2012 Ford Escape Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Escape years
- Fewer complaints than other years 15th of 27 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 3 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 603 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Escape. That ranks 15th out of 27 Escape model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (139 complaints, 23%), typically at around 100,000 miles. Complaints mention 38 crashes, 3 fires, 27 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 603owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 38complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Ford Escape problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 139 | 23% | 100,000 | “turned off” (18%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 137 | 23% | 55,000 | “fuel gasoline” (39%) | — |
| Engine problems | 73 | 12% | 40,500 | “throttle body” (19%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 70 | 12% | 43,050 | “throttle body” (24%) | — |
| Structure problems | 68 | 11% | 57,000 | “wheel wells” (10%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 66 | 11% | 41,967 | “throttle body” (17%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 44 | 7% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 42 | 7% | 58,600 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 4% | 47,103 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 25 | 4% | 43,492 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 19 | 3% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 18 | 3% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 12 | 2% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 12 | 2% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 8 | 1% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 6 | 1% | 89,250 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 1% | 23,186 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 1% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 1% | 14,848 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 0% | 113,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 0% | 90,742 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 17,532 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Ford Escape recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 13, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S41.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction (PE13003) — opened Feb 21, 2013, closed Feb 28, 2014.
- Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction (DP12006) — opened Oct 2, 2012, closed Feb 21, 2013.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owned a 2012 Ford Escape. While driving in a parking lot at approximately 18-20 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated, and the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle struck a fence and an apartment building. The air bags did not deploy. The contact…
The power steering failed unexpectedly. I am not sure what the problem is but there is fluid all over the wheel well. I see that the was a recal on the power steering. How can I find out why my car was not included?
Check engine light having a single code P2111 occurring after reduction of power. Vehicle looses power at varying speeds including highway speeds. I have not had it professionally diagnosed. In the process of replacing the I A C. My research indicates that the NHTSA is in the process of…
I started the truck and began to back out of my parking spot but the steering was so stiff I couldn't turn so I shut it off. After about 3 minutes I stated it up and the steering was fine. The. It happened the next day while I was driving and that was terrifying!!! It became extremely difficult to…
Sun roof is leaking into the passenger compartment. Car was typically parked under cover and not driven in inclement wether. Drain hose was found not to be clogged however water is leaking into the passenger compartment. Staining the headliner seats and collecting on the floors. The date is the…
Other Ford Escape years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Escape | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 Escape | 26 | 9 |
| 2024 Escape | 76 | 8 |
| 2023 Escape | 100 | 11 |
| 2022 Escape | 235 | 19 |
| 2021 Escape | 349 | 19 |
| 2020 Escape | 1,608 | 23 |
| 2019 Escape | 595 | 3 |
| 2018 Escape | 1,816 | 4 |
| 2017 Escape | 2,696 | 4 |
| 2016 Escape | 1,154 | 4 |
| 2015 Escape | 1,113 | 9 |
| 2014 Escape | 2,089 | 16 |
| 2013 Escape | 2,750 | 18 |
| 2012 | 603 | 1 |
| 2011 Escape | 1,317 | 2 |
| 2010 Escape | 2,070 | 3 |
| 2009 Escape | 1,693 | 1 |
| 2008 Escape | 1,974 | 3 |
| 2007 Escape | 254 | 2 |
| 2006 Escape | 464 | 3 |
| 2005 Escape | 1,394 | 4 |
| 2004 Escape | 499 | 6 |
| 2003 Escape | 558 | 7 |
| 2002 Escape | 1,027 | 8 |
| 2001 Escape | 996 | 13 |
| 2000 Escape | 5 | 0 |
See all Ford Escape problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Escape?
Owners most often report steering, fuel/propulsion system, engine problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 139 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Ford Escape?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Ford Escape a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Escape model years, the 2012 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 3 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.