2013 Ford Escape Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving on a local street, the vehicle overheating warning light illuminated. The contact merged to the side of the roadway and discovered that the vehicle was leaking coolant fluid. The contact added more coolant fluid and was able to drive home safely. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Unknown Coolant is leaking, but from under the hood on the drivers side. All the coolant poured out of the vehicle after the car was shut off on June 16, 2022. This has not happened again but has continued to leak. I noticed there was a recall for my year escape for coolant leaks and possible fires in 2012. I would like my vehicle to be inspected for this by my Ford dealership, along with the other recalls to be done.
Service engine soon light came on and began having issues with the low coolant coming on every few weeks. Codes on engine light came up as Engine Coolant Bypass Valve C Control Circuit Open. Vehicle then started having coolant light come on multiple times in the same day after coolant had been added and then would not start. Tried to start and Engine made a clanking noise and alerted to turn off immediately. Codes read again for bypass valve and now Engine Misfire on Cylinder 4 and misfire on startup. Had vehicle towed to a shop and upon inspection they observed coolant leaking into the engine due to block/head porosity in metal. Was told that this was a common problem with this engine style and the only was to fix is to replace the engine. Was told if the engine was not replaced that it would continue to misfire and may experience engine failure or fire while driving.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH uphill the vehicle started overheating and fluid started leaking onto the exhaust manifold. The contact stated that the coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted but was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V583000 (Engine). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Engine coolant low message has continually been an issue with this car since it was purchased used at the end of 2013. It got so bad that at one time I would have to carry antifreeze with me. I have replaced the water pump, hoses, thermostat housing, and other parts at considerable expense. I noticed that NHTSA ID # 10218621 refers to 1.5L EcoBoost engines built before June 10, 2019 in 2017 thru 2019 Ford Escapes does not pertain to my car because I have a 1.6L EcoBoost engine, but what is described in that notice and the Ford Technical Service Bulletin 22-2322 is exactly what is happening to my car. I believe Ford has the same problem with this 1.6L EcoBoost engine. My problems began in 2016 and twice since the engine temp spiked to extremely hot without warning and the car had to be shut down while driving causing extreme safety issues.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated he noticed a burning oil odor and smoke was coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that he noticed that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V583000 (Engine). The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was 104,075.
Complete engine failure and ecoboost needed due to internal coolant leak that was reported the day purchased. Ford knew about these recalls and the issues were exactly the same but sold this to me anyway and refused to properly fix it. The engine in my car has been recalled but like thousands of others our vin isnβt falling in the recall list.
There is a coolant leak in my 2013 Escape engine. There were approximately 90,000 miles on this vehicle when we purchased it used. It started having problems immediately. The dealer where we got our vehicle from stated that they would make us pay the difference in depreciation to return the vehicle even though it had a 30 day warranty. The coolant would leak and then there was low coolant. Whitish blue smoke would pour from the tailpipe. Ford refuses to acknowledge that there is a manufacturing defect even though Ford installed "coolant temperature gauges" to prevent the overheating. This is simply just a bandaid to a larger problem that multiple Escape owners are experiencing. This vehicle has been to 2 different Ford dealers, both of whom told me different things that were wrong. Consequently, this vehicle has been sitting at a Ford dealership in Hanover, PA since February 2020 because they want 8K to replace the engine. I am awaiting a class action lawsuit against Ford to resolve this issue...
There is something that has been making my coolant go low in my vehicle I took it to the mechanics two times and they fall suggested to take it in to dealership for a recall because they have dealt with this exact same kind of car many times and that's the same problem it given other owners.
There is an internal coolant leak, coolant will get so low that vehicle gives warning that it will automatically shut down. While at highway speed it makes it dangerous to try and safely pull over.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. The coolant warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with a coolant hose leak. The coolant hoses were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
2013 Ford Escape 1.6 ecoboost engine, at around 103,000 miles, a quarter size spot of coolant on the drive was first notice. Every now and then the low coolant warning came on, but the coolant was barely below the minimum line. In 2020-21, had taken it to my local mechanic and another time to my Ford Dealer. Both told me no leakage was found. Neither informed me of this being a known issue with this engine coolant system, nor about the recalls. In April, the low coolant warning came on, this time coolant loss was significant. I had to add 1/2 gallon of water even it I drove only 5 miles. I noticed the coolant only leaked out while the vehicle was running, never when parked. I took it into Ford Service Department for repair. They determined it is an internal coolant leak. Due to a design defect, coolant leak into one or more engine cylinders. Engine replacement needed. The price will be $9721! (I purchased it in 2020 for $10,000). They said this is common with the Ford Escape's engine. They said, they have seen hundreds of Escapes in recent years, with this issue of the coolant leaking into the engine and ruining the engine.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH and accelerating to merge onto the highway, the contact stated that the high engine temperature alert warning light illuminated and the vehicle began to shudder and decelerate. The contact safely pulled off of the highway and shut the vehicle off. The contact restarted the vehicle and the check engine light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the coolant sensor had malfunctioned and referred the contact to a dealer. The contact stated that the failure was recurring. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle overheated and stalled. The message "Warning. Pull Over" was displayed. The contact stated that she waited 10-30 minutes for the vehicle to cool down. The vehicle was then restarted and operated as needed. However, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed several times due to the failure to restart. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics where an unknown valve and the coolant flange housing were replaced, and other unknown repairs were completed; however, the failure persisted. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that her VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Bought vehicle with around 65K miles, started having issues with coolant level low and causing the engine warning light to come on. Then the car would go into βlimpβ mode to get the car to a safe place. There was no visible loss in coolant level. This happened on and off for about 3 months. Called local ford dealer about a coolant recall for 2013/2014, was told my VIN not included in that. Ended up replacing the coolant level sensor in this vehicle and was the part mentioned in the above recall conversation. This part was fixed at an independent service center and was disposed of.
My son was driving stopped at a red light vehicle shut off while in drive it will not stay running. This is not the first time it has happened in traffic. If he was not stopped he could of been seriously hurt along with myself and daughter. I see there is a investigation on the 1.6 but not 2.0. This needs to be looked at before someone gets hurt or worse killed.
This Vechicle has been serviced at Ford Dealership since purchasing it.every 3,000 miles synthetic oil change, balance, rotate and eliminate if needed and certified inspection at a cost of $412.00 plus any repairs. The Vechicle started overheating while my daughter was taking her kids to school in the neighborhood, she hurried and used the onboard fire extinguisher due to all the smoke and the children were in restraints car seats. This issue is a100% match to the recall for this Vechicle (not my vin?) the fuel line is also leaking and matches recall 100%. Ford needs to include my Vechicle itβs been sitting ever since the incident.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature sensor indicator and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the engine failed to engage. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine over time and caused a blown head gasket. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to call the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the head gasket was blown and that coolant fluid was leaking into the engine due to four cracks in the engine block. The mechanic informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 59,600.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated with the engine overheating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under recall and would be repaired pay out-of-pocket. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under recall and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was 108,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Focus Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH or exceeding 25 MPH, the oil pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument. The vehicle was also consistently overheating. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed of an oil and coolant dispenser failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the turbo charger needed to be replaced; and was referred to an authorized dealer for assistance. The manufacture was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000.
Losing coolant much like the other vehicles with the same 1.6L engine.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while in the vehicle with the engine idling for 10 minutes, the contact then attempted to park the vehicle however, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The failure had recurred twice. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,575.
Engine frequently overheating, this was recall for my model/ year/vehicle and I was told vin# doesn't associate with recall. I would like to know why.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford Escape has 941 Engine complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.