Ford Escape 2013–2019

3rd generation · Ford C1 / Global C · 15,128 complaints, 8,278 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 73,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 35.6% of complaints (5,381 reports, 2,326 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,899 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 44,000 and 99,000 miles.

A single system taking 35.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 15.1% of complaints (2,283 reports, 1,326 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 112,000 miles.

The engine and its cooling system accounts for 9.2% of complaints (1,397 reports, 1,257 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 89,100 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 68,200 and 112,513 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 7.5% of complaints (1,141 reports, 416 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 38,700 and 93,100 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 6.7% of complaints (1,020 reports, 626 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 56,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 24,000 and 89,000 miles.

The steering accounts for 4.7% of complaints (704 reports, 444 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 63,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 37,142 and 95,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2013 model year drew the most — 3,678 complaints — while 2019 drew the fewest at 729. The median year sits at 2,156.

The first year of the generation, 2013, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 33 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the electrical system (5), the fuel system (4), the transmission and driveline (3). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 15,128 complaints filed against this generation, 362 reported a crash; 358 reported a fire; 384 reported an injury; 6 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 2.4% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 43,000 and 100,347 miles, with a median of 73,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the engine and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 72,899, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (33)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Ford Escape 2001–2007
• Ford Escape 2008–2012
• Ford Escape 2020–2025