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 2015 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 57 MPH, an abnormal sound was heard, and the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated that that the transmission failed, and the service message was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was hauled to the residence while in neutral. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired with a refurbished transmission. The contact stated that the following day after picking up the vehicle, upon starting the vehicle, the steering assist fault message was displayed before the vehicle erroneously turned off. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer who stated that the steering assist needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly started to decelerate even though the RPM was extremely elevated. There was a high-pitched whine coming from the vehicle, and the tires screeched before the vehicle came to an abrupt stop, ceasing all functions. The contact turned off the vehicle in the middle of the interstate because the vehicle could not be moved to the shoulder. A passerby assisted with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road using a push bar. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. The vehicle was restarted, and the message "Transmission Fault - Service Immediately" was displayed, followed by the check engine warning light becoming illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was started, and attempting to turn the steering wheel, the steering wheel was stiff and failed to move as needed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was advised to warm up the vehicle and after 15 mins the steering wheel should unlock. The vehicle was then taken to the residence and parked. The contact stated that the following day after the vehicle had warmed up for 25 minutes, the steering wheel unlocked; however, while accelerating, the steering wheel started shaking abnormally. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,266.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist with the Steering Assist Fault message displayed. The contact's daughter pulled over and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering assist was faulty and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to reverse out of the garage, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the "Steering Service Required" message was displayed. The contact stated turned off and restarted the vehicle and the steering returned to normal operation. The contact stated that several days afterwards while exiting a parking space, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,841.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering assembly gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact did research and discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V250000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing in the driveway, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle worked as designed. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering gear needed to be replaced. The part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 37,179.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 35 mph, the power steering had failed, and the steering wheel was stiff and difficult to turn. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact's wife parked the vehicle in a parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Electric power steering intermittently loses communication with module. It's very dangerous. Just driving straight down the road or making a turn it cuts out and it's like a ghost grabs the wheels and jerks you off the road or into oncoming traffic. I've hit guardrails and many curbs, luckily no oncoming traffic. This should be a serious recall if I've ever seen one. One of the most dangerous malfunctions I've ever experienced and I'm a technician.
The contact's wife owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel became firm. The contact observed a communication power assist failure message on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,600.
Steering complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2015 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 81 complaints about the steering of the 2015 Ford Escape, 7% of the model year's 1,125 complaints. The component named most often is column (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Ford Escape steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2015 Ford Escape, though it has 9 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 2015 Ford Escape steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 47,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 2 fires and 2 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.