2013 Ford Escape Recall

On certain vehicles, the engine block heater could leak coolant. If this happens, the block heater could short circuit when it's plugged in. Note: This recall only affects certain vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L engine.

A short circuit can create the risk of a fire.

To reduce the safety risk, Ford advises you not to use the engine block heater until the recall repairs have been completed. Ford will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the block heater. Alternatively, owners can choose to have the dealership permanently disable the engine block heater.

On certain vehicles, the shift cable may detach from the transmission. This could cause the transmission not to shift gears when the shifter is moved. As a result, the transmission could be in a different gear than the gear shifter indicates. If a driver attempts to exit the vehicle while the transmission is not in Park, and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle could move suddenly.

Sudden and unexpected movement of the vehicle could increase the risk of a crash.

Ford will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the transmission shifter cable bushing and install a protective service cap. Ford advises that you should apply the parking brake each time the vehicle is parked.

This recall is for aftermarket replacement rear window glass produced by Vitro Automotriz. Certain rear window glass may not have been properly tempered. If the window breaks, the glass may separate into large pieces instead of very small ones. Note: This is a voluntary recall that is not being conducted under the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Glass that breaks in to large pieces could create a risk of injury.

The company will notify consumers by mail and instruct them to inspect the designation code marked on the rear window glass. Products affected by this recall have the designation “DOT 287” along with the lettering “VMR” (Replacement Market) and a date code that is before July 2019. This information is printed on the bottom corner of the glass. Consumers should contact Vitro's customer service at 1-412-995-6457 or argbacklites@vitro.com to arrange for replacement of the glass.

On certain vehicles, the bushing that attaches the shift cable to the transmission may degrade over time and could detach. This could allow the transmission to be in a gear state different than the gear shift position selected by the driver. This condition could also allow the driver to move the shifter to Park and remove the ignition key while the transmission gear may not be in Park. If the parking brake is not applied, this could result in unintended vehicle movement, which would increase the risk of crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing.

A failure of this component (powertrain) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles, the pawl spring tab in the side door latch could break. This condition typically will prevent the door from latching. In certain situations where the door is able to be closed, the door may be partially latched and could unlatch while driving. This could increase the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant seated next to the door, or result in damage to property. Correction: If a door will not latch, dealers will replace all four door latches with a more robust part. Note: A door that is partially latched can cause the courtesy light to remain on, set a door ajar message in the instrument cluster and sound a door ajar chime to alert the driver that there is a door latch problem.

A failure of this component (structure) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles, sealant applied to the restraints control module could fail, allowing moisture to enter the module circuit board. This could cause corrosion to form, which will illuminate the airbag warning light and could affect restraint system function, potentially disabling airbags or other safety systems. This could increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants in a crash where airbag deployment is warranted. Correction: Dealers will replace the restraints control module.

A failure of this component (seats and restraints) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles, defective engine wiring harness splices could affect engine function, causing reduced engine power and/or hesitation, and also cause the engine to stall. Stalling would result in a loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash resulting in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace affected wiring splices.

A failure of this component (electrical) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles, misalignment of the exterior door handle and door panel may cause the door handle to bind. If this occurs, the door may open while driving or may be difficult to close. A vehicle operated in this condition would present a higher risk of injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will inspect all four exterior door handles and reposition as necessary.

A failure of this component (structure) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles, due to a defect in the restraint control module programming, deployment of the side curtain airbags may be delayed in certain rollover circumstances, which could increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. Correction: Dealers will reprogram the restraint control module.

A failure of this component (airbag) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

Certain vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 207 – Anchorage of Seats. The front driver and passenger seatback recliner mechanism may separate from the seatback frame due to improper welding. If this were to occur, the seatback could become noisy, loose or begin leaning and could fail to meet the strength requirements of the standard. This could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Correction: Dealers will replace the seatback assemblies.

A failure of this component (seats and restraints) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles equipped with 1.6L engines, localized overheating of the engine cylinder head could lead to cracks, causing oil leaks. Engine oil that comes into contact with a hot engine surface could potentially result in a fire. In addition, fuel lines replaced as part of recall 2012-218 (12S35) may have been improperly installed and may chafe, potentially resulting in a fuel leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Both situations could result in injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will enhance engine heat shielding, cooling and control systems, as well as inspect fuel line routing and replace fuel lines as necessary. Note: This recall supersedes recall 2012-218.

A failure of this component (fuel system) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles, the left rear door child lock may not engage when the operator uses normal turning force to activate the child lock, and the operator may incorrectly believe the child lock is engaged. Without the child lock engaged, the door can be opened using the inside door handle. This condition could potentially increase the risk of injury to an unrestrained child. Correction: Dealers will inspect the door latch and replace if necessary.

A failure of this component (structure) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

Certain vehicles equipped with 1.6L engines may experience a fire originating in the engine compartment, while the engine is running, caused by the engine overheating that results in flammable fluid leaks coming into contact with the hot exhaust system. This could result in property damage and/or injury. Correction: Dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module and the Instrument Panel Cluster module to improve the system’s ability to detect and mitigate an overheating condition. Dealers will also inspect for coolant leaks and make any necessary corrections.

A failure of this component (engine) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles equipped with a 1.6L engine, the cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged, resulting in a significant loss of coolant which could cause the engine to overheat. Under certain circumstances, water in the remaining coolant mixture may vaporize, resulting in a higher concentration of glycol (antifreeze). A high concentration of glycol could become flammable and, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will inspect the cylinder head. If the cup plug is dislodged or leaking, the cylinder head assembly will be replaced. If the cup plug is not dislodged or leaking, a wicking sealant will be applied to the plug and a cover plate will be installed over the plug with adhesive.

A failure of this component (engine) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI (turbocharged) engine, an incorrectly manufactured engine compartment fuel line may develop a leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the engine compartment fuel line.

A failure of this component (fuel system) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles, the carpet padding in the driver’s foot area may have been installed incorrectly during vehicles assembly. This would cause the carpet and center console trim panel to be slightly closer to the accelerator pedal than originally intended. As a result, the driver may shift his/her foot slightly to the left of the designed position and, when transferring the foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal, may inadvertently contact the side of the brake pedal. This could cause a delay in brake pedal application, which could increase stopping distance, possibly causing a crash resulting in property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will remove the carpet padding and replace the left-side console trim panel.

A failure of this component (brakes) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).