2008 Ford Escape Steering Problems
- 936
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 936 stored complaint records:
- 22 indicate a crash
- 14 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- Column · 3 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 100–150k mi | 373 |
| 60–100k mi | 254 |
| 150–400k mi | 142 |
| 30–60k mi | 55 |
| 1–30k mi | 18 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Steering
While driving i lost all power steering. The suv became very difficult to steer. Once i was able to muscle it over to the side of the road the steering wheel started to shake back and forth on its own. After turning the car off then back on this went away for a short time. Then after about a month or so it happened again. Now this happens frequently. I cant drive without this happening. This is very dangerous and…
ODI 10574511
Steering
While driving the vehicle in a parking lot the powersteering cut out. I was able to stop the vehicle and after shutting the car off and turning it back on power steering was restored. When the vehicle is stopped the steering wheel has started to ratchet back and forth. After looking at a few forum i found that the steering wheel position sensor fails and causes these problems regularly. *tr
ODI 10567468
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the steering wheel started to shake and vibrate. The vehicle was shut off and restarted however, the failure recurred sporadically. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for a diagnostic. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure and current mileage was 84,000.
ODI 10567463
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. The contact stated while driving at no particular speed the vehicle lost power steering without warning and the steering wheel was very hard to turn. The power steering was engaged when the vehicle was turned off and restarted. This failure occurred thirty times over a period of a month. The vehicle was not taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. The…
ODI 10578484
Electrical System · Steering
I was heading to work one morning, and i started the car up and didn't have power steering. I shut the car off, and the steering came back. (at the beginning, shutting the car off would fix the problem right way.) i pulled out of my driveway and drove down the road with the steering wheel shaking. There was also a quiet grinding noise coming from the steering column. As the car slowed down (at stop lights etc.), the…
ODI 10568891
Steering
Upon starting my car, i realized i could not turn the steering wheel without great effort. Tried it the next day, and the power steering was working, although the steering wheel was vibrating strangely. Have had the same problem 2 additional times. After reading numerous other entries on nhtsa website on this same issue, i learned that if i turned the car off and then turned it on, power steering resumed. This…
ODI 10568168
Electrical System · Steering
Steering wheel started to shake from side to side then lost power to steering wheel like it went from easy to very hard to steer. Turned car off the restarted and it was ok. Now it happens all the time. When i start car up no power, while i'm driving and i loss power. *tr
ODI 10568070
Steering
I was driving to work and the steering column started to vibrate and then the power steering went completely out. My vehicle was doing the same thing last summer and i received a mailed postcard with a power steering recall. I took it to my local dealer and they reset a sensor. It had been working fine until two weeks ago. The power steering has gone out several more times for short periods. I called ford regarding…
ODI 10679844
Steering
The power steering suddenly stopped functioning while traveling 45 mph on the highway. I was able to pull the car over to the side of the road and call for assistance. After getting the car to a nearby garage they informed me nothing was wrong once the car was turned off and then on again. I took the car to a ford dealer where they knew of the issue and said it was a common failure in the 2008 ford escapes. The fix…
ODI 10572645
Steering
Power steering stopped working pulled over stopped engine restarted steering working again google problem when i returned home found many angry people with same problem. Seems to be a problem that is not an easy fix and common to the steering of the 2008 ford escapes. *tr
ODI 10566615
Steering
Power steering quit while driving down the road. Could not get the vehicle off the road fast enough for on coming traffic. I see that there had been quite a few complaints with the same problem. Not sure why a recall has not been made. *tr
Crash reported
ODI 10566603
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30mph, a loud grinding noise emitted under the front and the steering wheel failed without warning. The contact was able to exit traffic by turning the steering wheel with force. The local mechanic inspected the vehicle and located the failure at the power steering column and advised that the power steering system needed to…
ODI 10568787
Steering
I turned my car on and started driving straight forward. Shortly after i realized i had no power steering. The only way i could turn was to muscle the wheel. Backed up and parked the car for the night. Next morning started it and had no issues. The week before i had noticed some knocking and ticking in the wheel. So figured i'd get it checked out after loosing it completely. Stopped to get gas and as i was pulling…
ODI 10566964
Steering
I was going to drive home from work, upon going to back out of my parking space i realized i had no power steering. I had no choice but to drive the vehicle home, 25minutes on the freeway. After getting home and going to take the vehicle to the mechanic the steering was fine. Mechanic said it was electronic and had to be repaired at the dealer. While researching the part this evening i found hundreds to thousands of…
ODI 10566637
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the power steering assist suddenly malfunctioned as the steering wheel became very difficult to turn. The contact stopped the vehicle and turned the engine off. After restarting the engine the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column was faulty and…
ODI 10574947
Electrical System · Equipment Adaptive/Mobility · Steering
Power steering works intermittently steering wheel has a slight twitch most definitely a safety hazard when it just randomly stops seems to be a common issue among ford escapes. *tr
ODI 10566053
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Steering
When i was driving and then going to make a turn the car gas and steering shut down and the car would not move any longer. The steering wheel also got stuck in the process of turning and. The gas peddle also have been getting stuck before this incident it has been going on for at least 3yrs 2011 until 2014 the present we have gone to check it put no diagnosis was done to let us know the steering column system was…
ODI 10573473
Steering
Steering wheel stopped working, no power steering at all. Now when you sit still the steering wheel jitters and a klicking sound from where steering goes thru firewall. Power steering working again but still nervous about it. Car is now setting at auto mechanic. *tr
ODI 10565884
Steering
The steering on the subject vehicle "failed" intermittently. In essence, the power steering became non-power steering without any warning on 3 or 4 occasions. The vehicle was much more difficult to steer than a car that had standard steering. If the car was re-started, on occasion it would recover the power steering. I needed to have the entire steering column replaced, which was a repair that cost $970.60. More…
ODI 10572918
Steering
While in motion, the steering wheel was a like a dead weight dropped on it and was very hard to steer and drive the vehicle. Making it very unsafe to operate. I researched my issue and found other complains regarding the same model and year. *tr
ODI 10566987
Steering
The power steering on my 2008 ford escape just went out, before it went out the steering wheel moved left to right on its own at a idle. Soon after that there was no power steering at all. I called the dealership and they said they where not aware of any problems and that i should bring it in and have it looked at. After searching for this problem i found out there are very many complaints with the same year make…
ODI 10565567
Steering
I was driving in town and all of a sudden my power steering locked up and would not release. Usually if you put the car in park, shut it off, let it sit fore awhile then start it back up it well eventually release. However, it happens regularly and is a dangerous thing to have happen suddenly. *tr
ODI 10576998
Steering
My wife was driving my 9 year old daughter to her karate class when there was suddenly a lot of vibration in the wheel.the steering wheel suddenly locked up causing my wife to lose power steering on a small turn. My wife was able to get our car off the road as there was a dirt pulloff to the side. We took it to a garage and they said this is a common problem. After doing research i found other car manufacturers will…
ODI 10566883
Steering
While driving my steering wheel will lock up which makes it very hard to turn corners. *tr
ODI 10593214
Steering
While driving, the steering wheel would shimmy as if a wheel was out of alignment. The steering wheel locked up and was extremely difficult to turn. I pull off into a service road and turned the car off. I started the car back up after about 5 minutes and i was able to steer again. It happens repeatedly when after the car has been parked and i start the car up, the steering freezes. I'll restart the car 3 or 4 times…
ODI 10567814