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2011 Ford Escape Gas
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
1,312 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 18, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Steering problems dominate (31% of complaints, typically reported near 85k miles).
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#161 of 311Among the 2011 models with a matured record, the 2011 Ford Escape Gas ranks #161, scoring higher than 48% of them. See the 2011 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
3/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2011 Ford Escape SUV 4x4
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 20%
4 open NHTSA defect investigations on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2011 Ford Escape Gas, plotted where owners report it happening.
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Steering
31%407 complaints · typically near 85k mi · 45 in the last 2 years
“I was traveling at 20 mph and slowed to make a turn when the steering wheel took two hands to turn the wheel ... I knew it was a power steering issue. Happend all of a…”
Fuel system
22%284 complaints · typically near 22k mi · 5 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the odor of fuel was present inside the cabin of the vehicle. Upon inspection…”
Transmission & drivetrain
20%268 complaints · typically near 36k mi · 2 in the last 2 years
“While driving, the power steering assist intermittently fails without warning. This makes steering very difficult and creates a serious safety hazard, especially at lo…”
Engine
19%248 complaints · typically near 53k mi · 1 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and jerked, with the check engine warning light il…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 6 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 1,312 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 54 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 16V777000
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 13, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S41.
Suspension · 15E045000
The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width.
Risk: Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.
Steering · 14V284000
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. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Ford before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Ford Escape Gas. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report steering problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 85k miles). Has this car shown any steering symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report fuel system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 22k miles). Has this car shown any fuel system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2011 Ford ESCAPE GAS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2011? See how every Escape Gas model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2011 Ford Escape Gas against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.