Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
800–25K
8825–50K
9850–75K
5375–100K
67100–150K
27150K+
413 reports with mileage · 185 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 137 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 137 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 72 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
37 crash reports3 fire reports18 injury reports
What owners actually said
598 reports
61,158 miles · Feb 20, 2021
Steering
VEHICLE IN MOTION PULLING IN PARKING LOT, UPON TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN TO A PARKING SPOT STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT ALMOST FEELING AS IF IT WERE SEIZING UP. TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE ON THAT DATE, FEB. 10, 2021 WAS APPROXIMATELY 20-30 DEGREES. VEHICLE HAS 61,158 MILES. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOU…
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VEHICLE IN MOTION PULLING IN PARKING LOT, UPON TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN TO A PARKING SPOT STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT ALMOST FEELING AS IF IT WERE SEIZING UP. TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE ON THAT DATE, FEB. 10, 2021 WAS APPROXIMATELY 20-30 DEGREES. VEHICLE HAS 61,158 MILES. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, ONCE RESTARTED STEERING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. FEARFUL THIS WILL AGAIN ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING ON MAIN ROADS IN TRAFFIC AND POSSIBLY GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA ODI #11397096
142,000 miles · Feb 19, 2021
Steering
LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA ODI #11396984
77,619 miles · Feb 10, 2021
Steering
WHILE DRIVING ON A COLD DAY (20-30 DEGREES), THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR COULD BE STEERED WITH SOME DIFFICULTY BUT THERE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY POWER ASSIST AT ALL. NO WARNINGS OR ERROR MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING THE CAR CORRECTED THE PROBLEM, AT LEAST FOR NOW.
NHTSA ODI #11395623
71,009 miles · Feb 1, 2021
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE TORQUE SENSOR TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE TORQUE SENSOR TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,009.
NHTSA ODI #11391006
100,000 miles · Jan 29, 2021
Steering
POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING A FEW TIMES. FORD SERVICE CENTER DID NOT FIND A PROBLEM, WOULD VISIT ANOTHER SERVICE CENTER. RECALL SEEMS TO BE ISSUED FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM FOR SAME MODEL, MANUFACTURED AT SAME FACILITY AROUND SAME TIME. HOWEVER THERE SEEMS TO BE NO RECALL FOR THIS VIN. PLEASE ADVISE
NHTSA ODI #11390701
114,000 miles · Jan 11, 2021
Steering
LOST POWER ASSIST FOR STEERING WHEN I TURNED LEFT AROUND AN ISLAND ON A BUSY STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF A CITY.
NHTSA ODI #11387471
115,950 miles · Jan 11, 2021
Steering
TURNING THE VEHICLE BECOMES VERY STRENUOUS/HEAVY WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS (INTO PARKING LOTS, DRIVEWAYS, ETC). DIFFICULTY TURNING IS NOTICED MOSTLY DURING RIGHT HAND TURNS. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO WILL NOT TURN ITSELF BACK AFTER MAKING A TURN. ALL OF THE ISSUES I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM IS…
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TURNING THE VEHICLE BECOMES VERY STRENUOUS/HEAVY WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS (INTO PARKING LOTS, DRIVEWAYS, ETC). DIFFICULTY TURNING IS NOTICED MOSTLY DURING RIGHT HAND TURNS. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO WILL NOT TURN ITSELF BACK AFTER MAKING A TURN. ALL OF THE ISSUES I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM IS CONSISTENT WITH THE POWER STEERING RECALL WHICH ONLY INCLUDED FORD ESCAPES UP TO 2011.
NHTSA ODI #11387464
Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2021
Steering
2012 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF STEERING COLUMN. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE'S STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING.*JS
NHTSA ODI #11385912
160,000 miles · Dec 18, 2020
Steering
ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WHILE DRIVING, MY STEERING GOES OUT BUT THE CAR IS STILL POWERED. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE IN MOTION BUT SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE RIGHT HAND TURNS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON LOCAL CITY STREETS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO HIGHER SPEEDS AND THE DANGER OF CRASH AT HIGHER SPEEDS.…
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ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WHILE DRIVING, MY STEERING GOES OUT BUT THE CAR IS STILL POWERED. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE IN MOTION BUT SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE RIGHT HAND TURNS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON LOCAL CITY STREETS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO HIGHER SPEEDS AND THE DANGER OF CRASH AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. ONCE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND STARTED AGAIN, THE POWER RETURNS. THE CAUSE FOR THIS IS UNKNOWN, EXCEPT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME ISSUE AS THE STEERING RECALLS FOR THE 2008-2011 FORD ESCAPE MODELS PREVIOUSLY.
NHTSA ODI #11384027
11,200 miles · Nov 25, 2020
Steering
DRIVING ON A OFF RAMP SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER STEERING NO WARNING MY YOUNG DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND COULD BARELY CONTROL/MANEUVER THE VEHICLE THIS IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCAPE HENCE THE RECALL ON 2009-2011 MODELS WHY AREN'T THE 2012 MODELS INCLUDED, THIS VERY UNSAFE!
