10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 98,504 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape hybrid. The contact stated that the steering ability was lost completely and the service warning indicator illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 62,599. Updated 03/11/16 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired. Updated 04/07/16.
- Dedham, MA, USA
My vehicle had a recall 14S05 involving power steering done 7/23/14 yesterday while at the post office, when I started the car and went to back up the steering wheel was difficult to turn and handle. Able to get home without power assist, but now after researching this problem, I understand that since the recall done was just a computer upgrade and nothing physical done, I have no recourse except to have the power steering column replace at my expense. This is a deception on Ford's part, as most people would take the car in for recall without questioning the procedure to be done. Ford should be paying for every faulty steering problem as a matter of safety and avoiding any loss of lives
- Las Cruces, NM, USA
While backing out of my driveway, my power steering suddenly and completely went out. A dashboard light came on which read "power steering assist fault." I drove to my Ford dealership and was told that my VIN was not on the recall list and the list was "VIN specific." I was told by the dealership the part that needed replacement is the torque sensor which is one of the parts specifically mentioned in the recall for the 2009 escape. The NHTSA website called the recall 14S05. I have been told it will cost approx. $900 to repair my vehicle.
- West Hills, CA, USA
I intermittently & briefly loose power steering while driving. Ford has issued a recall for 2008 thru 2012 but the dealer said my vehicle is not covered by the recall problem has occurred three time in the last two months.
- Crete, IL, USA
Vehicle power steering failed while turning left. In 2014 my vehicle was serviced for a power steering recall. I did not have a power steering failure until after the software update.
- Ellettsville, IN, USA
Our 17 year old son was making a turn in heavy traffic when the power steering went out. He nearly crashed into a truck due to the fact that the car became nearly impossible to turn and he was taken by surprise. He able to barely muscle the car away from the other vehicle and pulled over and called me (his father). It turns out my wife had taken the car into Ford just last fall to have recall work done on it, and only now, am I finding out that the faulty part involved in the recall work was not replaced by Ford. In fact, nobody's vehicles had the faulty part replaced. They just "adjusted" it. How the NHTSA could allow this is beyond me. Because of the near collision that occurred in this, I will most likely file a suit against Ford for giving us the impression that a faulty part was replaced when in fact it was not. I own 3 Ford and am taking this very seriously.
- Spring Lake Park, MN, USA
I own a 2009 Ford escape limited hybrid. The pscm failed. I paid $1,322.41 to get it fixed. I read in motor trend that there is a recall - 104765, Ford recall 14S05 -for this exact, specific problem with 2009 Ford escapes. I called "Ford customer service", opened case [xxx], and was told that the recall applies to every car but mine because my VIN wasn't included! however, my problem is not with my VIN, but with the exact, specific part that was referenced in the recall. Ford admitted that it manufactured and installed a defective pscm, but is hiding behind a lame excuse that it doesn't apply to my defective pscm because it (Ford) neglected to list my VIN in the recall. Ford customer service assured me that they would contact NHTSA but I do not believe them, so I am. I think they say this to blow-off owners with complaints so NHTSA doesn't find out about them. They lost my trust with their lame excuse - "it's your VIN that's the problem, not our defective part." Feel free to contact Ford and reference my complaint. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Charlotte, NC, USA
Brakes have given out, while coming to a red stop light luck that no one was around when I ran the light sent to dealer they could not duplicate issue but they did a update on steering and know when backing up steering gets stiff, causing turn radius to become extreme, but only does it sometimes.went back to dealer no problem found and could not duplicate problem.hoping someone find problem before a person or persons gets killed!!!
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
Total power steering failure on start up when backing out of driveway. The power steering has been intermittent since then. Seems most likely to fail when cold. So far it has started working once warmed up and restarted. The vehicle is very hard to control when the power steering is not working. I'm concerned it will fail while driving and cause an accident. I plan on taking it to the dealership today.
- Kingwood, TX, USA
On three occasions, the power steering was not activated when the vehicle was started. Restarting the vehicle corrected the issue. Luckily, no sudden loss of power steering occurred while driving, only immediately after starting vehicle.
