FaultScore

Ford Escape Hybrid steering problems

278 of the 2,267 complaints filed about the Ford Escape Hybrid are about the steering — 12% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2008.

278

Complaints

12%

Share of all complaints

4

Crashes

0

Fires

Steering complaints by model year

Median failure at 77,112 miles

Median failure at 108,500 miles

Median failure at 136,000 miles

2008 Escape Hybrid 111 39.9%

Median failure at 116,742 miles

Median failure at 105,000 miles

Median failure at 125,006 miles

Median failure at 84,763 miles

Median failure at 28,611 miles

What owners said

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Indianapolis, IN

STEERING

Car steering torque sensor not working properly causing power steering assist to be lost compromising electric power steering (eps) assist and increasing the risk of an accident. Ford has a recall 14S05/2014-193, but they are saying my car is not included on this recall at this time although it is exactly the same issue I am having now.

NHTSA complaint #11753983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Ford Escape Hybrid Huntington Beach CA, CA

STEERING

The steering wheel locked in one position i pulled over shut off the car restarted and the steering wheel started working again. Is their a recall on my 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid with this problem. This scared me to death I got lucky and the road was straight and I was able to stop the car. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11747578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Ford Escape Hybrid at 130,000 miles San Leandro, CA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while 65 MPH on the freeway, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the power steering assist failed to operate. The contact stated that after turning off and restarting the vehicle, the power steering functionality returned; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the steering control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacture was made of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was transferred by the manufacturer to NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #11655186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid at 260,000 miles Rock Island, WA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 8 MPH, the steering wheel failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The steering wheel ceased to function; however, the contact was able to make a full turn of the steering wheel, and the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact was able to regain power steering functionality. The vehicle was taken to two separate independent mechanics and the contact was informed that the steering wheel module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact had the same failure three times within a month. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where the steering module was reprogrammed; however, the dealer was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 260,000.

NHTSA complaint #11647669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid at 290,000 miles New York, NY

STEERING

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH and making a left turn, the steering wheel became stiff and made a hard right and the vehicle jumped the curb. The brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle came to a stop. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to steer correctly, and the steering wheel needed to be held with added force. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the residence where the torque sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 290,000.

NHTSA complaint #11646314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid at 120,000 miles Albuquerque, NM

STEERING

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving in a parking lot at 15 MPH, the steering wheel became inoperable. The steering wheel was difficult to turn. The power steering assist failure warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The local dealer and an independent mechanic were contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA complaint #11638819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid at 143,000 miles Lemont, IL

STEERING

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn with the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,000.

NHTSA complaint #11631505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid at 207,000 miles Rogers, AR

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started and was still in park(P) in the driveway, the steering wheel failed to turn and seemed to be seized. The contact stated that the "Power Steering Assist" warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) recall repair had been completed in 2014 and that he had to pay to for Electronic Power Steering Assist repair out of pocket. The contact stated that he was the second owner of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 207,000.

NHTSA complaint #11621971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Brentwood, CA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed as a failure with the electric power steering assist. The contact was informed that the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11602797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid at 190,000 miles Duquesne, PA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH and making a left turn, the steering wheel suddenly became difficult to turn. The vehicle was later taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 190,000.

NHTSA complaint #11597952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Ford Escape Hybrid at 75,000 miles Canyon Country, CA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle experienced electrical power steering failure. The check engine and brake system light warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring for several years. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the torque sensor and the steering column assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA complaint #11592216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Ford Escape Hybrid Orlando, FL

STEERING

Driving the 2020 Ford Escape it completely shut down during a rain storm requiring us to pull off the main road coasting to a stop. Very concerned with the fact that The emergency flashers did not function and the rest of the dash and LCD panel went black. After 20 minutes I was able to get the vehicle started but the check engine light was illuminated and I was able to drive the 1/2 mile home. The car is in our driveway and I have a service appointment on 3/6. With this potential problem in place I do not want to drive it if it will shut down in the middle of the interstate highway.

NHTSA complaint #11575191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid at 185,000 miles Woodland, MI

STEERING

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH, the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The contact stated while starting the vehicle later that day, the power steering was no longer functional, and the message was displayed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

NHTSA complaint #11573131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Ford Escape Hybrid East Lansing, MI

STEERING

I purchased the vehicle brand new in February 2020 and it has had persistent battery/electrical issues. In May 2022 the battery was malfunctioning and I was driving it to the dealership to be examined and it completely died while I was driving. The electrical system failed while I was driving. I have had the battery replaced at least 3 times in less than 4 years and, despite the battery being replaced less than a year ago, it needs to be replaced again. Ford is not willing to cover the replacement battery despite it being less than 1 year ago. Ford is not standing by their vehicle and refusing to accommodate the repeated battery issues, including catastrophic failure while driving.

NHTSA complaint #11564186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid at 202,000 miles Muskegon Heights, MI

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the "Power Steering Failure" message displayed, and the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who determined that the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 202,000.

NHTSA complaint #11559685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid at 130,000 miles San Jose, CA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that she was able to continue driving by using physical strength to steer the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked at the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer and to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #11558435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Cathedral City, CA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping between gears, and there was a significant delay while shifting into third gear. Additionally, the contact stated that when turning the steering wheel while driving, the vehicle failed to respond immediately and responded with a significant delay. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more frequently while driving. The contact related the failures to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V284000 (Steering) and 15V606000 (Power Train). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11557120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Ford Escape Hybrid San Antonio, TX

STEERING

Vehicle lost power steering and acceleration in the middle of a busy intersection

NHTSA complaint #11544964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid at 270,000 miles Henderson, NV

STEERING

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while stopped, the steering wheel started shaking abnormally. The vehicle then lost power steering functionality. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the power steering control module was reset; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the vehicle was experiencing similar failure as in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) and advised the contact to reach out to the dealer. The dealer was contacted, and the dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer also stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 270,000.

NHTSA complaint #11509400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Ford Escape Hybrid Sherman Oaks, CA

STEERING

I bought this car in June 2022 brand new. This morning I received an alert on my phone from Ford saying that my car is in "Deep Sleep" mode to conserve battery energy and my remote features including start/stop and lock/unlock. I went to my car and I could not get into my car and it did not start. When I contacted the dealership, Vista Ford in Woodland Hills, CA, they informed me that this is a feature on the car, and that if the car is not driven within 48 hours, the car will go into Deep Sleep. I drove the car the night before, not even 8 hours prior so I do not understand why this happened. I manually used my key from the fob to get into my car, and asked the sales manager to assist me on how to start the car. He said I had to set the fob in the middle console and push the start button. It did not work. I had to call AAA to come and jump my brand new car to start. This is putting me at risk and this car is not safe to drive because it goes into this deep sleep mode and does not start. The dealership said the first available appointment was not until 3/08/23 which is in about two weeks. I hope the factory is able to disable this deep sleep mode. It is unsafe to have a car that does not start and you cannot get into your vehicle. I already had a recall for the cooling of the engine, now my car will not start, and I can't get into it, what's next?

NHTSA complaint #11508957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford Escape Hybrid problems