Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The front passenger side lower control arm failed while my son was driving the vehicle. He was going straight, and the right front side just buckled under while he was in motion. Luckily he wasn't on a heavily-traveled road when it happened, because there would have been a serious accident. The vehicle, although it is a 2003 Ford Escape, is not part of recall #14s02. Why, I don't know? No one at Ford can explain this to me, as it is exactly what has been happening with this make and model/year. We had it repaired at great cost to us, with exactly the parts/labor that Ford had been describing in the recall. Our mechanic even got the replacement crossmember from Ford! Ford themselves wanted nothing to do with the repair. …
A recall on our Ford Escape was performed last August.the recall was for rusted frame/cradle area that holds front suspension together.at the time of the recall I informed the dealer that the cradle was weak and very rusty over and above any other rust on car.the dealer installed a brace between the two rails of the frame and told me that was the extent of the recall.the other day while driving the cradle gave out and the engine,the steering gear dropped down a few inches rendering the car undriveable.I was able to maintain control and get it to the dealership. I was told they are only responsible for the brace not the weak cradle. I guess my question is how can this recall stop anyone from a wreck or damage when the entire cradle is affected by this problem. This recall had to be approved by someone im sure. …
When pulling out of my parking spot my car steering itself sharply. I pulled the wheel back to straight. As I was doing this, I heard a crack. I have been hearing similar cracks in the past months when I go over bumps at slow speeds. I came upon recall #14s02. I brought my car to Apple Ford in Apple valley, mn to get my brace installed. My tech said the cars sub frame failed inspection. The frame was so bad you could stick a pen though it. He submitted photos to Ford motor company to get a new frame approved. Ford denied the repair as the sub frame is not broken all the way through. This fix is on the customer for $2200. I cannot pay that. I asked, since my frame was so bad if it was safe? It was recommended I stay off the highway, or stay under 60 MPH. This is not a solution. I don't feel safe in my car anymore. …
While driving, the front right tire felt like it was going to fall off the vehicle. I took it to my mechanic who stated that the sub-frame was cracked and Ford had a recall in place. I had it towed to the nearest Ford dealership who stated that it would be covered under the recall. Instead, they put a cross-bar on the cracked sub frame because they determined it was "not broken" only "cracked". The sub frame had "rusted and corroded" due to Ford's own admittance of "faulty parts". I asked if the vehicle was safe and they stated "no". I asked if the vehicle would pass inspection and again they stated "no". I asked if this was a "bandaid" that they put on to make themselves feel better about the fact that anyone operating the vehicle could lose total control. I asked to speak to a manager, who told me there was nothing he could do. …
My vehicle was serviced for the Ford recall # 14s02 and a cross brace was installed. The recall was due to a subframe corroding away in some parts of the us including my region. My complaint is that Ford did not correctly fix this problem with their cross brace. They simply bolted a cross brace from one side of the frame to the other and it does nothing when the subframe actually corrodes away. I was lucky to not get in an accident a week ago when my frame that has the cross bar installed finally gave way and my front passenger side control arm completely separated from the cross brace and subframe that has corroded to nothing. Ford has claimed that since the recall work has already been done there is nothing more they can do. I think the NHTSA should investigate and make Ford actually fix this problem before someone gets seriously hurt. …
Had my 2003 Escape in to the dealer for a wheel bearing problem, while it was in the shop they did the open recall 14s02 sub frame brace installation. Drove the car 2 times. The wife decided to drive to the store on a 3rd time and called me to say car was pulling hard to the passenger side. After getting the car home I remove the passenger front tire thinking that we had a sticking brake caliper and could see right away that the sub frame had ripped apart right where the lower control arm bolts up. After more investigation and many photos it appears to me that the bolt that was used to install the brace per the recall has cause the upper part of the frame to rip apart from the lower part (split it open) there is significant rust on the frame but this really looks like the bandaid caused a bigger problem. …
I was driving home from work on a highway(60mph) when my steering became loose, weaving left and right. Had to slow down to 20mph until I got home. The vehicle was inspected, found that the passenger side subframe had broken in 2. Ford is recalling 385,762 2001-'04 Ford Escape suvs because a rust problem May cause the lower control arm to separate, potentially resulting in diminished steering control. Ford dealers will install a reinforcement crossbrace on the affected escapes. The subframe has broken apart due to the corrosion, and it's unsafe to drive. Since Ford is aware of this, they should have both subframe replace as a recall and not adding a crossbar as a recall. Currently the vehicle is parked on my driveway. The estimated cost to repair was too costly.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. While driving 50 MPH, the vehicle was unstable and there was loss of steering control. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer (arlington heights Ford located at 801 w dundee rd arlington heights, il 60004, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was cracked. The vehicle was repaired with a brace. Two months later, the vehicle was towed to a local dealer (fox Ford Lincoln located at 2501 n elston ave chicago, il 60647 [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened case numbers: casdash12577845 and cas12593478. The failure mileage was 96,000.
My daughter was driving at a slow rate of speed and the front wheel fell off the truck. There had been a recall on this part and we had the service completed. Ford added a cross member to the part as the parts were rusting. This was done within the year. The truck is now at a Ford dealership and the Ford motor company refuses to pay for the repair. I am grateful that my daughter was not hurt however this is the second time this wheel has fallen off. A year earlier during a service visit a Ford certified mechanic forgot to put a bolt back on. That dealership did pay to have the truck repaired and apologized. Again it was fortunate that my daughter was not hurt.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 30 MPH and making a left turn, the vehicle failed to cooperate as the contact attempted to steer forward. The failure caused her to drive off the road and down an embankment, where she crashed into a tree. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. The manufacturer advised the contact to leave the vehicle at the body shop and stated that they would investigate the failure. The contact was badly bruised from the crash. A police report was filed. The contact has pictures of the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 99,700.
Steering complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2003 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 44 complaints about the steering of the 2003 Ford Escape, 8% of the model year's 558 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Escape steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2003 Ford Escape, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Escape steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 104,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.