IllustrationPOWER STEERING FAULT MESSAGE POPPED UP WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE AND WE LOST POWER STEERING. WE WERE FORCED TO TAKE THE CAR TO A SHOP 10 HOURS AWAY FROM OUR HOME TO BE REPLACED. WE WILL BE MAKING THE 20 HOUR ROUND TRIP TO GET THE VEHICLE NEXT WEEK AS WE HAS TO RENT A VEHICLE TO GET HOME.
2016 Ford Escape
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2016 Ford Escape do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 996.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escape years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
860–25K
7325–50K
13350–75K
14275–100K
141100–150K
37150K+
612 reports with mileage · 503 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.
- Power Train. Review the 320 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Back Over Prevention. Review the 206 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 199 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
36 crash reports10 fire reports16 injury reports
Steering complaints
73 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD ESCAPE. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS WERE TURNED, A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE STEERING ABILITY BECAME DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KOONS FORD/LINCOLN (2540 RIVA RD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD ESCAPE. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS WERE TURNED, A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE STEERING ABILITY BECAME DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KOONS FORD/LINCOLN (2540 RIVA RD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,109.
STEERING ASSIST FAULT - SERVICE REQUIRED MESSAGE SHOWED UP DURING A ROAD TRIP APPROX 325 MILES AWAY FROM HOME ON STARTUP AFTER A REST STOP. STEERING WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. FAULT CLEARED AFTER RESTARTING CAR SEVERAL TIMES, AND STEERING PERFORMANCE WAS BACK TO NORMAL. CONTINUED HOME, WHILE STOPPING THE CAR FOR FUEL ONCE AND TUR…
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STEERING ASSIST FAULT - SERVICE REQUIRED MESSAGE SHOWED UP DURING A ROAD TRIP APPROX 325 MILES AWAY FROM HOME ON STARTUP AFTER A REST STOP. STEERING WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. FAULT CLEARED AFTER RESTARTING CAR SEVERAL TIMES, AND STEERING PERFORMANCE WAS BACK TO NORMAL. CONTINUED HOME, WHILE STOPPING THE CAR FOR FUEL ONCE AND TURNING OFF AND BACK ON THE ENGINE, WITH NO FAULT. UPON ARRIVING HOME, FAULT APPEARED NEXT TIME ON VEHICLE STARTUP. FAULT DOES NOT CLEAR ANYMORE. STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT.
WHEN STARTING THE CAR AN ALERT POPPED UP STATING "STEERING ASSIST FAILURE". THE STEERING WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE. TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTING THE MESSAGE CLEARED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 27100 MILES. FORD STATES THAT THE STEERING GEAR HAS FAILED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE MOVING IT COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS
VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN DRIVING, I STOPPED, TURNED CAR OFF, AND AFTER 5 MINUTES TURNED CAR BACK ON. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON, CAR WAS STATIONARY AND A MEMO FLASHED ON DASHBOARD INDICATING 'AUTOMATIC STEERING FAILURE'. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE I NOTED THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULDN'T MOVE OUT OF ITS STA…
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VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN DRIVING, I STOPPED, TURNED CAR OFF, AND AFTER 5 MINUTES TURNED CAR BACK ON. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON, CAR WAS STATIONARY AND A MEMO FLASHED ON DASHBOARD INDICATING 'AUTOMATIC STEERING FAILURE'. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE I NOTED THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULDN'T MOVE OUT OF ITS STATIONARY POSITION. CAR WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC POWER STEERING RACK FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
WHEN DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT NEARLY 70 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND WAS VERY HARD TO TURNBACK TO THE LEFT. COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.
WHEN DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT NEARLY 70 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND WAS VERY HARD TO TURNBACK TO THE LEFT. COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.
WHEN DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY AT NEARLY 70 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND WAS VERY HARD TO TURN TO THE LEFT. COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.
THE CAR HAS ONLY 36,400 MILES AND THE STEERING SENSOR IS COMING ON AND WHEN DOSE IT MAKES THE CAR HARDER TO STEER. YOU HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR TO RESET THE POWER STEERING SENSOR. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN ABOUT EVERY DAY NOW.
3 TIMES THIS LAST THREE DAYS I'VE GOTTEN A STEERING ASSIST FAULT AFTER STARTING VECHILE.FIRST TIME STEERING WAS DIFFICULT FOR ONLY A VERY SHORT PERIOD.2ND AND 3RD TIMES I HAD TO STOP AND RESTART VECHILE THEN IT WAS OK.ALL THREE TIMES WHERE FROM STARTUP.
Official recalls
426V011000 · Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater
Jan 15, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
25V695000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Oct 13, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
22V413000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod
Jun 10, 2022
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
17V398000 · Air Bags:knee Bolster
Jun 26, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C11.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.