Ford Escape Steering problems
47 of the 5,144 complaints about the Ford Escape (0.9%) concern Steering, making it the model's #11 problem area. That share is 0.1× the Steering share across all tracked vehicles.
Analysis
By model year, Steering complaints peak with the 2018 model (23, 1% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2021 model (2). 8 Steering complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
Owners most often describe: “steering”, “assist”, “wheel”, “rack” and “power”. 4 of these reports (8.5%) describe a crash or fire, with 1 injury and 0 deaths mentioned.
No recall campaign addresses Steering for the tracked model years.
By model year
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 8 · Previous 12 months: 9
Common terms in reports
- steering37
- assist16
- wheel20
- rack9
- power19
- warning24
What owners report
The contact owned a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 12 MPH while approaching a speed bump, the vehicle lost the power steering and the hill assist warning light illuminated.
pscm loss of power steering pulling into drive way minor damage to right fronty fender and bumper if this happened at highway speed on a curve it could been fatal took to dealer they replaced the steering column so far denied repair to bumper and fender there…
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.
My husband bought a 2018 Ford Escape and he took it back to the dealer because it was speeding up when he did not touch the gas and it was veering off the road.
The incident occurred while my 2008 Allegro Bus was towing my 2022 Ford Escape PHEV. Incident occurred on Sunday, 21 Jun 2026 about a mile from my home.
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.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
No recall campaign addresses Steering for the tracked model years.
Problem areas · Ford Escape
Frequently asked questions
How common are Steering problems on the Ford Escape?
47 of the 5,144 complaints about the Ford Escape (0.9%) concern Steering, making it the model's #11 problem area. That share is 0.1× the Steering share across all tracked vehicles.
Which Ford Escape model years have the most Steering complaints?
By model year, Steering complaints peak with the 2018 model (23, 1% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2021 model (2).
Is there a recall for Ford Escape Steering problems?
No recall campaign addresses Steering for the tracked model years.