What 598 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Escape Gas

THE STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF. I WAS IN A DRIVE THROUGH LINE AND AT FIRST THOUGHT THE TIRES WERE AGAINST THE CURB. REALIZED THEY WEREN'T AND MANAGED TO EXIT THE LINE AND TURN INTO A PARKING PLACE. IT WAS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND WHEN HE GOT THERE AN HOUR LATER, THE STEERING WAS FINE.

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POWER STEERING WHEEL LOCKING, WHEN MAKING TURNS WHILE DRIVING. STEERING WHEEL LOCKS ON AND OFF, TO GET IT TO UNLOCK OR BACK TO NORMAL HANDLING, I HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN A SAFELY MANNER, PUT CAR ON PARK TURN ENGINE OFF, THEN RESTART CAR AND THE STEERING WHEEL WORKS AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE TAKING MY CAR TO FORD DEALER AND SEE HOE THEY CAN HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AS IT SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH 2008-12 FORD ESCAPES.

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MY CARS STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, AND BECOMES HARD TO STEER! ITS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!

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2012 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES WITH CONCERNS WITH ELECTRIC POWER STREERING AND IF RECALL IS NECESSARY. *AS *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY AND MADE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOU FUSZ FORD (2 CAPRICE DR, CHESTERFIELD, MO 63005, (636) 532-9955) WHERE THEY SUGGESTED REPAIRING THE POWER BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,085.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAMEROW FORD (12325 SW CANYON RD, BEAVERTON, OR 97005, 800-732-8633) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A STEERING SENSOR FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

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THE FIRST TIME MY POWER STEERING FAILED WAS ON JANUARY 27TH 2018 WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY (696) GOING 75 MPH. I CALLED MY FORD SERVICE CENTER THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS DAY AND WAS TOLD MY CAR HAD ELECTRIC POWER STEERING AND THAT "GLITCHES HAPPEN". IN 128 DAYS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED 30 TIMES (I STOPPED KEEPING TRACK AFTER JUNE 4TH BUT IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE THEN). EVERY TIME IT FAILED, IF I RESTARTED MY CAR, THE POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. 10 OF THE 30 TIMES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, THE REST OCCURRED AT THE START OF THE ENGINE. THE TIMES IT HAPPENED AT THE START OF THE ENGINE, 5 OF THE TIMES IT FAILED TWO TIMES IN A ROW. SOME TIMES AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS AND SOME TIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. SOMETIMES THE WEATHER WAS COLD (10 BELOW), SOME TIMES HOT (90 DEGREES). SOME DAYS THERE WAS PRECIPITATION AND OTHER TIMES IT WAS DRY. TRY AVOIDING POTHOLES ON MICHIGAN SURFACE STREETS WHEN YOUR POWER STEERING GOES OUT! SOME TIMES I WAS 10 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE AND OTHER TIMES IT HAPPENED AFTER DRIVING 2 HOURS. (I HAVE VERY SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION ON ALL 30 OCCASIONS BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE CHARACTERS). WHEN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT THIS WAS THE EXACT POWER STEERING FAILURE THAT ALL OF THE FORD ESCAPE MODELS HAD PRIOR TO 2012. THEY HAVE BEEN RECALLED. MY CAR, A 2012, WAS FABRICATED IN JUNE OF 2011 AND HAS THE SAME POWER STEERING FAILURES AS THE PREVIOUS YEARS. I ONLY AM CURIOUS AS TO HOW MY 2012 COULD BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN A YEAR THAT WAS RECALLED. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED 3 DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES OF FORD AND NOT ONE OF THEM WERE ABLE TO GIVE OUT AN SPECIFIC INFORMATION OF THE RECALL FOR THE OTHER MODEL YEARS.

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THE STEERING COLUMN FREEZES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TURNING IN MOTION. CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT COMPLETE A FULL TURN.

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MADE A COMPLETE STOP AT AN INTERSECTION AND EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOST OF POWER STEERING. CAN'T DRIVE VEHICLE, CAN'T STEER IT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE UPON TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A MANUFACTURER RECALL. THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE EPS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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AT RANDOM POINTS IN TIME WHEN CAR IS ON, DOESNT MATTER WHAT SPEED, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND IS UNABLE TO BE MOVED UNTILL CAR IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. I JUST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT YESTERDAY IN BRATTLEBORO VT WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FOR XMAS FROM COLLEGE WHEN I WENT RIGHT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INTO A SNOWBANK. AIRBAGS WENT OFF AND NOBODY WAS HURT AND LUCKLY I DIDNT HIT ANY OTHER CARS OR PROPERTY. CAR IS BEING TOWED BACK HOME TO A MECHANIC. I HAD GONE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE, IN MY DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEEDS, AND AFTER PAYING A $100 DIAGNOSIS FEE, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THAT I WAS IMAGINING THINGS. I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH SINCE THEN AND THERE ARE A LOT OF RECALLS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES BUT NOT ON THE 2012 MODEL.

