Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 8% | — |
| 2022 | 6 | 3% | — |
| 2021 | 4 | 1% | 14,000 miles |
| 2020 | 18 | 1% | 17,000 miles |
| 2019 | 16 | 3% | 38,000 miles |
| 2018 | 32 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2017 | 49 | 2% | 46,000 miles |
| 2016 | 73 | 6% | 42,000 miles |
| 2015 | 81 | 7% | 47,000 miles |
| 2014 | 151 | 7% | 64,000 miles |
| 2013 | 302 | 11% | 81,000 miles |
| 2012 | 140 | 23% | 100,000 miles |
| 2011 | 411 | 31% | 110,000 miles |
| 2010 | 423 | 20% | 114,000 miles |
| 2009 | 828 | 49% | 121,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1,127 | 57% | 116,000 miles |
| 2007 | 15 | 6% | 49,000 miles |
| 2006 | 20 | 4% | 85,000 miles |
| 2005 | 49 | 4% | 115,000 miles |
| 2004 | 26 | 5% | 101,000 miles |
| 2003 | 44 | 8% | 104,000 miles |
| 2002 | 70 | 7% | 91,000 miles |
| 2001 | 58 | 6% | 78,000 miles |
| 2000 | 1 | 20% | 123,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Excessive bilateral play/backlash in the steering rack unit was identified by a 3rd party repair organization. Ball-joint wear was ruled out and the problem suspected to be caused by internal wear of mechanical restraints. Third party mechanic advised that the car was unsafe to drive due to possible uncontrolled loss of steering function and that corrective action by the manufacturer was required. Vehicle was subsequently towed to Big Valley Ford where the dealership confirmed the initial diagnosis: "Upon inspection found play - severe internal play in rack". Normal vehicle use was not considered a causal factor of the defect on the vehicle with only 73,394miles. No warning messages were displayed to indicate the problem but front-end noise was noted while operating the vehicle.
The steering rack and gear went completely while we were driving 60mph on the highway. We had absolutely no steering all of a sudden and ended up missing a cliff and veering/driving 40 feet into a pasture at 60mph. No warning lights came on, the steering wheel pulled for a minute and then went completely loose with no steering. We had the vehicle towed. Steering rack and gear are completely out and the car is sitting a Ford dealership, they are the ones that did the diagnostics on it and told us what had happened. The dealership says they have never repaired or ordered this part before. This is a dangerous situation that should not have happened and obviously is a manufacturing/vehicle issue
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was veering to the right independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where both the rear shock absorbers and the front passenger's side tie rod were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 60 MPH and at higher speeds, the front end of the vehicle was vibrating. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle while parked, she opened the hood and noticed that the engine was vibrating significantly while running. The contact stated that she also noticed a black stain on the engine. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer Casco Bay Ford1 (213 US-1, Yarmouth, ME 04096), and to a third dealer Rowe Ford Sales (91 Main St, Westbrook, ME 04092), where the contact was informed that the engine was operating as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
We bought a new 2021 Ford Escape and within 2 weeks I noticed the steering would occasionally lock up for a few seconds when making a turn. It got worse over the week and at one turn I had to force the wheel back by using both hands on one side of the wheel causing a grinding sound. I would have driven up onto the sidewalk if I couldn't get it to come back. Brought it to the dealer's service center and was told by the service manager "this is a known issue (something in the steering column disintegrating) and they had fixed this same issue plenty of times before. The have changed the design of the steering column, but did not know if this car had one of the old steering columns or the new ones." There was no warning what-so-ever. I question if this was a known issue, why was there no recall and why wasn't this checked before the car was sold. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to steer in the intended direction, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with metal debris on the rear brake magnet on the rear brakes. The contact was informed that the debris needed to be removed from the magnet of the rear brakes. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 19,185.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the ABS and Traction Control warning messages had been displayed and the power steering had failed causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in each direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the steering column was faulty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failures but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 16,900.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power when the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was parked, the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into cylinder #3, which caused the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 43,334.
The contact owns a 2019 Escape. The contact stated that soon after start of the vehicle, the power steering failed to operate as the "power steering assist, system malfunction" warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact's husband arrived at the scene of the failure and managed to drive the vehicle home. Two days later, her husband used excessive effort to drive the vehicle to the dealer where a diagnostic test determined that the rack and pinion had caused of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was given a case number. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
Related recalls (2)
Steering › Electric power assist system
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge.
Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. These vehicles May have a mis-assembled or incorrectly manufactured nut that attaches the steering wheel assembly to the steering column. The nut could be upside down in the steering wheel assembly, which could overstress the steering column shaft when the nut is tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering wheel retention armature and, if necessary, the steering column to correct this condition.
NHTSA investigations
Loss of power steering while driving
On May 27, 2014, amended June 2, 2014, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect that may result in a sudden loss of power steering assist while driving in approximately 746,067 model year (MY) 2008 through 2011 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with electric power assisted steering (NHTSA 14V-284, Ford 14S05).
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Escape years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (1,127), 2009 (828), 2010 (423), 2011 (411) and 2013 (302) model years. Steering complaints make up 57% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Ford Escape steering problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 14V-284 (electric power assist system, May 29, 2014); 00V223001 (steering wheel/handle bar, Aug 8, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Escape steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 106,000 miles; 13% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the hydraulic power assist system (34 mentions), followed by the column (31).
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.