Does top tier gasoline detergent actually remove carbon deposits? I have a 2023 ford escape.
If you have a direct injection engine then no gasoline will remove carbon deposits from the intake valves.
The EPA has a minimum standard for detergents in gasoline. They won't tell you what exactly is in the gas that would make it special. They hide behind the convenient "trade secret."
If your Escape is powered by an EcoBoost engine, you will eventually need to carbon clean your engine, regardless of the kind of gas you use. That engine sprays fuel directly into the combustion chambers, and bypasses the intake valves. Normal fuel injection routes fuel over the intake valves and helps keep deposits in check.
Spray this into your engine every once in a while: https://www.autozone.com/fuel-and-engine-cleaners-additives/intake-valve-cleaner/p/crc-gdi-intake-valve-cleaner-11oz/461563_0_0?spps.s=4537&cmpid=LIA%3AUS%3AEN%3AAD%3ANL%3A1000000%3APER%3A19488533498&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_5j5tpi0igMVTEr_AR36DjdUEAQYASABEgKnA_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&new_store_set=true
My wife has a 2017 EcoBoost Mustang and she's never had an issue with the engine itself. The EVAP crap on the other and is just that-crap. Her check engine light comes on all the time due to Ford being cheap on its EVAP-related parts.