FaultScore

FaultScore report

2013 Ford Escape Hybrid problems

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2013 Ford Escape Hybrid with NHTSA between 2018 and 2019. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 10 of 13 worst.

B

FaultScore 35/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Ford Escape Hybrid.

How this is worked out

The numbers

10

Complaints

3

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

3

Injuries reported

93,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

10%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 3 vs 50 Severity 100 vs 50 Early failure 17 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 3
Against the median year of the Ford Escape Hybrid. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
60% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 17
10% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2013 compares with every other Ford Escape Hybrid

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2013 Ford Escape Hybrid

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Engine & Cooling 4 40.0%

Median failure at 87,177 miles

Fuel & Propulsion 1 10.0%

Median failure at 94,355 miles

Body & Structure 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 93,000 mi

Brakes 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 93,000 mi

Airbags 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 93,000 mi

Electrical System 1 10.0%

Median failure at 80,000 miles

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 10.0%

Median failure at 94,355 miles

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Jan 2018 peak 3 Mar 2019

NHTSA investigations into the 2013 Ford Escape Hybrid

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

DP22005 Opened 27 Jan 2023 Closed 7 Aug 2023 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM

Pedestrian alert sounds

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after Marc...

RQ19005 Opened 19 Dec 2019 Closed 7 Feb 2022 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Door Latch Failures

In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. Some VOQs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other VOQs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl sprin...

PE18007 Opened 16 Jul 2018 Closed 27 Dec 2024 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Loss of Motive Power

On July 16, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to investigate alleged instances of sudden stalling without warning on model year (MY) 2013 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI turbocharged engines. Complaints alleged that vehicles stalled due to engine overheating, resulting in a delayed or no restart condition. When the investigation was opened, ODI had received 40 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs). At this time, ODI has received 173 VOQs with five reported fires and no reported crashes. In investigating the incidents alleged in t...

PE16001 Opened 16 Jan 2016 Closed 29 Oct 2016 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Door Latch Failure

In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.One consumer alleged an injury that occurred while driving when a door inadvertently opened and then closed on a child's arm.Another alleged that a door that inadvertently opened struck a parked...

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 93,000 miles Arlington, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIIVNG ON A CITY STREET WHEN I WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE WHO RAN A STOP LIGHT. AS I BECAME CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR AND ENDED UP HITTING A WATER METER, AFTER TRYING TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES,BECAUSE THEY BRAKES WOULDNT CATCH ON. .NEITHER CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE NOR THE WATER METER ACTIVATED THE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA complaint #11118117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 93,000 miles Arlington, TX Crash 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIIVNG ON A CITY STREET WHEN I WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE WHO RAN A STOP LIGHT. AS I BECAME CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR AND ENDED UP HITTING A WATER METER, AFTER TRYING TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES,BECAUSE THEY BRAKES WOULDNT CATCH ON. .NEITHER CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE NOR THE WATER METER ACTIVATED THE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA complaint #11118117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 93,000 miles Arlington, TX Crash 1 injured

SERVICE BRAKES

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIIVNG ON A CITY STREET WHEN I WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE WHO RAN A STOP LIGHT. AS I BECAME CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR AND ENDED UP HITTING A WATER METER, AFTER TRYING TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES,BECAUSE THEY BRAKES WOULDNT CATCH ON. .NEITHER CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE NOR THE WATER METER ACTIVATED THE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA complaint #11118117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 34,200 miles Elyria, OH