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 FORD ESCAPE ON MY TOWN STREETS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND WAITED AWHILE AND RESTORED THE VEHICLE. JUST AS SUDDENLY AS IT OCCURRED THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE POWER STEERING. MY FORD DEALERSHIP HAS LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM AND SAYS THAT THEIR COMPUTER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THEREFORE, NO REPAIRS ARE REQUIRED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL INDEPENDENTLY STEERED LEFT. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE NECK INJURIES, BROKEN RIBS, A BROKEN LEFT HAND, AND FRACTURES TO THE SKULL. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. *TT *TR

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AS I TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I MANAGED TO COMPLETE THE TURN & PARK THE CAR. (10/4/17) THE SECOND TIME THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. (11/10/17)

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I HAVE HAD 3 SERIOUS INCIDENTS WITH THE FORD ESCAPE 2012. FIRST, TWICE THE CAR HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. I WAS THANKFULLY DRIVING AT ONLY ABOUT 30-40 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN, WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. VARIOUS MECHANICS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT FIXED IT. SECOND, ON 11/11/17, I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT WAITING TO TURN LEFT ON A MAJOR ROAD, AND UPON ACCELERATING AND TURNING, THE POWER STEERING SEEMED TO GO OUT ON ME. IT BECAME MUCH HARDER TO STEER. I PULLED OVER ON A SIDE ROAD AND AGAIN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN, WHICH AGAIN SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY ONLINE FORUMS WHERE THESE TWO ISSUES ARE BEING REPORTED BY MANY OWNERS WITH THE SAME RESULT. MECHANICS CAN'T SEEM TO RECREATE THE PROBLEMS AND THEREFOR CAN'T OFFER A FIX AT THE MOMENT. THESE 3 INCIDENTS THANKFULLY DID NOT CAUSE ANY INJURY, BUT THEY EASILY COULD AND SEE TO BE SERIOUS DEFECTS THAT ARE GOING UNADDRESSED.

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ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING OR TURNING, MY STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED IN MY 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THIS MORNING IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY KIDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ENTERING AND EXITING THE PARKING LOT. BOTH TIMES, I HAD TO STRUGGLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP FROM HITTING OTHER CARS. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE WHERE OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2012 MODELS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALLAN VIGIL FORD OF FAYETTEVILLE INC (275 GLYNN ST N, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214, (770) 461-1151) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. TOOK A LOT OF STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW NOVEMBER 2011. *TR

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POWER STEERING FAILED 3 TIMES IN 3 HOURS. TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREEETS, ONCE LEAVING A PARKING SPOT

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THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE 2012 FORD ESCAPE STEERING THAT PLAGUED THE PRIOR YEAR MODELS, DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND ESTIMATE $1-$2K IN REPAIRS, THIS IS A EXTREME CONCERN AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THEY DIDN'T GET IT RIGHT AGAIN AFTER THE ISSUES WITH THE 2008-2011 MODELS. I'VE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WITH NO REPLY BACK.

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MY WIFE BEGAN DRIVING OUR 2012 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED WITH AWD AND 6 CYLINDER MOTOR. WITHIN DRIVING LESS THAN HALF A MILE ALL POWER STEERING CEASED TO WORK ALMOST CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

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SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE STATIONARY IN A DRIVE-THROUGH LINE. DIAGNOSIS FOUND DTC B2278 IN COMPUTER MEMORY. ALL INVESTIGATION LED TO A STEERING SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR AS THE FAULTY COMPONENT. THIS SAME COMPONENT WAS INVOLVED IN A RECALL FOR PRIOR YEARS ON THIS MODEL UP TO MODEL YEAR 2011. THIS REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY RECALL AT THIS TIME. REPAIR WAS PAID FOR WITH A COMBINATION OF AFTERMARKET WARRANTY AND OWNER PAYMENT. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. DOCUMENTATION IS INCLUDED WITH THIS COMPLAINT. TO DATE NO ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS HAVE SURFACED SINCE REPAIR.

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DEC 31, 2015 VEHICLE STEERING WAS FINE, LAST DRIVEN 9PM. JAN 1, 2016 9:30AM POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK, STEERING WHEEL NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE. FORTUNATELY VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVEWAY NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. TWO HOURS LATER POWER STEERING WAS FUNCTIONING. NO LIGHTS ON DASH TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. DROVE SHORT DISTANCE TODAY JAN 2ND WITH NO ISSUE. BEING TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP JAN 4TH. VEHICLE MILEAGE IS ONLY 31,695, OUT OF WARRANTY SINCE END OF OCTOBER 2015.

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THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY FAILED, FORCING THE WHEEL TO TURN ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. FORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND TRYING TO EXIT A PARKING LOT. IT TOOK A LOT OF FORCE TO RE-CENTER THE WHEEL AND DRIVE STRAIGHT. AFTER RELEASING THE WHEEL, EVEN WHEN PARKED, THE WHEEL WOULD RAPIDLY ROTATE BACK TO THE LEFT MOST POSITION. IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING TO AN EXPECTING VICTIM, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY TURNED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND/OR FLIPPED.

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