NHTSA Closes 2013 Ford Escape Investigation

As Ford Authority reported back in 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) previously opened an investigation into select 2013 Ford Escape models after it received 40 complaints that the vehicle stalled suddenly while owners were driving it. This reportedly stemmed from the turbocharged 1.6L powerplant used in those crossovers, which was overheating, impacting a total of 139,408 vehicles. Now, however, the NHTSA has opted to close this investigation, over six years later.

The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 173 total complaints pertaining to this issue with 2013 Ford Escape crossovers, with five reported fires, though no crashes have occurred as a result. During the course of its investigation, the ODI looked back to a recall issued by The Blue Oval in November 2013, in which it recalled all 2013 Ford Escape models equipped with the 1.6L engine to address cylinder head cracks that were causing leaks and possible fires. Ford instructed dealers to rectify this problem in a variety of ways, including by recalibrating the powertrain calibration module and the instrument cluster system, which would warn the driver in the event that coolant levels were low and limiting power if that was the case.

After the NHTSA opened its investigation into the matter, Ford maintained that this particular problem was adequately addressed by the recall, adding that it has not identified any further defect in the cooling system. ODI verified this information by reviewing thousands of vehicles related to the investigation, and discovered that many filling complaints were experiencing issues unrelated to the recall. As such, it has chosen to close the investigation, but as always, the NHTSA reserves the right to reopen it if warranted.

As Ford Authority reported last month, the NHTSA issued a consent order to Ford for failing to comply with federal recall requirements over its rearview camera woes, which includes a civil penalty of $165 million – the second-largest ever issued by the agency, behind only Takata’s air bag consent order. This move comes after the NHTSA completed its investigation into Ford and found that it failed to recall vehicles equipped with faulty rearview cameras in a timely manner, and also, noted that the automaker didn’t provide accurate and complete recall information required by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.