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 2014 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where they repaired the bushing shifter cable. The failure recurred and the steering wheel became stiff. Additionally, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately causing the contact the steering wheel became stiff. Additionally, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately causing the contact to side swiped another vehicle. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
The power steering assist has begun to randomly stop working. It has happened 3 times. The first time it happened was as soon as I started the car to move it. I turned the car off and turned it back on and it worked. 5 starts later the same problem occurred and I was able to restart the car and it worked. Approximately 7 starts after that the power steering assist stopped working again, but this time it was not as soon as the vehicle was started. This time it went out mid turn as I began turning onto the road. Each time the warning came up on the dash after the steering became difficult. The power steering assist randomly going out while driving puts the safety of myself, my passengers, and other cars at risk for a crash from the sudden change in ability to steer the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the transmission shifted hard from third and fourth gear, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion, the contact stated that while pulling out of a gas station, the steering wheel became stiff. The vehicle was shifted into reverse and steered out of the spot by a gentleman passing by. He steering wheel was adjusted and placed in the vehicle was shifted into drive(D). The contact also stated that the "Steering Assist Fault - Service Required" message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked. The "Steering Assist Fault" message was displayed. The contact stated that as he turned off and restarted the vehicle, the message was no longer displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the mechanic was unable duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred several times. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the warning message remained displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact they could not assist as the VIN was not included in a recall related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
The contact's daughter owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the battery was drained. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at 35 MPH, the power steering became inoperable. The driver pulled over, turned the steering wheel to the right, and turned on the flasher. The power steering and engine warning lights became illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that there was no recall coverage for the vehicle and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH and making a left turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact pulled over without power steering assist and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted, and the power steering functionality resumed. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had occurred three times. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving various speeds, excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle with the steering assist fault service required warning message illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer and the mechanic performed a steering gear update on the vehicle. Recently, the contact stated that after reversing out of her driveway, the failure returned as the same warning message reappeared on the instrument panel. Upon restart, the vehicle resumed normal operation; however, the failure would intermittently occur while driving at various speeds. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an electrical buzzing sound coming from the steering column while turning the steering wheel in either direction. The contact stated that later while driving approximately 10 MPH, the message "Power Steering Off" was displayed and the steering wheel became difficult to turn, causing the vehicle to drive into the opposite lane while oncoming traffic was approaching. The vehicle was later examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the steering rack was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 154,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon backing out of a parking space, the power steering assist failed with an unknown warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and resumed normal driving operation. A few days later, the contact stated that while at a complete stop, the failure returned with the "power steering assist, service required" warning message on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where she was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle lost power steering functionality after starting the vehicle. The contact stated that after a few miles the power steering regained functionality, however, the failure was ongoing. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated and a "steering fault, service soon" message was displayed. The warning lights would turn off after several minutes however, the power steering functionality was not available. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Steering complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2014 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 151 complaints about the steering of the 2014 Ford Escape, 7% of the model year's 2,089 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Ford Escape steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2014 Ford Escape, though it has 16 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 2014 Ford Escape steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries 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.