$13k is the price, and it’s about the best option I’ve found near me. I know about the coolant and transmission issues, and during the first test drive when it was still cold, it felt like it was trying to lurch. I’m worried it could be a ticking time bomb, but I’m not sure if it’s actually a decent deal or if I should pass.
Honestly, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I work at an independent shop, and we see a lot of Escapes from 2013-2019. Most of them have issues like coolant intrusion, coolant bypass hose failures, coolant temp sensor problems, transmission faults, vacuum pump failures, and turbo seal failures. The older generation might not look as nice, but they’re way more reliable.
@Zander
I really appreciate the honest feedback. I’ve had a bad feeling about it since that lurching happened. The problem is, I’m in a tough spot. Everything else in my price range is either falling apart, FWD (I need 4WD), or just way too expensive. I’ll keep searching and hope I can find something better.
They do have their share of issues, but remember, you mostly hear the bad stories. Ford sold a ton of these, so keep that in mind. I’ve got a 2014 Escape, and it’s been mostly fine with 120k miles. I think you could reasonably expect another 40-50k miles out of it. The engine and turbo have some quirks, which might explain the lurching. You’ll get used to it—I actually kind of like it now.