Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2013 Ford Escape
NHTSA data on file today
The 2013 Ford Escape has 18 NHTSA recall campaigns and 2,752 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 2 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #26V011000 Engine Block Heater May Short Circuit and Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V413000 Unintentional Rollaway Due to Detached Shift Cable NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V331000 Doors May Open While Driving NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V471000 Unintentional Rollaway Due to Detached Shift Cable NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V643000 Doors may Unexpectedly Open NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V813000 Engine Wiring Splices may cause Stall NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V597000 Air Bags may not Deploy as Intended NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V495000 Engine Wiring Splices may cause Stall NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V239000 Doors may Open while Driving NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V237000 Side-Curtain Rollover Air Bag Deployment Delay NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V164000 Welds on Seat Assemblies may Fail/FMVSS 207 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V584000 Engine Compartment Fuel Line May Leak NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V583000 Engine Overheating may result in Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V085000 Driver Side Child Lock may not Function NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V551000 Overheat may cause Fluid Leaks Resulting in Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V431000 Cup (Freeze) Plug Dislodging NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V336000 ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUEL LINE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V319000 PEDAL PACKAGE CLEARANCE VARIATION NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 1,265 complaints
- Power Train 401 complaints
- Electrical System 339 complaints
- Steering 303 complaints
- Unknown or Other 301 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 247 complaints
Of the 2,752 complaints on file, 49 report a crash and 91 a fire; across all 2,752 complaints, owners report 54 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,000–$13,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2013 Ford Escape has a below-average reliability due to high numbers of complaints and recalls, particularly with the engine and powertrain. The data shows a significant 2,749 complaints and 18 recall campaigns, indicating frequent issues that could be costly to repair. This level of unreliability suggests potential for high maintenance costs over time.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 50,000–100,000 miles | $1,000–$5,000 | very common |
| Powertrain | 60,000–110,000 miles | $800–$3,000 | common |
| Electrical system | 70,000–120,000 miles | $500–$2,000 | common |
| Steering | 80,000–130,000 miles | $600–$1,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Tire rotations and balancing
- Brake inspections and servicing
- Transmission fluid change
- Coolant system check
- Air filter replacement
- Battery testing and replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Engine overheating
- Transmission slipping
- Loss of steering control
- Electrical component failures
- Unexpected stalling
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2013 Ford Escape at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.