dashboard of my 2013 Ford Escape titanium 2. 0 l . Steering is very hard and will not turn when in park and ready to drive, I can change gears, but steering is locked. I turn the ignition (push button) off, then it unlocks. I thought it was because I was putting in gear too quick after starting, but it does it even when I wait a couple of seconds to engage the gears. I don't want to encounter this problem while driving for obvious reasons. I have not confirmed it with a dealer since it doesn't do it all the time. Problem has not been inspected by anyone yet, but I've seen other posts of the expensive costs to repair. No other warning lamps of messages and this started a week ago (o/a 1 oct 23). Second: I am getting very poor fuel consumption (about 17-18 mpg). A check with my fixd device confirmed what I thought was the problem - "fuel pressure sensor 'b' circuit low and low pressure fuel system pressure too high". I don't see any safety concerns other than I might be left stranded in the desert one day. Dealer tell me that if I see no warning lamps on my dashboard, I shouldn't worry too much (hello?). I now have 115,800 miles on this vehicle.

There is a defective fuel line that is rapidly leaking fuel and is a fire hazard. I found out that this part was recalled leading up to July 2012. My vehicle vas built in August of 2012 and it is the exact same part. The recall on the earlier models is 12s35. It's the exact part and issue in the later models, yet hasn't been recalled.

My 2013 has developed a gas leak. It is a small leak and shooting gasoline in the engine. It looks like there was a recall on some vehicles in this make/model and year but mine did not qualify. The recall number is 13s12. I would like for it to be included since it is a known issue in other vehicles in that same time frame. My car is not safe to drive as the gasoline in the hot engine could catch on fire.

Fire started in engine from oil leak in cylinder head on Saturday, 9/9/23 at approximately 1:15 pm. Car had been running for around 2 hours with no signs or indication of malfunction. Driver pulled car over after entering mt. Rainier national forest at a viewpoint. At this point driver noticed engine was smoking. No lights or indicators on dashboard lit up notifying of overheating or malfunction. The temperature gauge did not indicate the engine was over heating. The safety of 4 passengers was at risk. Fire started with four passengers including the driver in the car. Vehicle was located in mt. Rainier national forest where passengers and driver had no cellphone service. This also occurred in a national forest during the high risk season for forest fires/wildfires. Fire could have put lives of passengers at risk as well as those in nearby area, if car went ablaze in the forest. With no service, preventing the car fire from turning into a forest fire would be very difficult. This problem occurred after TSB on this vehicle was completed for safety recall 17s09-s1 in April 2014 at bellingham Ford. The crack in the cylinder caused by the recall was patched by bellingham Ford by filling it with copper silicone rather than removing the cylinder and replacing it. Repair shop (mike's shop - buckley washington) that inspected vehicle after incident on sept. 9th 2023, found that copper silicone patch had split causing oil to leak into engine and catch fire. This inspection indicates that the initial repair done by Ford manufacturer did not prevent leak from occurring and causing a fire to start in engine.

This is the 1. 6l engine it has a main fuel line problem in the engine area that is leaking fuel. I see recall but Ford says my car not affected in recall. See below Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through July 11, 2012, and equipped with a 1. 6l engine. These vehicles have an engine compartment fuel line which may split, resulting in a leak. Manufactured between: 1/1/1900-1/1/1900 manufacturer: Ford motor company recalled 7/19/2012 vehicle: 2013 Ford Escape.

The smell of gas is overwhelming. It reeks of gas and there was a recall on the 2013 Ford Escape for this reason, yet this vehicle isn’t associated with the recall. No mechanic will look at it due to the strong emission of gas.

This car constantly stops in mid traffic. I have taken it everywhere and they can’t seem to find anything wrong. I’ve call Ford a hundred times and nothing.

In 2019 Ford replaced my "entire fuel line" due to a recall. Yesterday I found out why my car started to smell like gas, there's a pinhole size leak in my fuel line. Mechanic said it's not rubbing on anything and it's protected by the undercover piece and there would be no way for flying debri or anything to damage it. How did the recalled fuel line last longer than the replacement fuel line?!.

Well I went to start my car after getting gas and it would not start after a few mins it started , but it was trying to lunge forward even though it was in park , after I finally got it going went home and the whole time I smelled gas in my car ? then I pulled in my driveway and the check engine light was on , had my brother in law do a digital scan on my car and it had po456 evaporated emissions leak, I don't understand why , I'm scared to drive it now because I don't want to have the cab fill up with gas smell in my car and it's bad for me and my kids.

I had a fuel line recall on my vehicle a few years ago but didn't get the notice until my car almost caught fire. The recall melted some coolant components that were replaced free of charge when they replaced the "entire fuel line". Now my car has constant coolant problems, heat and air problems, and suddenly (just started yesterday) it smells of raw gasoline in the cabin of the car and some on the outside of the car near the front. No visible leaks can be seen under the car(coolant or gas). Please help.

While accelerating the car repeatedly hesitates, but keeps on going. It is like a hiccup, never stopping. Called the dealer he wanted to charge me for a diagnosis and could not promise me that my care would be serviced in a timely manner. (this was not the dealer I purchased the car from)it was one closer to my home. I have a warranty from the purchasing dealer. I purchased the car on 8/2/2022.

The fuel line caught fire while driving under normal load. There is no active recall on this model any longer, but had one years ago for same issue. This vehicle has 89k miles, serviced regularly, and fire.

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.

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.

The coolant system is plugged somewhere causing it to not drain properly into all components and me having to fill my coolant tank every other week.

I noticed the smell of gas when I parked one night. The next day after I drove it the smell of gas was very strong. I stopped the car and checked under the hood. The fuel line that connected to the fuel rail was leaking gas onto the engine. I consider myself lucky that it did not catch on fire. Ford did a recall for this years ago from what I have learned from the internet, but for some reason mine was not recalled. I have ordered the new fuel line and waiting for it to arrive. I have removed the leaking fuel line and have it if you would like to examine it.

On a daily basis my 2013 Ford Escape keeps stalling in the middle of the highway with no warning while driving at various speeds. I do not know what component or system is failing. Several mechanics have tried to resolve the issue with no success. The engine just suddenly shuts off and this is a very dangerous situation for me and everyone else on the highway. I was almost hit by a semi truck today due to this issue.

My car just cut off while I was driving. The car cranks but do not start. I’ve been told it the fuel pump and I just got this car a year ago and barely drive it. It’s dangerous that it just cut off while I was driving in the middle of the street and could’ve caused a bad accident.

While merging onto the highway, I got into the right lane. While in motion my car stalled and went from 70 mph to 40 mph almost instantly. There have been many other times of engine stalling that has made me fear to drive this vehicle with my child. I noticed that " engine stalling" and the engine in general have been a common issue specific year make and model while researching this vehicles history. There have also been many major repairs and more needed repairs that will cost more than the vehicles worth. The turbo was recently repaired , water bypass valve , valve cover, spark plugs. With more repairs to be made due to fluids still leaking , and a certified mechanic noting that the catalytic converter will need to be replaced. The repairs done and the repairs needed will greatly cost more than the vehicles worth. I'm asking that you guys take into consideration that im still paying on this vehicle and a single mom who cannot keep putting repairs into a vehicle that I desperaetly need for transportation.