- Brighton, CO, USA
Two times on 2/1 the power steering quite working for a few seconds while driving on a mountain freeway. The safe issue occurred two other times in the past few weeks. The power steering is working find and all of a sudden it stops and it's very difficult to get the vehicle to turn. Very scary for my wife is the one that drive this car. Last night when it happened she had two children in the car with her.
- San Jose, CA, USA
2009 Ford Escape hybrid. Consumer writes in regards to power steering failure. The consumer stated when his daughter started the vehicle, there was no power steering. After several starts, the power steering would activate. The problem worsened over the next several days, where it would take dozens of attempts for the power steering to activate, after the engine was started. The dealer replaced the steering column at a cost of $ $1700.
- Alexandria, VA, USA
While traveling down a winding road, the steering locked and I did not have control for a few seconds, then it came back. This has occasionally happened in the past, but thought is was something related to the battery. The battery was replaced a few months ago, and obviously not the issue. Brought to Ford dealer. They said I the steering column replaced to the tune of $1300 plus. They said it was a faulty sensor to the power steering. They confirmed that there is no warning with this and recommended that I not drive the car, even though they did not have the part, nor did they offer me alternative transportation. If they view it as this dangerous, and the part is backordered because it is so common, how on earth is this not a recall covered byford" are they waiting for me to have an accident" I have to drive the car to get to work in order to replace the part. This is outrageous. Perhaps there is legal action to take. Additionally, the dealer wants me to "prepay" for the part. I have never, in my entire life, prepaid for a part from the dealer. My mechanic cannot fix it because Ford has made it impossible for a third party to do this. This is my first Ford and will be my last.
- Ridgefield, CT, USA
I was driving to work. The powertrain light came on, my car started jerking. It wouldn't accelerate and the steering wheel became difficult to control. I had to pull to the side of the road. I turned off the ignition and restarted it. It was ok. That has happened twice since that first incident.
- Clifton , VA, USA
Electric power steering failed for 1-2 seconds then returned to normal. This had happened several times in the past. Ford dealer followed technical service bulletin and replaced a connector. Per Ford, the technical service bulletin exists because this has happened on other vehicles. Ford is treating this as a common, out-of-warranty component failure. Electric power steering is required for safe operation of this vehicle. Had this happened at highway speeds it could have had serious consequences. Because of this I believe this issue should be elevated in level.
- San Diego, CA, USA
My 2009 Ford escape (Escape hybrid) was being driven into a turn at 35+ miles per hour. The steering locked up as I entered the turn which forced me to hit the brakes and go skidding across full speed oncoming traffic - I narrowly avoided a head on crash, which likely would have resulted in many injuries or worse. The vehicle came to rest after skidding across the traffic lanes in the safety lane area of the far side of the road. After stopping, I found the steering wheel was still 99% locked up - I turned off the car and then after a few minutes to gain my composure, I restarted the car and found that steering had been restored - I drove home (nearby) at a speed of 25 mph. Vehicle was taken to the Ford dealer who confirmed that the torque sensor / steering column / power steering system - had failed causing steering lockup. An entire steering column unit was replaced at my cost of ~$1500. The unexpected failure of this critical component is very likely going to cause accidents, injuries and or fatalities as more Ford escapes enter the mileage at which the steering column / power steering fails and locks up.
- Elizabeth, CO, USA
Thought I felt something strange in the steering while traveling at over 60mph around a curve on the freeway. 10 minutes down the road and after turning into driveway the steering suddenly failed. I almost hit the entry gate. Steering became very stiff like driving a tank, the eps system completely failed.
- Santa Barbara, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape hybrid. The contact was traveling 40 mph when the power steering failed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 45,000 and the current mileage was 59,000. Updated 08/16/12 the consumer stated the power steering failure occurred three times within the three years she has owned the vehicle. She did not take the vehicle to the dealer, but she did talk them and it seemed they would not do anything until, the failure actually occurred while in their possession. Updated 08/21/12
- Lovettsville, VA, USA
The automobile steering became stiff and wouldn't turn. I had to manually turn the car at the corner. It happened within the week 3 times. I took the car to be checked at the dealer who explained that they could not help me because they could not duplicate the incident.my car is under warranty only to 36,000 miles so I am concerned as to the safety of the steering on highway and on surface streets, as it happen periodically.
- San Marcos, CA, USA
- Menlo Park, CA, USA