2013 Ford Escape Recall: Cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in…
NHTSA campaign 12V431000 · Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Sep 4, 2012 · verified Jul 30, 2026
The defect
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through August 31, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. The cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in significant loss of engine coolant.
The risk
As leaking engine coolant evaporates on the hot engine, the glycol may ignite causing an engine compartment fire.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →The fix — what to do
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will seal the existing plug and add a secondary plug cover, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 11, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Ford's recall campaign number is 12S39.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Affected vehicles
Related recalls
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Other campaigns involving Ford vehicles
Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 12V431000 (manufacturer number 12S39). Data last verified Jul 30, 2026.