Ford · Known Issues
2013 Ford Escape Problems: 19 Known Issues
2013 model year · 2,383+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2013 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
2013 model year · 2,383+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2013 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
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According to Au7o's analysis of 2,383+ owner reports, the 2013 Ford Escape has 19 documented known issues, with 11 rated critical. The most serious are Side Door Latch Failure - Door May Open While Driving ($0-$0 repair), Electric Power Steering Rack Failure ($100-$1,700 repair), Engine Wiring Harness Splice to the MAP Sensor Loses Compression — Hesitation and Stalling (Recalls 14V495 / 15V813, Ford 14S17) ($0-$0 repair), Front Seatback Recliner Weld Failure — Seat Back Collapses or Leans (Recall 14V164) ($0-$0 repair), Throttle Body Motor Commutator Contamination Triggers Limp Home Mode ($350-$700 repair), Shift Cable Bushing Degrades and Detaches — Vehicle Can Roll Away in "Park" (Recall 18V471 / Ford 18S20, and 22V413) ($0-$0 repair), Restraints Control Module Coating Cracks — Airbags and Seat Belt Pretensioners May Not Deploy (Recall 14V597 / Ford 14S21) ($0-$0 repair), 1.6L EcoBoost Engine Compartment Fuel Line Splits — Fuel Leak and Fire (Recall 12V336, Reinspection 13V584) ($0-$0 repair), 1.6L EcoBoost Cylinder Head Cracks from Localized Overheating — Oil Leak and Engine Compartment Fire (Recall 13V583) ($0-$3,500 repair), AWD Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Overheating, Fluid Leak, and Failure ($300-$1,800 repair) and P0741 — Torque Converter Clutch Failure in the 6F35 Automatic ($600-$2,500 repair). The most commonly reported issue is Side Door Latch Failure - Door May Open While Driving with 2,383 owner reports. Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $20 to $3,500. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and Transit vehicles. The affected vehicles may have an improperly crimped diffuser in the side curtain air bags which may result in the diffuser detaching from the inflator in the event of an air bag deployment.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with a key-start ignition system. The Body Control Module (BCM) intermittently may not pick up the signal from the rear Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors or the Remote Key Fob. In the event of a low tire pressure condition, the TPMS system may not provide an adequate warning.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
+ 29 more recalls. Check all on NHTSA.gov
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According to Au7o's analysis of 2,383+ owner reports, the 2013 Ford Escape has 19 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: Side Door Latch Failure - Door May Open While Driving, Electric Power Steering Rack Failure, Engine Wiring Harness Splice to the MAP Sensor Loses Compression — Hesitation and Stalling (Recalls 14V495 / 15V813, Ford 14S17). Of these, 11 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
The 2013 Ford Escape has 19 known issues documented across 2,383+ owner reports. 11 issues are rated critical: Side Door Latch Failure - Door May Open While Driving and Electric Power Steering Rack Failure and Engine Wiring Harness Splice to the MAP Sensor Loses Compression — Hesitation and Stalling (Recalls 14V495 / 15V813, Ford 14S17) and Front Seatback Recliner Weld Failure — Seat Back Collapses or Leans (Recall 14V164) and Throttle Body Motor Commutator Contamination Triggers Limp Home Mode and Shift Cable Bushing Degrades and Detaches — Vehicle Can Roll Away in "Park" (Recall 18V471 / Ford 18S20, and 22V413) and Restraints Control Module Coating Cracks — Airbags and Seat Belt Pretensioners May Not Deploy (Recall 14V597 / Ford 14S21) and 1.6L EcoBoost Engine Compartment Fuel Line Splits — Fuel Leak and Fire (Recall 12V336, Reinspection 13V584) and 1.6L EcoBoost Cylinder Head Cracks from Localized Overheating — Oil Leak and Engine Compartment Fire (Recall 13V583) and AWD Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Overheating, Fluid Leak, and Failure and P0741 — Torque Converter Clutch Failure in the 6F35 Automatic. Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
Repair costs for known Ford Escape issues range from $0 to $3,500, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, Side Door Latch Failure - Door May Open While Driving, typically costs $0-$0 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
The 2013-2015 Ford Escape is subject to a major safety recall affecting side door latches. The pawl spring tab inside the door latch can fracture due to stress in high-temperature/humidity climates, causing the door to not close properly or to open unexpectedly while driving. For… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
The 2013-2022 Escape uses an electric power steering (EPS) rack that can fail, causing heavy steering, intermittent loss of power assist, or a steering warning light. The EPS motor or torque sensor within the rack assembly can malfunction due to heat and electrical issues. When t… Repairs typically run $100-$1,700. Severity: high.
