2012 Ford Escape reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2012 Ford Escape has 599 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 40 per year. That is about even with the other Escape years here. Their median is 39 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Fuel pump and Wheel bearing.

2012 Ford Escape XLT — Photo by Cutlass, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC0

Complaints

599

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Fuel and propulsion system (137 of 599), then Steering (137) and Engine (72). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 57,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 33,100 and 95,000 miles. Those filings include 37 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 18 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Escape has 2,754 complaints, 130 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Ford Escape. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

Recall Fuel pump 2016-10-26 · NHTSA campaign 16V777000

Summary 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.

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.

Vehicles affected 329,265

Recall suspension, front, wheel bearing 2015-06-03 · NHTSA campaign 15E045000

Summary 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 vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width.

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.

Vehicles affected 576

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (599 total)

Fuel and propulsion system

137

Steering

137

Engine

Speed control

Structure

Powertrain

Electrical system

Fuel system, gasoline

Air bags

Seat belts

Service brakes

Suspension

Visibility and wipers

Latches, locks, and linkages

Visibility

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Engine and engine cooling

Seats

Hydraulic brakes

Exterior lighting

Traction control

Wheels

Adaptive and mobility equipment

Equipment

Parking brake

Tires

Show 18 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 413 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 57,000 miles. The middle half fall between 33,100 and 95,000 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"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…"
Structure · filed 2026-09-19
"No power steering hard to turn left and right"
Steering · filed 2026-05-22
"Vehicle: 2012 Ford Escape Issue: Loss of steering assist while driving While operating my vehicle, the power steering assist suddenly fails, making the steering wheel extremely difficult to turn. This creates a…"
Steering, Electrical system · filed 2026-04-30
"I was driving approximately 35mph and the steering got extremely difficult. I had to use all my strength to try to turn the wheel. I pulled into a gas station parking lot, turned the car off, restarted the car and…"
Steering · filed 2026-03-24
"The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, there was a strong fuel-like odor entering the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The…"
Fuel system, gasoline · filed 2026-01-28

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2012 Ford Escape Hev SUV 4x2	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars
2012 Ford Escape Hev SUV 4x4	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars
2012 Ford Escape SUV 4x2	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars
2012 Ford Escape SUV 4x4	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars	3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Escape all-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	All-wheel drive	20	26	23 MPG	$2800
Escape all-wheel drive flex-fuel	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	All-wheel drive	18	23	20 MPG	$3250
Escape front-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Manual 5-speed	Front-wheel drive	23	28	25 MPG	$2600
Escape front-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	21	27	23 MPG	$2800
Escape front-wheel drive flex-fuel	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	19	25	21 MPG	$3100
Escape hybrid all-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	All-wheel drive	30	27	29 MPG	$2250
Escape hybrid front-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	34	30	32 MPG	$2050

Specs and fitment

2nd generation, 2008–2012

Body styles SUV

Oil 5W-20 synthetic blend (2.5L I4 and 3.0L V6) , 5.3 qt capacity

Tire size 235/70R16, 225/65R17 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA recall 16V-777 covered certain 2010-2012 Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009 to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariners, all built with the 3.0L engine, whose fuel delivery module may crack and cause a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. Dealers replaced the fuel delivery module flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge; the campaign covered 329,265 vehicles.

Compare

Next year 2013 Ford Escape See every Ford Escape model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Ford Escape reliable?

What are common problems with a 2012 Ford Escape?

Is the 2012 Ford Escape more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Escape has 2,754 complaints, 130 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Ford Escape been recalled?

The 2012 Ford Escape has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Ford Escape?

Owners have filed 599 complaints about the 2012 Ford Escape with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Ford Escape get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Ford Escape is 24.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is my Ford Escape?

2008-2012 is the 2nd generation, 2013-2019 is the 3rd generation, and 2020-onward is the 4th generation.

Should I avoid charging my Ford Escape's high-voltage battery?

If your 2020-2024 Escape is covered by recall 24V-954, Ford advises not charging the high-voltage battery until the recall remedy has been completed.