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2
PE13003 · Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction
Opened Feb 21, 2013 · Closed Feb 28, 2014
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
On February 21, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003 to investigate allegations of electronic throttle body (ETB) failures resulting in sudden reduction of engine power in model year (MY) 2009-2013 Ford Escape, Fusion, Mariner and Milan vehicles. During this investigation, Ford identified a condition in subject vehicles equipped with 2.5L and 3.0L engines that may result in a sudden reduction of engine power.According to Ford, the ETB internal motor contacts may develop a high resistance material buildup condition on the commutator, resulting in intermittent electrical connectivity and reduced engine power. When this condition occurs, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) or Wrench light will illuminate and the vehicle may enter a limited limp home mode.Ford?s trade name for the feature is Failure Mode Effects Management (FMEM) mode.In this mode, engine power and vehicle speed are reduced, while full function of the power steering, power braking, lighting, and climate control systems are maintained.ODI?s complaint analysis indicate that the predominant failure mode involved reduced motive power associated with the limited limp home mode with engine speeds limited to approximately 900 RPM. Analysis of warranty claims provided by Ford identified 59,807 claims related to ETB replacements and approximately 50 percent of claims are associated with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle Body Stuck Closed.Ford described several factors where the ETB motor may fail resulting in DTCs P2111 or P2112 but the failure is not an existing stuck open or closed ETB valve position.According to Ford, the ETB control strategy provides the driver with three FMEM modes that allow varying degrees of vehicle mobility depending on the severity of the fault detected.DTCs associated with stuck open or closed throttle valves are designated the highest failure severity resulting in engine speeds limited to high idle corresponding to the limited limp home mode.Vehicles are not likely to unexpectedly stall as a result of this condition, but drivers may characterize the reduced functionality as a stall, even though their vehicle may still has motive capability.Other FMEM limp modes may result in reduced engine performance but will maintain vehicle speed above 20mph. During this investigation, Ford and its suppliers, Delphi and Igarashi, updated the powertrain control module (PCM) software to include a throttle body motor cleaning cycle during key-on and modified the ETB internal motor components design, surface finish and material composition to improve durability. Additionally, Ford developed a remedy procedure and issued a special Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) 13N03 extending the ETB warranty coverage and instructing dealers to update the powertrain calibration to improve vehicle performance in the event that intermittent electrical connectivity of the throttle body motor contacts occurs. The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, all vehicles are eligible for the program through January 31, 2015 regardless of mileage.Owners of the affected vehicles will be contacted by mail to take their vehicle to a Ford dealer who will reprogram the PCM to the latest calibration. The bulletin was sent to dealers on January 17, 2014 and the owner letter mailing began on January 27, 2014. See the investigative file for copies of Ford's bulletin and owner letter. This preliminary evaluation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that
DP12006 · Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction
Opened Oct 2, 2012 · Closed Feb 21, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
In a letter dated August 30, 2012, The North Carolina Consumers Council (NCCC) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged electronic throttle body failures resulting in engine stall or surge while driving in model year (MY) 2005 through 2012 Ford Escape vehicles. On October 2, 2012 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Defect Petition DP12-006 to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. The petition is hereby granted on certain model years. The NCCC letter cites two complaints of stall while driving in MY 2009 Ford Escape vehicles that were diagnosed as failed throttle bodies with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle Body Stuck Closed. The petitioner indicates that the owners of both vehicles reported experiencing repeated incidents of stalling and engine surging. According to Ford, Escape non-hybrid vehicles are equipped with Electronic Throttle Body (ETB) assemblies beginning with MY 2009. Vehicles manufactured between June 22, 2009 and October 15, 2009 may contain contaminated printed circuit boards (PCB) with plating variations. Plating variations could lead to a lack of continuity in the throttle position sensor circuit where P2111 and/or other DTCs would be generated and stored. Ford and its electronic throttle body supplier, Delphi, modified the PCB manufacturing process and issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) 09-23-5. Vehicles produced after October 15, 2009 incorporated ETBs manufactured with a PCB process that resolved this condition. ODI's analysis identified a total of 123 unique reports indicating allegations of reduced motive power or vehicle stall. Depending on the condition of throttle control system malfunction, a driver may experience varying levels of reduced engine performance associated with three limp home modes. In two limp modes, reduced engine performance may maintain vehicle speeds above 20mph while the third is a limited limp home mode with engine speeds limited to approximately 900 RPM. Allegations of stall appear to be related to the limited limp home mode. Vehicles are not likely to unexpectedly stall as a result of this condition, but drivers may characterize the reduced functionality as a stall, even though their vehicle may still has motive capability. Allegations of vehicle surge appear to be related to limp home mode operation. Complaints alleging surge are most likely related to engine RPM fluctuations at low vehicle speeds or idle as the control system engages to prevent engine stall. In limited limp mode, rough-idle conditions may exist while the control system attempts to modulate engine RPMs once the vehicle reaches a reduced speed to maintain approximately 900 RPM. Separately, ODI received 59 complaints alleging incidents of engine stall while driving in model year (MY) 2010-2011 Ford Fusion vehicles. Approximately 60 percent (36) of the incidents occurred at speeds of 40 miles per hour or more. Eighty percent of complaints (47) were received beginning March 2012 and 14 complaints reported that the throttle body was replaced or DTCs associated with limp home modes. Additionally, Ford issued TSB 10-21-6 addressing DTCs associated with idle speed drops and limited limp home mode. The petition is granted on certain model years.Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003 has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.See full copy of the closing resume for this defect petition for list of the VOQs associated with the defect petition analysis.