2012 Ford Escape Problems, Recalls & Reliability
792 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Ford Escape, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 23/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 56,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2012 sits among all Escape years
What owners report
“Recall notice received in january 2018. Parts still not available for repair to fuel intake.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Escape
“My power steering gave out while driving. Fortunately, I was going at a low speed. I researched recalls on the 2012 Ford Escape and found recalls for this same problem were only on Ford Escapes up to 2011.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Escape
“From a stopped position then excelling or while driving on highway without any warning my car will stall. And wrench will appear.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Escape
“While driving 65 on the interstate, my ford escape jumped forward and then slowly shut down. I was not able to accelerate. Thankfully i was able to make it to the side without causing an accident.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Escape
“Was informed by my mechanic that the subframe has rusted out and is a safety issue. There is also excessive rust for the car's age and level of maintenance in the rear wheel wells.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Escape
“The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle failed to shift from 2nd to 3rd without force. The contact also stated she had to depress the accelerator pedal for the vehicle to change gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Escape
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 536 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 33,450 and 92,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
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…
The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner…
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Ford Escape reliable?
The 2012 Ford Escape drew 792 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 23/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2012 Ford Escape problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Ford Escape are fuel system (163 complaints), steering (137), and engine (78).
At what mileage do 2012 Ford Escape problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Ford Escape problems around 55,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 33,450 and 92,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Ford Escape have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Ford Escape. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.