2012 Ford ESCAPE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford ESCAPE has 792 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 9.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is fuel system problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: 1. while highway cruising at constant speed, engine suddenly dropped to idle speed and vehicle slowed rapidly, until gas pedal was lifted and pressed down again. engine hesitated and surged. processed kept repeating at variable intervals. 2. transmission intermittently hesitates excessively on firs. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 26 crash reports 9 injuries

792

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

9.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

FUEL SYSTEM

163 complaints

21%

• 1. WHILE HIGHWAY CRUISING AT CONSTANT SPEED, ENGINE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO IDLE SPEED AND VEHICLE SLOWED RAPIDLY, UNTIL GAS PEDAL WAS LIFTED AND PRESSED DOWN AGAIN. ENGINE HESITATED AND SURGED. PROCESSED KEPT REPEATING AT VARIABLE INTERVALS. 2. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY HESITATES EXCESSIVELY ON FIRS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL CAP WAS MISSING FROM THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD REFUEL, HE COULD SMELL AN OVERPOWERING GASOLINE FUEL ODOR BEING EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE BY THE TIME HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR
• VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS FREEWAY SPEEDS. PRESSING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL THE VEHICLE RECOVERS ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AT 325 MI. ON THE ODOMETER AND "NO VEHICLE PROBLEM FOUND". VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED EIGHT FREEWAY INCIDEN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“1. WHILE HIGHWAY CRUISING AT CONSTANT SPEED, ENGINE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO IDLE SPEED AND VEHICLE SLOWED RAPIDLY, UNTIL GAS PEDAL WAS LIFTED AND PRESSED DOWN AGAIN. ENGINE HESITATED AND SURGED. PROCESSED KEPT REPEATING AT VARIABLE INTERVALS. 2. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY HESITATES EXCESSIVELY ON FIRS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

137 complaints

17%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND IT BECMAE EXTREMELY DIFFICUTL FOR THE CONTACT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING STOPPED FUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANU
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE BRAKES, TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SHOULDER TO BE RESTARTED AND IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE CO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND IT BECMAE EXTREMELY DIFFICUTL FOR THE CONTACT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

78 complaints

10%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WA
• WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 55-60 AND THEN COASTING COMING TO A STOP, ONCE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION HITS AROUND 35-40...VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS EXTREMELY HARD...CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THIS WAS NORMAL BEHAVIOR...I'VE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE BEHAVE LIKE THIS AND WOULD NOT CONSIDER THAT NORMAL.. *TR
• PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN FEB 2012...DRIVE IT AN HR OR SO 1 WAY EVERYDAY TO WORK...IN JULY STARTED TO NOTICE IT WOULD LAG WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS...AT START AND IN BETWEEN GEARS. TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE THEY HAD IT FOR LESS THEN 3 HRS AND SAID THEIR WAS NOTHING WRONG BUT RESET THE TRANSMISSION COM

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

69 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH SHE ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GEARS THEN ENGAGED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD. AFTER DEPRESSING AND HOLDINGTHE ACCELERATOR DOWN, TH
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND LUNGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS NORMAL AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO ACCUMULATE AP

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 7 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

67 complaints

• VEHICLE WAS BEING PREPARED TO BACK OUT OF LEVEL GARAGE ONTO DRIVEWAY WITH MILD DOWNHILL SLOPE. VEHICLE WAS STARTED, EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASED AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PLACED IN REVERSE, DRIVER'S FOOT ENGAGED BRAKE. DRIVER REALIZED WALLET WITH DRIVER'S LICENSE WAS LEFT INSIDE HOUSE. TRANSMISSION PLA
• THERE IS A VERY BAD REFLECTION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASH VENT PRESENT IN THE SIDE MIRROR. THE DASH VENT IS TRIMMED IN CHROME AND AS A RESULT IT REFLECTS IN THE MIRROR BLOCKING THE VIEW OF TRAFFIC ALONG THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *TR
• THERE ARE THREE ISSUES WITH THE CAR THAT MAKE IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN IT'S SUNNY, THE PLASTIC COVERING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (ON THE BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT) REFLECTS SUNLIGHT BACK INTO THE DRIVERS EYES. THE MOLDING SURROUNDING THE GEAR SHIFTER IS METALLIC LOOKING AND ALSO REFLECTS LIGHT BACK INT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 5 crashes

“VEHICLE WAS BEING PREPARED TO BACK OUT OF LEVEL GARAGE ONTO DRIVEWAY WITH MILD DOWNHILL SLOPE. VEHICLE WAS STARTED, EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASED AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PLACED IN REVERSE, DRIVER'S FOOT ENGAGED BRAKE. DRIVER REALIZED WALLET WITH DRIVER'S LICENSE WAS LEFT INSIDE HOUSE. TRANSMISSION PLA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 792 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
FUEL SYSTEM: 1. WHILE HIGHWAY CRUISING AT CONSTANT SPEED, ENGINE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO IDLE SPEED AND VEHICLE SLOWED RAPIDLY, UNTIL GAS PEDAL WAS LIFTED AND PRESSED DOWN AGAIN. ENGINE HESITATED AND SURGED. PROCESSED KEPT REPEATING AT VARIABLE INTERVALS. 2. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY HESITATES EXCESSIVELY ON FIRS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND IT BECMAE EXTREMELY DIFFICUTL FOR THE CONTACT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)