2012 Ford Escape Engine Problems
Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Ford Escape, 12% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 40,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “throttle body” (19% of reports).
- 73engine complaints
- 40,500median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 28%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Throttle body: mentioned in 14 of 73 complaints (19%)
- Off restarted: mentioned in 5 of 73 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 66 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 73 complaints, 3 mention a crash.
Ford Escape engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Escape | 2 | 67% | — |
| 2025 Escape | 5 | 19% | — |
| 2024 Escape | 13 | 17% | 4,092 |
| 2023 Escape | 28 | 28% | 6,200 |
| 2022 Escape | 33 | 14% | 39,200 |
| 2021 Escape | 44 | 13% | 79,000 |
| 2020 Escape | 121 | 8% | 65,500 |
| 2019 Escape | 316 | 53% | 61,194 |
| 2018 Escape | 1,164 | 64% | 78,667 |
| 2017 Escape | 1,578 | 59% | 70,000 |
| 2016 Escape | 200 | 17% | 64,000 |
| 2015 Escape | 239 | 21% | 74,000 |
| 2014 Escape | 727 | 35% | 74,000 |
| 2013 Escape | 1,265 | 46% | 75,000 |
| 2012 Escape | 73 | 12% | 40,500 |
| 2011 Escape | 248 | 19% | 47,102 |
| 2010 Escape | 493 | 24% | 52,000 |
| 2009 Escape | 254 | 15% | 70,167 |
| 2008 Escape | 83 | 4% | 85,500 |
| 2007 Escape | 25 | 10% | 100,400 |
| 2006 Escape | 47 | 10% | 93,000 |
| 2005 Escape | 130 | 9% | 113,000 |
| 2004 Escape | 31 | 6% | 109,748 |
| 2003 Escape | 24 | 4% | 127,413 |
| 2002 Escape | 36 | 4% | 150,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 27 | 3% | 125,436 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Ford Escape. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
While coming to a stop sign, as I took my foot off the gas pedal, it surged forward at a fast speed the gas pedal went to the floor. it took me through the intersection and beyond before I was able to stop the car. It was very scary just thinking if there were anyone crossing the street it could…
Oil engine leak .. clicking sound from the front wheels when turning ..
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Ford Escapes have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 73 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Ford Escape (12% of the 603 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Ford Escape engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 40,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “throttle body”, in 14 of 73 complaints, followed by “off restarted” (5).
Other 2012 Ford Escape problems
See all 2012 Ford Escape problems or engine problems across all Escape years.