2012 FORD ESCAPE — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 611 complaints · 2 recalls
Most-reported system: FUEL SYSTEM (140 complaints · 22.9%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 40
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 28
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2011 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution FUEL SYSTEM appears in 140 of 611 owner complaints (22.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. FUEL SYSTEM: 140 complaints, 22.9% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 140 · 22.9% · 1 fire reports STEERING: 128 complaints, 21.0% of reports STEERING 128 · 21.0% · 2 crash reports POWER TRAIN: 53 complaints, 8.7% of reports POWER TRAIN 53 · 8.7% · 3 crash reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 51 complaints, 8.3% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 51 · 8.3% · 7 crash reports STRUCTURE: 49 complaints, 8.0% of reports STRUCTURE 49 · 8.0% · 2 crash reports 1 fire reports ENGINE: 36 complaints, 5.9% of reports ENGINE 36 · 5.9% · 2 crash reports AIR BAGS: 19 complaints, 3.1% of reports AIR BAGS 19 · 3.1% · 16 crash reports 1 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 19 complaints, 3.1% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 19 · 3.1% VISIBILITY: 19 complaints, 3.1% of reports VISIBILITY 19 · 3.1% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 140 complaints, 22.9% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 140 · 22.9% · 6 crash reports 1 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
FUEL SYSTEM 140 22.9% 0 crashes · 1 fires
STEERING 128 21.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 53 8.7% 3 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 51 8.3% 7 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 49 8.0% 2 crashes · 1 fires
ENGINE 36 5.9% 2 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 19 3.1% 16 crashes · 1 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 19 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VISIBILITY 19 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 140 22.9% 6 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2011; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 2015. 2011-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2013-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2013-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2013-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2013-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2014-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2014-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2014-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2014-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2015-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2015-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2015-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2016-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2016-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2016-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2017-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2017-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2017-Q3: 21 owner reports 21 2017-Q4: 20 owner reports 20 2018-Q1: 40 owner reports 40 2018-Q2: 41 owner reports 41 2018-Q3: 16 owner reports 16 2018-Q4: 25 owner reports 25 2019-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2019-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2019-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2020-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2020-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2021-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2021-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2021-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2022-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2022-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2023-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2023-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2024-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2025-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2025-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 Owner reports Oct 2011 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 15E045000 ◆ Recall campaign 15E045000 Recall campaign 16V777000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V777000 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation PE13003 ● Investigation PE13003 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005
  • Campaign 15E045000 was reported 789 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V777000 was reported 1,474 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q4 Owner reports 2
2012-Q1 Owner reports 5
2012-Q2 Owner reports 3
2012-Q3 Owner reports 3
2012-Q4 Owner reports 11
2013-Q1 Owner reports 11
2013-Q2 Owner reports 16
2013-Q3 Owner reports 15
2013-Q4 Owner reports 10
2014-Q1 Owner reports 9
2014-Q2 Owner reports 12
2014-Q3 Owner reports 15
2014-Q4 Owner reports 11
2015-Q1 Owner reports 10
2015-Q2 Owner reports 13
2015-Q3 Owner reports 10
2015-Q4 Owner reports 12
2016-Q1 Owner reports 9
2016-Q2 Owner reports 10
2016-Q3 Owner reports 15
2016-Q4 Owner reports 16
2017-Q1 Owner reports 15
2017-Q2 Owner reports 17
2017-Q3 Owner reports 21
2017-Q4 Owner reports 20
2018-Q1 Owner reports 40
2018-Q2 Owner reports 41
2018-Q3 Owner reports 16
2018-Q4 Owner reports 25
2019-Q1 Owner reports 9
2019-Q2 Owner reports 17
2019-Q3 Owner reports 12
2019-Q4 Owner reports 14
2020-Q1 Owner reports 5
2020-Q2 Owner reports 6
2020-Q3 Owner reports 5
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q1 Owner reports 11
2021-Q2 Owner reports 8
2021-Q3 Owner reports 8
2021-Q4 Owner reports 9
2022-Q1 Owner reports 2
2022-Q2 Owner reports 5
2022-Q3 Owner reports 6
2022-Q4 Owner reports 6
2023-Q1 Owner reports 7
2023-Q2 Owner reports 10
2023-Q3 Owner reports 4
2023-Q4 Owner reports 5
2024-Q1 Owner reports 8
2024-Q2 Owner reports 3
2024-Q3 Owner reports 5
2024-Q4 Owner reports 3
2025-Q1 Owner reports 5
2025-Q2 Owner reports 4
2025-Q3 Owner reports 7
2025-Q4 Owner reports 5
2026-Q1 Owner reports 3
2026-Q2 Owner reports 2
Recall campaign 1 15E045000
Recall campaign 1 16V777000
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 PE13003
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (2)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15E045000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V777000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 611 complaints · page 1 of 25

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources