2013 Ford Escape Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2013 Ford Escape, 2% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 30,705 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (30% of reports).
- 54air bags complaints
- 30,705median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 43%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.
- Air bag: mentioned in 16 of 54 complaints (30%)
- Bags seat belts: mentioned in 13 of 54 complaints (24%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 26 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 54 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 9 an injury.
Ford Escape air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2024 Escape | 6 | 8% | 118,000 |
| 2023 Escape | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Escape | 4 | 2% | 34,000 |
| 2021 Escape | 2 | 1% | 3,000 |
| 2020 Escape | 13 | 1% | 12,700 |
| 2019 Escape | 11 | 2% | 40,500 |
| 2018 Escape | 9 | 0% | 59,381 |
| 2017 Escape | 21 | 1% | 47,634 |
| 2016 Escape | 24 | 2% | 46,617 |
| 2015 Escape | 17 | 2% | 60,500 |
| 2014 Escape | 32 | 2% | 45,000 |
| 2013 Escape | 54 | 2% | 30,705 |
| 2012 Escape | 25 | 4% | 43,492 |
| 2011 Escape | 26 | 2% | 65,000 |
| 2010 Escape | 14 | 1% | 65,000 |
| 2009 Escape | 14 | 1% | 23,435 |
| 2008 Escape | 31 | 2% | 68,119 |
| 2007 Escape | 12 | 5% | 60,000 |
| 2006 Escape | 17 | 4% | 62,816 |
| 2005 Escape | 34 | 2% | 75,000 |
| 2004 Escape | 45 | 9% | 75,704 |
| 2003 Escape | 60 | 11% | 71,349 |
| 2002 Escape | 79 | 8% | 58,393 |
| 2001 Escape | 63 | 6% | 76,500 |
| 2000 Escape | 1 | 20% | 33,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Seat belts; air bags:side/window
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.
Risk: The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.
Air bags:side/window; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 C-MAX, and Escape vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the restraint control module (RCM) may have errors in the programming software which may result in a delayed deployment of the side-curtain rollover air bag.
Risk: If the side-curtain rollover air bag is delayed in deploying in certain rollover circumstances, the risk of injury to the passengers is increased.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the RCM, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S04.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I bought a 2013 escape 3-4 months ago. It had a clear car fax as well as clean on Ford.com. recently the air bag light has been flashing on and as time has gone on, it is staying on longer. I just had it diagnosed at a Ford Dealership and was told it was an air bag sensor, with a cost of over…
Ford recall 14s21 was performed on this vehicle in 2015. I currently have a DTC b10a2. The code indicates that the restraint control module has failed. I contacted the local ford dealer, Cavalier Ford, and was told that the item was out of warranty. The issue is safety. The representative that I…
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon shifting the vehicle into drive, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact became aware that the vehicle responded as needed while shifted into reverse. The contact also stated that a message was displayed, alerting the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2013 Ford Escapes have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about air bags for the 2013 Ford Escape (2% of the 2,750 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 2013 Ford Escape air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 30,705 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2013 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 16 of 54 complaints, followed by “bags seat belts” (13).
Other 2013 Ford Escape problems
- Engine problems (1,265)
- Power Train problems (401)
- Electrical System problems (339)
- Steering problems (302)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (247)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (175)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (92)
- Structure problems (87)
See all 2013 Ford Escape problems or air bags problems across all Escape years.