Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.
Owners have filed 2,750 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Escape, and it carries 18 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 803 | 29% |
| Steering | 256 | 9% |
| Power train | 224 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 162 | 6% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 144 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 104 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 83 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 73 | 3% |
| Power train | 65 | 2% |
| Engine | 58 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Driver door would won’t latch I tried wd40 and put the latch back in place noting working I thought I should notify that it is a safety risk
NHTSA complaint: Structure
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheating warning light illuminated. The contact noticed an unusual odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle wa
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The system that failed was the rear passenger door latch. The door will not latch and I checked the door latch and it moves freely. My vehicle also is telling me that my rear passenger door is open
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact's son owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled with an unknown message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's son pulled off to the shou
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH on the freeway, the front passenger’s side door suddenly came ajar. The "Passenger Door Ajar" message was displayed on the i
NHTSA complaint: Latches/locks/linkages
Vehicle: 2013 Ford Escape SEL (1.6L EcoBoost) Approximate current Mileage: 134,646 miles System: Engine / Engine Cooling / Powertrain Incident Description: I am filing this complaint to report a severe and systemic saf
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Engine coolant intrusion into engine resulting in excessive visible smoke/steam on startup and coolant consumption. This issue has been inspected by a Ford dealer and private party mechanics, however could not be accura
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Car has been having problems immediately with the turbocharger which then seemed fine once taken in. Only to turn around and have the transmission go out. Once again, it was taken in and was reported that there is no tra
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the 2013 Ford Escape. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the tran
Risk: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through April 10, 2014. Due to an assembly misalignment between the exterior door handle and the door outer panel, the affected vehicles have doors that may be difficult to close or may
Risk: A door that opens unexpectedly may result in an unrestrained occupant falling from the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the mounting of the door handles, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer servi
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pres
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-43
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-
| Reliability | 31 | below average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 52 | average |
| Maintenance | 77 | good |
| Depreciation | 66 | good |
| Performance | 62 | average |
| Efficiency | 45 | below average |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 2,750 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 803 of them (29%). There are 18 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 31/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 52/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2013 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 56/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.