My power steering has gone out 6 times in the last month. It has happened once while driving on the road, and the other times in parking lots while attempting to park. I get the error Service Steering - the electric power steering system has detected a fault. I turn the car off and back on, and steering returns, but the probl…
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My power steering has gone out 6 times in the last month. It has happened once while driving on the road, and the other times in parking lots while attempting to park. I get the error Service Steering - the electric power steering system has detected a fault. I turn the car off and back on, and steering returns, but the problem persists. Since this occurred while driving at an intersection, it was extremely dangerous and I almost drove straight into another vehicle because I couldn't steer manually. I took it to a dealership, who couldn't replicate the problem. There were no other warnings or messages prior to the failure and appeared the first time the failure happened. I am concerned for my safety and the safety of others and don't feel comfortable driving the car.
NHTSA ODI #11523815
Mileage unknown · May 19, 2023
Steering
At 71,000 miles, steering fault service now keeps showing up. Steering would lock up out of the blue. Dealer states rack and pinion needed to be replaced. Ford should do a recall since a lot of people are having the same problem and it is extremely dangerous to lose steering while driving.
NHTSA ODI #11522801
Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2023
Steering
Steering stopped working abruptly, was driving and my car made 3 beeps and a message saying steering assist fault service required appeared and immediately I lost all control of the steering. Had I been traveling on a 70 mph highway and not a 30 mile an hour local road I could have gotten seriously hurt or possibly hurt another …
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Steering stopped working abruptly, was driving and my car made 3 beeps and a message saying steering assist fault service required appeared and immediately I lost all control of the steering. Had I been traveling on a 70 mph highway and not a 30 mile an hour local road I could have gotten seriously hurt or possibly hurt another driver on the road. Prior to the incident there was no steering issues what so ever. I took it to a local Ford dealer and the steering rack has failed and needs replacing.
NHTSA ODI #11516258
Mileage unknown · Jan 23, 2023
EnginePower TrainSteering
I am reporting coolant leaking into my engine causing my engine to lock up at around 75k to 80k miles. Torque converter needing to be replaced at around 80k miles. Torque converter clutch solenoid needing replacement at 80k miles. Rear CV joint axel needing replacement at 85k miles. Control arm replacement at 100k miles. The onl…
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I am reporting coolant leaking into my engine causing my engine to lock up at around 75k to 80k miles. Torque converter needing to be replaced at around 80k miles. Torque converter clutch solenoid needing replacement at 80k miles. Rear CV joint axel needing replacement at 85k miles. Control arm replacement at 100k miles. The only recall is the transmission bushing, in which I haven’t fixed because I can’t move my vehicle out of my driveway. I have spend almost the same amount on this vehicle repairing it that I owe. The vehicle in a whole needs to be recalled. They are not safe and very costly in the long run. I am not happy with only 2 recalls being reported on this vehicle because I’ve read over 600 reviews with the same known problems and nothing has been done about it! If ford isn’t going to fix the known issues then the NHTSA needs to help the consumers and report these issues!
NHTSA ODI #11503266
89,100 miles · Nov 16, 2022
Engine And Engine CoolingSteering
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and overheated. Additionally, the steering wheel seized. The message that the engine was overheating and to pull over was displayed. The contact was able to pull over. The vehicle was towed to an independent …
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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and overheated. Additionally, the steering wheel seized. The message that the engine was overheating and to pull over was displayed. The contact was able to pull over. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,100.
NHTSA ODI #11493850
Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2022
Steering
The vehicle steering is very stiff and it is difficult to drive. When moving at lower speeds it is almost impossible to turn the vehicle.
NHTSA ODI #11478994
Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2022
Steering
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…
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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
Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2022
SteeringUnknown Or Other
Rear trail arm bushings are gone on both sides
NHTSA ODI #11473001
Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2022
Steering
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
Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2022
Steering
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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Escape vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 16V617. The power-operated windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 22, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 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.
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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:software
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Consequence: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.
Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Consequence: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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