ENGINE

MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE HAD NO HEAT (BLOWING COLD AIR ) IN JAN 2019 SO I CHECKED THE ANTIFREEZE IT WAS LOW SO I ADDED TO IT .THE HEAT STARTED WORKING .MARCH 30TH IT STARTED BLOWING COLD AIR AGAIN DRIVING HOME FROM CLEVELAND IN A SNOW STORM THEN A WARNING... ENGINE OVER HEATED SAFELY PULL OVER . I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED 29 MILES AT 11:30 AT NIGHT. I HAVE READ THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS . WE DROVE 30 MILES ELYRIA OH TO CLEVELAND OH . PARKED AND WORKED A CHARITY EVENT FOR 3 HRS THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING GARAGE . WHEN WE LEFT WE WERE DRIVING ABOUT 10 MINUTES. I WAS DRIVING ON I71 SOUTH (HIGHWAY )WHEN THE WARNING CAME ON . I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY .WE WERE ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY AT 11:00 PM IN A SNOW STORM

NHTSA complaint #11192791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 94,355 miles LAS Vegas, NV

POWER TRAIN

TAKATA RECALL PURCHASE A VEHICLE USED DEALER IN LAS VEGAS. THEY DIDN'T DISCLOSE THE CONDITION OF THE CAR INCLUDING THE TURBO LEAKING OIL, COOLANT RESERVOIR LEAKING, AND HEATER HOSE. THE CAR STOP WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #11140775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 94,355 miles LAS Vegas, NV

ENGINE

TAKATA RECALL PURCHASE A VEHICLE USED DEALER IN LAS VEGAS. THEY DIDN'T DISCLOSE THE CONDITION OF THE CAR INCLUDING THE TURBO LEAKING OIL, COOLANT RESERVOIR LEAKING, AND HEATER HOSE. THE CAR STOP WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #11140775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 94,355 miles LAS Vegas, NV

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TAKATA RECALL PURCHASE A VEHICLE USED DEALER IN LAS VEGAS. THEY DIDN'T DISCLOSE THE CONDITION OF THE CAR INCLUDING THE TURBO LEAKING OIL, COOLANT RESERVOIR LEAKING, AND HEATER HOSE. THE CAR STOP WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #11140775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 93,000 miles Arlington, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIIVNG ON A CITY STREET WHEN I WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE WHO RAN A STOP LIGHT. AS I BECAME CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR AND ENDED UP HITTING A WATER METER, AFTER TRYING TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES,BECAUSE THEY BRAKES WOULDNT CATCH ON. .NEITHER CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE NOR THE WATER METER ACTIVATED THE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA complaint #11118117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 93,000 miles Arlington, TX Crash 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIIVNG ON A CITY STREET WHEN I WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE WHO RAN A STOP LIGHT. AS I BECAME CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR AND ENDED UP HITTING A WATER METER, AFTER TRYING TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES,BECAUSE THEY BRAKES WOULDNT CATCH ON. .NEITHER CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE NOR THE WATER METER ACTIVATED THE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA complaint #11118117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 93,000 miles Arlington, TX Crash 1 injured

SERVICE BRAKES

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIIVNG ON A CITY STREET WHEN I WAS T-BONED BY A VEHICLE WHO RAN A STOP LIGHT. AS I BECAME CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR AND ENDED UP HITTING A WATER METER, AFTER TRYING TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES,BECAUSE THEY BRAKES WOULDNT CATCH ON. .NEITHER CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE NOR THE WATER METER ACTIVATED THE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA complaint #11118117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 96,000 miles Corneilus, NC

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE COOLANT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO NOTIFY A FORD DEALER. THE DEALER (HUNTERSVILLE FORD, 13825 STATESVILLE RD, HUNTERSVILLE, NC 28078) WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO ANY RECALL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V551000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #11084817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Canton, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. IN ADDITION, THE TURBO BOOST DID NOT WORK ADEQUATELY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE WIRING HARNESS FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION FORD NORTH CANTON (5900 WHIPPLE AVE NW, NORTH CANTON, OH 44720, (330) 238-3206) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA complaint #11066010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Canton, OH

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. IN ADDITION, THE TURBO BOOST DID NOT WORK ADEQUATELY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE WIRING HARNESS FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION FORD NORTH CANTON (5900 WHIPPLE AVE NW, NORTH CANTON, OH 44720, (330) 238-3206) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA complaint #11066010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.