What 2,628 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Escape Gas

The “steering fault failure” warning came on after an alarm, stating that it needed immediate repair. Within less than 5 minutes, steering failed. Wheel was practically locked. I was just about to make a U-turn when this occurred. I was lucky not to be on a busy road. Dealer states it can not reproduce problem. For safety’s sake, the steering rack should be replaced since this is the second time this happened. The last episode occurred when the dealership was changing hands and was not followed up on. Now the dealer called, stating problem is not reproducible. I feel like I’m driving an unsafe vehicle, with no recourse. The car is still covered with an extended warranty, which is proving worthless.

NHTSA ODI 11476147

Rear trail arm bushings are gone on both sides

NHTSA ODI 11473001

I was on a parkway when the power steering stopped working suddenly. Controlling the vehicle became extremely difficult. I have not been to the shop due to availability, but the OBD sent a message that power assist failed.

NHTSA ODI 11472281

Steering wheel was locked when went out to go to work. Finally got steering wheel unlocked and tried to continue to my destination. Power steering went out completely after a couple of turns. Vehicle towed to shop for determination of problem.

NHTSA ODI 11445967

When turning into my subdivision off of a main road, my power steering completely failed when turning and I was stuck horizontally in the road. Luckily nobody was coming otherwise I would have been t-boned. There was no warning until after I was stuck that there was a “power steering failure” and it only flashed for a moment. I had my entire steering rack replaced 4 months ago because of the same issue.

NHTSA ODI 11437927

While driving the Escape the steering suddenly became unresponsive and the steering wheel became very very hard to turn, we were barely able to get off the road. On the instrument panel a warning light said Steering Problem Service Vehicle Immediately. The car was towed to Ford Dealer where it has sat outside now for 3.5 weeks without any service, due to issues at the dealership beyond my control.

NHTSA ODI 11432718

THE STEERING FAULT DETECTED ERROR COMES ON THE CONSOLE AND THE CAR LOSES POWER STEERING. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING. WHEN BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. THIS SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY WHILE DRIVING- CONCERNED THEIR IS A CORRELATION TO WHEN IT IS HOT OUT. SEARCHED RECALL AND FOUND THIS ISSUE WITH THE 2008-2013 FORD ESCAPES BUT NOT FOR THIS MODEL. SEARCHED SOME FORUMS AND NOTICED SOME OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11415601

THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN CHANGING LANES AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO STEERING ASSIST WHEN DOING THIS. I TRIED SWAPPING TIRES BUT THIS DIDN'T CHANGE THINGS. IT'S REALLY NOTICEABLE ON THE HIGHWAY. I ONLY HAVE 47800 MILES ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11406378

THE ASSISTED POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING, I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE, THE STEERING WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND UNABLE TO STEER WHILE I WAS ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY. I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THIS CAN AND WILL CAUSE SEVERAL DEATHS IF NOT CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY! FORD HAS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER MODELS, AND A RECALL WAS MADE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND FORD KNOWS ABOUT IT!

NHTSA ODI 11405937

CAR STEERING COMPLETELY STOPPED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. COULD STILL MOVE. COULD NOT STEER CAR. VERY UNSAFE. CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11388844

1. HANDS FREE TAILGATE/TRUNK WILL AUTOMATICALLY SHUT WHEN OBJECTS OR A PERSONS BODY IS PRESENT. FAUB/ KEYS ARE NOT BEING PUSHED BY ACCIDENT, NOR IS THERE ANY MOVEMENT UNDER NUMBER THAT WOULD SENSOR DOOR TO CLOSE. WHEN IT DOES DO THIS, IT TAKES QUITE A WHILE FOR THE SENSOR TO REALIZE THERE IS AN OBJECT THERE AND TAKES SOME TIME TO OPEN AGAIN. 2. WHEN VEHICLE SLIPS ON ICE PATCES OR LARGE PUDDLES OF WATER--- WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON MY DASH BOARD, IT SEEMS TO TRIGGER MY ENTIRE VEHICLE TO SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN. VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, BRAKES STOP WORKING AND NO ELECTRICAL FROM THAT POINT ON. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN 3 TIMES NOW, WITH THE NEED TO HAVE TO CALL A TOW. FOR BOTH COMPLAINTS, FORD SERVICE SAYS THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND CANNOT GET EITHER COMPLAINT TO DUPLICATE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AT THIS POINT BY FORD TO FIX OR COMPENSATE FOR ANY OF THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11366350

I'VE HAD MY CAR TWO YEARS AND MULTIPLE THINGS HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE PURCHASE. REGARDLESS, MY MOST RECENT CONCERN IS MY HILL START NOT AVAILABLE LIGHT IS ON AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT IS ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. I SENT MY CAR TO A DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE THE ISSUE AND DISCOVERED THE SASM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THIS DOES NOT BECOME AN ISSUE UNLESS THE CAR HAS BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT NOW NOR PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. CAR FAX SHOW NO RECORDS OF ANY DAMAGE TO THE PHYSICAL BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAD NO OTHER EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THESE LIGHTS WOULD HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT IT WILL CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE TO MY CAR. AGAIN I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR TWO YEARS AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT LONGER, IF SOMETHING CAN BE EXPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11352143

WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY I GOT A WARNING STEERING LOSS PULL OVER SAFELY. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STIFF. I HARDLY COULD MOVE THE WHEEL. IT TOOK ALL 200 POUNDS FOR ME TO PULL OVER SAFELY

NHTSA ODI 11343561

2017 FORD ESCAPE SE WITH 24,000 MILES. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING ASSIST FAILED, NEARLY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR IN A PARKING LOT. THE REPAIR COST OVER $2,100. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328432

WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON A CITY STREET THE POWER STEERING WAS STIFFED AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAKE THE TURN. I NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED INTO PARKING LOT THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, CORRECTED THE ISSUE. A WEEK LATER SAME ISSUE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. HAPPENED FIRST TIME ON 04/26/2020 & AGAIN 05/08/2020. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11323918

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS AM AND A SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON:STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM. SECONDS AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON, I FELT MY STEERING WHEEL LOSE POWER AND WHEN I HAD TO TURN I CAME CLOSE TO STEERING INTO THE OTHER LANE WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT THE STOPLIGHT ON A CITY STREET. I HAD TO TURN TWO MORE TIMES TO GET TO MY DESTINATION. WHEN I PARKED THE CAR I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE POWER WAS BACK ON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE NOT TRIED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS I AM AT WORK. VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. I AM NOT ABLE TO SEE A MECHANIC AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP UNTIL MONDAY AND AM NERVOUS TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THEN.

NHTSA ODI 11258568

THE STEERING WHEEL GETS STIFF (NO POSSIBLE TO MOVE) WHEN PRACTICING PARKING FOR A WHILE. I CAN HEARD THAT FAN SPEED GOES UP, SO I AM ASSUMING THE ENGINES BAY IS GETTING HOT. AFTER MOVED IT A LITTLE BIT THE WHEEL CAN GO ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT/LEFT. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THE STEERING MODULE IS DISABLING BECAUSE TEMP (TOO HOT). HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY

NHTSA ODI 11245501

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT FELT HARD AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SQUEALING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUMPED, THE VEHICLE DROVE AS DESIGNED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALLAN VIGIL FORD (6790 MT ZION BLVD, MORROW, GA 30260, (678) 364-3673) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS RUST ON THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ODI 11217572

POWER ASSISTED STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CORNER. I STARTED TO VEER INTO THE ON-COMING TRAFFIC LANE AND ALMOST COLLIDED WITH AN ON-COMING VEHICLE. THE WARNING APPEARED ON THE DASH SCREEN AT THE SAME TIME THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING.

NHTSA ODI 11181350

ISSUE REVOLVES AROUND EXPOSED STEERING COLUMN NEAR PEDALS. COLUMN WILL MOVE AS YOU TURN THE WHEEL. MY FLOOR MAT GOT TANGLED IN THE COLUMN SIMPLY BY SHIFTING CAUSING ME TO LOSE STEERING. THIS IS AN EXTREME HAZARD, AS ANYTHING THAT FALLS IN THE PEDAL WELL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CUT THE STEERING (INCLUDING SHOE LACES, ETC). A SHROUD OR COVER SHOULD BE PLACED AS IT IS ON OTHER VEHICLES INCLUDING OLDER ESCAPES. THE ATTACHED IMAGE IS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE PEDALS. THIS METAL SHAFT WILL ROTATE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ODI 11093301

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH ( THE SPEED LIMIT IS 75) I WANTED TO PASS A TRUCK WHEN THE STEERING GOT REALLY TIGHT, AT THAT SPEED THEIR IS NO TIME FOR PLAN B. I CLIPPED THE BACK LEFT OF THE TRUCK WITH MY RIGHT FRONT, WHICH PUT ME IN A SPIN AND THE CAR ROLLED A COUPLE TIMES. WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS RUSHED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAD ALL KINDS OF TESTS AND RELEASED THE NEXT DAY. MY INSURANCE CO DOES NOT BELIEVE ME BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. I READ MANY ARTICLES ABOUT FORD HAVING PROBLEMS WITH PRIOR YEARS OF THERE ELECTRONIC STEERING. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IF IT WAS NOT FOR FORD SEATBELT AND AIRBAG SYSTEM I WOULD NOT BE HERE TO WRITE THIS ARTICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11062469

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING, TWICE!! FIRST TIME MY 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD AND THE WHEEL JUST LOCKED UP AND SHE COULDN'T STEER THE CAR. MY SON WHO WAS WITH HER TOLD HER TO PUT HER HAZARDS ON AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND RESTART THE CAR, THAT WORKED BUT HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AS NONE OF US WERE TAKING A CHANCE IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THE DEALER SAID SOMETHING CRACKED IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEY FIXED IT. THIS SECOND TIME, I HAD THE CAR, THANK GOD, AND WHILE TRYING TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, THE WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY FROZEN, AGAIN!!! THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND I PUT MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER AT RISK EVERY TIME WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL!!!

NHTSA ODI 11024750

MY CAR WAS RUNNING, BUT PLACED IN PARK, AND I WAS RUNNING TO GRAB SOMETHING FROM MY HOME. AFTER I EXITED THE CAR, I NOTICED MY CAR WAS ROLLING DOWN MY SLANTED DRIVEWAY, AND I RAN TO STOP IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAR HIT ME AND RAN ME OVER RESULTING IN A BROKEN ANKLE. I BELIEVE THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE IT WAS RUNNING, AND REVERSED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11000741