2012 Ford Escape Hybrid recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Steering

  TLA* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER STEERING ASSIST AND BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RAMP FORD LOCATED AT 4869 NESCONSET HWY, PORT JEFFERSON STATION, NY 11776 HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.*DT*JB

  Sep 1, 2020 · 53,000 miles
• Visibility/wiper

  I TURNED ON MY BACK WINDOW DEFROSTER AND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE WINDOW EXPLODED/SHATTERED THEREBY ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT.

  Feb 21, 2019
• Structure › Body

  MY 2012 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID HAS RUST COVERING THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I NEVER NOTICED IT UNTIL YESTERDAY WHEN I NOTICED SOME RUST UNDER THE WHEEL WELL. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR I WAS HORRIFIED. THE RUST IS REALLY BAD AND IT'S EATING THROUGH TO THE INTERIOR. WHEN I LOOKED CLOSELY I SAW RUST UNDER BOTH SEATS ON THE BRACKETS. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE CARPET I CAN SEE THAT IT'S AFFECTING THE INTERIOR UPHOLSTERY. IT IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE THIS AMOUNT OF RUST ON A VEHICLE THAT IS SIX YEARS OLD. I THINK IT MIGHT BE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I CHECKED AROUND ONLINE LAST NIGHT AND IT WILL LIKELY COST A LOT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM IF…

  Sep 22, 2018 · 36,000 miles
• Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE HOOD SUDDENLY FLEW UP AND CRASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GAUDIN FORD (6625 W. ROY HORN WAY, LAS VEGAS, NV 89118, 702-534-3094) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. *TT

  Mar 12, 2018 · 40,000 miles
• Service brakes

  5 WEEKS AGO THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH LIT UP. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT GET ME IN FOR 3 WEEKS. I WAS PLANNING ON GOING ON A VACATION AROUND THAT TIME, SO DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER I GOT BACK. UNFORTUNATELY, 2 DAYS PRIOR TO MY TRIP, WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED ME FROM A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS DOWNSHIFTING AND TURNING THE IGNITION OFF WHICH WHEN I RESTARTED IT REBOOTED THE BRAKES FOR A WHILE, ENOUGH TO GET ME TO THE FORD DEALER. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS AND THEY ARE STILL NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THEY WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE HYDRAULIC PUMP (FOR…

  Dec 20, 2017 · 120,000 miles
• Power train

  TAKATA RECALL CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND COMPUTER WRENCH SIGHN 10LIGHT APPEARED AT A RED LIGHT IN THE CITY CAR DRIVE VERY SLOW PULLED OVER SHUT CAR OFF AND IT STARTED WITH WRENCH LIGHT WENT OFF .

  Oct 15, 2017 · 145 miles
• Fuel/propulsion system

  RECALL #16S41/NHTSA 16V-777 REC NOTICE IN DECEMBER 2016 HAVE CALLED DEALER AND CORP ALSO AND KEEP GETTING TOLD PART NOT DONE YET OR NO WAY TO FIX I DO SMELL GAS EVERYTIME I FILL UP AND NOW I SMELL IT ON RANDOM TIMES ESPECIALLY WHEN RAINING AND GOING THRU PUDDLE SMELL OF FUMES GAS IN VEHICLE LAST CALLED TODAY 9/25/2017

  Sep 25, 2017
• Engine

  I OWN A 2012 FORD ESCAPE AND HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP OVER TEN TIMES. I HAVE BROUGHT IT IN FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COMING ON. MULTIPLE TIMES THEY HAVE GAVE ME AN OIL CHANGE AND CLEANED THE SOLENOIDS. MY TRANSMISSION STILL SPUTTERS AND ONCE AGAIN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON. ONE TIME I LOST COMPLETE POWER AND WAS ALMOST KILLED IN AN INTERSECTION. IF ANYONE WANTS TO TAKE MY CAR FOR TESTING THEY CAN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE AND AM SCARED THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED. FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS ISSUE. I HAVE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE SITES THAT THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED TO ME LIKE A HELICOPTER AND WHEN…

  Feb 20, 2016 · 48,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000

  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 March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review…

  DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023
• Electronic Throttle Body MalfunctionClosed

  In a letter dated August 30, 2012, The North Carolina Consumers Council (NCCC) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged electronic throttle body failures resulting in engine stall or surge while driving in model year (MY) 2005 through 2012 Ford Escape vehicles. On October 2, 2012 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Defect Petition DP12-006 to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. The petition is hereby granted on certain model years. The NCCC letter cites two complaints of stall while driving in MY 2009 Ford Escape vehicles that were diagnosed as failed throttle bodies with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle Body Stuck Closed. The petitioner indicates that the owners of both vehicles reported experiencing repeated incidents of stalling and…

  DP12006 · opened Oct 2, 2012 · closed Feb 21, 2013