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 2016 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon reversing out of the driveway, the power steering assist failed with the "Steering Assist Fault Service required" message displayed on the instrument panel. The dealer was notified of the failure and instructed the contact to bring the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the steering angle sensor module was defective. The mechanic replaced the part and then discovered that the steering was not operating as needed. The manufacturer was notified by the dealer about the issue and the contact was informed that the gear assembly needed to be replaced. The contact reached out to the manufacturer and was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was then provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. …
Problem: The steering loss stop safety light came on as I was on the highway with a total loss of steering. (Steering locked up). Traffic of said highway was going from 4 lane to two lane with two northbound semi's as I was headed southbound. Steering locked up and pulled me into northbound lane. How the semi's missed me was a higher power looking out for me. I'm trying to figure out how to get it home as we speak. I haven't tried to have any professionals look at the car nor did I seek a police officer as I made around the semi's and they kept going. This is a terrible situation to be put in no matter if a malfunction happens it SHOULD NOT prevent me from or have the potential to completely loose control of the vehicle. I would expect Ford to help me with this situation at THEIR cost asap prior to seeking legal options. Yes warning light and bells for steering loss stop safety. …
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver became aware that the electric power steering was not functioning properly, which required the driver to increase the efforts to steer the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure had been recurring while driving. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall that did not include the year of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 122,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the power steering assist failed to function as intended, and the steering wheel was stuck while attempting to turn the steering wheel to the left or the right. There were no warning lights illuminated. The failure had progressively worsened, and it was difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the power steering system had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, AutoNation Ford Panama City (730 W 15th St, Panama City, FL 32401); who confirmed the diagnosis from the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while at a traffic light, the steering wheel locked inadvertently. The warning message "Steering Wheel Default" was displayed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure reoccurred after restarting the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under an unknown recall as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000(BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced the failure listed in the recall. Also, while operating the vehicle the steering wheel had experience severe jerking making the vehicle difficult to steer and control. The cause of the failures were not yet determined. The failure mileage was 150,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist" was displayed. The vehicle was restarted, and the message was no longer displayed, and the vehicle operated normally. Later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering message returned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. Additionally, the traction control warning light was illuminated. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 236,000.
The Power Steering Control Module failed as I was driving with my children in the car and I lost all power steering abilities. The car was taken to the dealership service department and reproduced and confirmed by the dealership. This part was replaced and it happened again 5 days after receiving the vehicle back. The Light that comes on states "Power Steering Assist Failure." this light began to happen when driving in very congested conditions and intermittently. After the repair and when the light came back on I was driving with my 4 year old in the car and completely lost power steering.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH pulling out of a parking lot, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stopped, turned off, and restarted the vehicle to attempt to reset the power steering functionality. The contact stated that the power steering functionality failed to return to normal functionality. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer. The dealer had not yet diagnosed the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering failed which made the vehicle harder to steer. The contact stated that the power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer nor an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14V284000 (Steering). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,096.
Steering complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2016 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 73 complaints about the steering of the 2016 Ford Escape, 6% of the model year's 1,162 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Ford Escape steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2016 Ford Escape, though it has 4 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 2016 Ford Escape steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles, and 32% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 0 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.