This page covers 1 recall, 612 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2012 Ford Escape.
23–32 mpg combined
7.4–10.2 L/100km
Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 5 tested variants for this model year.
3/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Steering is the dominant complaint pattern for the 2012 Ford Escape, with owners frequently describing sudden loss of electric power steering assist while driving. The steering wheel becomes very hard to turn without warning, typically at low to moderate speeds, and in many cases normal assist returns after the vehicle is shut off and restarted. Some owners report the issue occurring repeatedly. The fuel and propulsion system is the second most-reported area, where owners commonly describe a strong fuel smell inside or around the vehicle, often noticed after refueling or while the engine is running. A smaller but consistent group of powertrain complaints rounds out the picture, covering a range of drivability concerns. The intermittent steering loss, hard to replicate for diagnosis and sometimes leaving no stored codes, is the thread that runs most consistently through this complaint set.
612
Total Complaints
40
Crash-Related
3
Fire-Related
19
With Injuries
By System
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel delivery module may crack on certain 2010-2012 Ford Escape and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles with 3.0L engines, causing fuel to leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel delivery module flange with a redesigned version that prevents leaks.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
