2013 Ford Escape Power Train

My 2013 Ford Escape had safety recall 22S43 (NHTSA 22V413000) completed by a Ford dealer in January 2023. That recall was supposed to fix a defect in which the shift cable bushing can detach from the transmission, potentially allowing the transmission to remain in gear even when the shifter shows “Park.” After the recall repair, the same issue has occurred again — the bushing has disconnected from the transmission lever, creating the same roll-away risk that the recall was intended to correct. When this happens, the gear selector shows “Park,” but the vehicle can still move. Ford Motor Company Customer Service told me that because more than 12 months or 12,000 miles have passed since the recall repair, they will not cover it again. However, this is the same safety defect reoccurring after the recall remedy. It appears that the recall repair did not permanently correct the problem, and the part may still be defective or the cable end may have worn prematurely. I am submitting this report because the defect has returned after the recall was supposedly completed, and I believe other owners may also experience repeat failures that pose a roll-away safety risk.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was diagnosed that the flywheel and the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to Custom Trans, Inc., where the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced because metal fragments were found in the transmission fluid. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified on the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a gas station and turned off the vehicle. The contact waited for several minutes, and the vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred after driving a short distance. The contact parked the vehicle at the gas station. The vehicle was not yet towed to the residence. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,000.

I was driving, with my children in the car, we were at a redlight - first in line - and when the light changed, my car would not go - it was like it was stuck - I put the car in park, and then put the vehicle back into drive - and then it would go, but in a "joltlike" manner. I was able to get to the side of the road, where I put the car in park, turned the vehicle off, and then put it back in drive. seemed okay, until the next morning. the next Morning, I had to take my kids to school, after I dropped them off, the car was doing the same thing from the previous evening, although more "dramatic" I had to pull off to the side of the road and turn it off and on twice... I then got the message "transmission fault service now" I turned the car on and off again. it seemed okay again, I was on my way to work. it was driving normally, then randomly it started revving really loud, and jolting. I made it to the parking lot, where I then on my lunch break that day, called the dealership. I took my car to the dealership and a day later they called me saying that the transmission needed replaced for $8000.00. I called Ford and they didn't tell me anything worthwhile, I asked for an email contact, and was told the number I was calling was how to contact Ford.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting to reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond, and the gear shifter was stuck in reverse(R). The contact was able to move the gear shifter to park(P) after several attempts, and the contact turned off the vehicle with the ignition key. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The vehicle was towed to Strictly Transmissions, where it was diagnosed that the shifter cable to the transmission had detached. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for the VIN to be added in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 197,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

On February 4, 2019, my 2013 Ford Escape experienced a problem where it would only move in reverse when trying to leave a parking lot after work. I called for roadside assistance and was towed to a service center. The work at the service center revealed a leak of transmission fluid, which was caused by a broken cooler line from the transmission to the radiator. Prior to the repairs, I contacted Ford to see if this issue was covered under warranty, but I was told that I needed to cover the cost of the work. Faulty bushing was likely an issue, which Ford acknowledged and issued a recall for in 2022 to cover this problem (3 years later). However, the damage and repairs had already been done. Unfortunately, the repairs did not fully resolve the problem, and subsequent issues have further deteriorated my car's performance and decreased its value. This has impacted my decision-making when planning to replace the car, as further repairs are not financially feasible. The work performed on my car, as well as cost of repairs, is attached.

