Owners have filed 598 safety complaints about the 2012 Ford Escape with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 37 crashes, 3 fires, 26 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2012 Ford Escape, here is how reports break down by system.
"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 vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 153,000."
"Gas tank leaking fuel around the joint where the fuel filler hose connects to the tank. It is NOT leaking at the hose connection but is leaking where the fitting connects/enters the tank."
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2012 Ford Escape peaked later than usual, in 2018.
Across the Ford Escape model years we track, the 2013 has the most complaints on file (2,749); the 2012 ranks 10 of 11.
2 recalls apply to some or all 2012 Ford Escape vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
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 …
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 …
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 598 complaints about the 2012 Ford Escape with NHTSA. The most-reported system is fuel & propulsion.
The 2012 Ford Escape has 2 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2012 Ford Escape an overall crash rating of 3 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.