Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
We have a 2002 Escort zx2 . The car was bought February 2002 . I have had some real problems with the tie -rods having to be replaced. But the problem now is the wiring to the tail lights. We have had a few problems with the fuse blowing and we replace it , then the light bulbs blow then we replace them . We had a mechanic look into the problem this time and he has found that the wiring harness and the reflector are melted. The problem is we have tail lights working with no brake lights or cruise control . Upon the removal of the bulbs the bulbs had gotten so hot the light bulbs had holes in them but still worked as brake lights . This is a safety issue with young children in the rear seat closest to the electrical problem.
The alarm system goes off without anything getting near the vehicle. It has been in the shop at least 4 times now the alarm wont go off at all. There was a popping noise underneath the vehicle which was caused by the brake clips coming off brake chambers. The dealership damaged my vehicle when it was in for service. 2 dents on drivers side and a scratch on the drivers door. The Goodyear tires had a belt broken in the right rear, they installed a wheel bearing, hub kits and a safety vibration harness but the tire still made the same noise. Then they rotated the tire to the passenger front. I had to literally pitch a fit to get them to change the tires and replace the defective tires. I finally told them I was not taking the car off the lot so they got me a rental at that point. Well there is still a popping noise when you turn the steering wheel and the alarm wont go off now. …
While driving the steering bolt became loose which caused the steering wheel to jump around. This made it difficult for the consumer to steer the vehicle. When at a stop light or at idle, the vehicle would vibrate badly and the consumer had to place the vehicle in neutral. When the windows were half way down, they would rattle terribly. The consumer was concerned they May shatter. The headlights bounced around at night, on the vehicle in front of the consumer and had been confronted about the distraction. Ford said it was normal. The vehicle had been in for the vibration since purchase. The motor mounts in the vehicle were changed for a second time.
While driving 40 MPH steering failed, vehicle hit guardrail. Consumer is awaiting for Ford inspector to inspect vehicle, however no response from home office as of yet, consumer states possible problem with rack and pinion, one person was injured in the accident.
Transmission went out. The car had 2400 miles on it when I bought it. It should have been been pre owned. They sold it to me saying it was new but someone else put 2400 miles on it. Now I fell thats the reason why my transmission failed prematureley. Ford has denied me a awa because they said I'm not a loyal customer just because I got my transmission serviced somewhere else. Thank you for hearing me out please e-mail/call me at any time to tell me what steps I could take to have Ford pay some/all of the cost of repair to my transmission. Thanks again, keon walker
While driving about 30 MPH power steering went out. Dealer found serpentine belt had snapped, causing bracket to water pump housing to break. Tension rod and waterpump housing were replaced at cosnumer's cost.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 20mph, the steering wheel locked, the vehicle crashed and the air bags deployed but did not inflate. The vehicle proceeded to crash into 2 parked cars. Injuries were sustained to the driver and passenger's hands, back and feet. Both occupants were wearing seat belts. The police responded and provided a written report. The insurance company inspected and deemed the vehicle totaled. There was additional property damage to the parked vehicles.
I bought this 1999 Escort from a dealer. It was used with around 20K miles on it. I made the dealer change out the tie rod ends before I took it because I noticed they were bad. The car now has 54K miles on it and the passenger side tie rod end failed causing the car to skid and turn into oncoming traffic. Due to a quick-reacting oncoming driver, no accident happened. However, this could have LED to a serious accident and possibly deaths. The tow truck driver said that whenever he gets a call for a failed tie-rod, its an Escort. This was definitely changed too. I checked it myself after the dealer did them. Therefore the tie rod ends only lasted for around 35K miles before extreme failure occurred. Something has to be wrong with the steering/suspension design in this model car. Every other car I have owned I've driven into the 100K mile range and still no problems with the tie rod ends. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Escort years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1997 (22), 1995 (19), 1998 (17), 1999 (16) and 1996 (10) model years. Steering complaints make up 4% of all complaints for the 1997.
Is there a recall for Ford Escort steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for any Ford Escort model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Escort steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the linkages › tie rod assembly (27 mentions), followed by the steering wheel/handle bar (18).
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.