The transmission has completely gone out. On this car model, there isn't a dip stick for the owner to check transmission fluid levels. While pulling out of a parking space the car hesitated on going into first gear and then jerked really hard before continuing to move. While still in the parking lot of a retail store, the car continued to hesitate between gears and then a low coolant message appeared. After going to the next store, a large grocery chain, in the same parking lot I proceeded to purchase a funnel that would allow me to top off the coolant, which was barely low to begin with. When I tried backing out of the space to go home, the car hesitated on going into reverse, jerked really hard again and that's when I proceeded to pull the car back into the parking spot at the grocery store and ordered a Lyft to take me and my groceries home. The message "transmission failure" did not come on until I was pulling the car back into the parking space before ordering a Lyft. I had the car towed to my mechanics shop where he proceeded to tell me I would need a new transmission. However, 6 to 7 months prior to that, the car was at the authorized dealer where it was purchased originally from to have the safety recall repair done to the gear shifting cables and bushings, which were replaced. The service worker now informed me that they never checked the transmission fluid levels or any other fluid in the car to make sure that the car was in good condition and ready to drive. Seeing that there is no dip stick for an owner to check the transmission fluid level and the "gear shifting cable" and bushings directly effect the transmission and 6 months later the transmission goes out completely has caused me great concern and duress. I am caring for both my elderly parents and we are now without a car with doctors appointments coming up and their ongoing and increasing medical issues, this has really left us in a huge bind.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission experienced hard shifting and hesitation while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered metal shavings in the transmission fluid, and a burning odor coming from the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 60,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly hesitated, after which the RPM quickly elevated, but the vehicle was unable to accelerate above 30 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 186,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while test-driving the vehicle at various speeds with the vehicle in sport(S) mode, the vehicle jerked, was hesitating, and failed to shift as intended. The dealer advised the contact to not drive the vehicle in sport(S) mode. The contact followed the instructions; however, the failure persisted while driving. The dealer was notified, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that there was stagnant water in the spare tire wheel well in the trunk. The contact also noticed that there was water leaking on the front driver's side seat belt and on the front driver's side floor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an intensive water entry testing was performed, and unknown related repairs were made. The vehicle was taken to several transmission specialists, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

The vehicle had been almost overheating and warning lights to shut off engine would kick on. I took it to my mechanic and was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced or rebuilt. I was informed that Ford Company is fully aware that that the transmission in the Ford Escape is an ongoing problem. Why has the NHTSA not required a recall? This is not fair to consumers, and the work/parts/labor of this type of replacement are extremely expensive. Shutdowns on the highways or local roads can cause accidents and loss of life.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle and attempting to shift to drive(D), the plastic handle on the lever melted. The contact stated that the two buttons located on the shift lever were very loose due to the handle melting. The contact stated that other plastic parts on the dashboard and interior trim panels were not melted. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 153,859.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while stationary at a stop sign, there was an abnormal rumbling coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle was shuddering. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The contact stated that the failure persisted while stationary or while reversing. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed a failure with the transmission valve. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle inadvertently stalled and failed to restart, requiring the contact to tow the vehicle to the residence. Upon attempting to jumpstart the vehicle, the vehicle had electrical power but failed to start. The message "Transmission Not in Park" was displayed. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Had Transmission problems 2 yrs ago that had been fixed and parts replaced. Now again 2 years later the vehicle experiencing transmission problems again. Hard shifting, reading the wrong gear on the dash board, and being stuck in drive or neutral when it is actually in park. No warning lights prior. Vehicle had been inspected by a licensed mechanic. This is problematic when the issue occured while driving leaving me and 3 small children stranded.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the engine revved very high, but the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The vehicle also experienced a loss of traction and surging at highway speeds. The messages "Transmission Fault" and "Hill Start Assist Unavailable" were displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local service center to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 145,000.

While driving vehicle it would start shuttering. Took it to dealer who stated the transmission was bad. Vehicle had 91000 miles on it. I asked why the transmission was not serviceable and was told it was a sealed unit. The repair cost $8900.00 for new transmission. Took 3 weeks to get it repaired. Asked several times when in for oil change to service the transmission, each time I was told it was a sealed unit and couldn’t be serviced. Had it been able to be serviced I don’t think the problem would have been as bad to have to have transmission replaced.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking lot at 10 MPH, the vehicle failed to shift out of first gear. The RPMs increased but the vehicle remained in first gear. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling at a railroad stop, she depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle failed to respond. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact then stated that after several attempts, the vehicle accelerated at a slow speed. The contact pulled into the parking lot of a transmission shop and turned the vehicle off. The vehicle was inspected by a technician and the contact was informed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that prior to the failure, upon taking the vehicle for an oil change, she was informed by the technician that there was a leak in the transmission and that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle and shifting into drive (D), the gear shifter moved to sport (S) unintendedly. The contact stated that at second attempt to shift into drive (D), the gear shifter moved to park (P) unintendedly, and the gear shift indicator displayed that the transmission was in neutral (N). The contact engaged the electronic parking brake to park the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she then watched a video online, where she was informed to lift the gear shifter cover panel and to move a switch, so the gear shifter could respond as needed. The contact followed the instructions with assistance, and was able to drive to the residence, where she shifted into neutral (N) and engaged the electronic parking brake to park the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 62,297.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with premature transmission failure. The dealer notified the manufacturer, who declined to cover the cost of the repair. The contact followed up with the manufacturer and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.