The engine wiring harness splices that feed the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor were crimped with insufficient compression on 2013 Escapes built January 11, 2012 through April 1, 2013. The loose splice sends an incorrect MAP signal to the powertrain control module, and th… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
Driver and passenger seatback assemblies on 2013-2014 Escapes built June 5, 2012 through August 12, 2013 were produced with sub-standard weld joints attaching the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. The weld can fail, and the seat back becomes loose or leans rearward… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
This is one of the best-documented electronic throttle faults in the industry, because NHTSA investigated it and Ford paid for it. Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003, opened February 2013, covered model year 2009-2013 Escape, Mariner, Fusion and Milan vehicles with the 2.5L and 3.0L… Repairs typically run $350-$700. Severity: high.
The plastic bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission on the shift lever end degrades and can detach from the transmission. When it does, the transmission can be in a gear state different from what the shift lever and PRNDL display indicate. The dangerous case i… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
The conformal coating on portions of the Restraints Control Module printed circuit board can crack. When the cracked board is exposed to humidity, circuits on the PCB short out, and the frontal airbags, side curtain airbags and seat belt pretensioners may fail to function as inte… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
The very first crisis on the third-generation Escape: the engine compartment fuel line on 1.6L EcoBoost cars can split and leak fuel into the engine bay, where it can ignite. Ford recalled roughly 11,500 2013 Escapes in mid-2012 under NHTSA 12V336000 and took the extraordinary st… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
Separate from the coolant-into-the-cylinder failure, the 1.6L EcoBoost cylinder head itself can crack from localized overheating in the head casting. The crack lets engine oil escape onto hot engine and exhaust components, which can start an engine compartment fire. Ford recalled… Repairs typically run $0-$3,500. Severity: high.
On 3rd-generation AWD Escapes (primarily 2.0L EcoBoost AWD), the Power Transfer Unit (the right-angle gearbox that sends torque to the rear axle) holds only about one quart of fluid that Ford labels 'lifetime,' yet it runs continuously and runs hot. The fluid degrades and the uni… Repairs typically run $300-$1,800. Severity: high.
P0741 means the PCM commanded torque-converter-clutch lockup but the clutch isn't engaging (stuck off) or is slipping. The 2013-2020 Escape with the 6F35 6-speed automatic has a well-documented pattern of internal torque converter failure — worn lockup clutch lining, failed inter… Repairs typically run $600-$2,500. Severity: high.
Escapes equipped with the panoramic sunroof experience water leaks into the headliner and cabin, particularly during heavy rain or car washes. The issue stems from clogged sunroof drain tubes that run through the A and C pillars. When blocked with debris, water backs up and overf… Repairs typically run $0-$800. Severity: medium.
On 2013-2014 Escapes built at Louisville Assembly from Job #1 2013 through April 11, 2014, the exterior door handle may have been misaligned to the door outer panel during assembly. The misalignment causes internal interference and a binding condition — the handle does not return… Repairs typically run $0-$300. Severity: medium.
On 1.6L EcoBoost Escapes, the air conditioning inlet line breaks where it connects to the compressor. The failure is mechanical rather than a slow seal leak: pressure and contact from the adjacent transmission oil cooler lines loads the A/C line at the compressor fitting until it… Repairs typically run $300-$900. Severity: medium.
The 2013-2019 Escape power liftgate latch assembly frequently fails, causing the rear hatch to either not open, not close properly, or pop open while driving. The latch mechanism corrodes internally and the micro-switch fails, particularly in humid or salt belt environments. Ford… Repairs typically run $40-$350. Severity: medium.
P0420 sets when the downstream (post-cat) oxygen sensor mirrors the upstream sensor too closely, telling the PCM the Bank 1 catalytic converter is no longer storing/releasing oxygen efficiently. On the Escape this most often means a genuinely worn-out or contaminated main catalyt… Repairs typically run $250-$2,200. Severity: medium.
P0011 sets when the Bank 1 intake camshaft is more advanced than the PCM commands. On the Escape the dominant cause is a sticking intake VCT (variable cam timing) solenoid, almost always from low or dirty engine oil letting debris jam the solenoid spool — Ford has multiple TSBs a… Repairs typically run $100-$450. Severity: medium.
P0442 flags a small evaporative-emissions leak on the Escape. The number-one cause is a loose, cracked, or worn-O-ring gas cap on cap-equipped model years; on capless cars a degraded filler-neck seal does the same thing. The second most common source is a failing canister purge v… Repairs typically run $20-$200. Severity: low.
P0455 is a large (gross) EVAP leak. On late-model Escapes the leading cause is the capless fuel filler inlet — debris or a worn internal flap prevents the neck from sealing, and a 'Check Fuel Fill Inlet' dash message is a dead giveaway the leak is at the filler rather than under… Repairs typically run $80-$350. Severity: low.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.