2011 Ford Escape complaints

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 10 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle regained power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 144,454.

Leaking gas from gas tank where the fuel delivery pipe enters the tank

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her husband was driving approximately 20-25 MPH and making a right turn with the contact occupying the front passenger's seat, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, nearly causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to drive to the nearby residence of the contact's brother. The contact stated upon restarting the vehicle approximately two hours later, the power steering functionality had returned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer the following day and was diagnosed with steering shaft torque sensor malfunction. The dealer replaced and calibrated the steering shaft torque sensor twice. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 138,260.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the steering wheel was seized, and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed torque sensor. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was next taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed torque sensor and the contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

We were sitting in a parking lot and the car was started, the steering wheel was very difficult to turn. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. No one’s safety was at risk. This is the first time this has happened, we have had the car since July 2024, we have not taken it to a mechanic yet. The vehicle has not been inspected yet. There was no warning light or other symptoms prior to this event.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon approaching the vehicle, the contact observed gasoline leaking underneath the fuel tank. The contact became aware of a crack in the gasoline tank seal. The contact stated that there was a constant odor of gasoline on the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 240,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH and making a right turn, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated that the failure was self-corrected, and proper functionality returned. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the electric power steering gears needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The independent mechanic made the contact aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); and referred the contact to a dealer for assistance. The VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Airbag light on/ flashing. Shop says "passenger side seat belt retractor assembly" needs replaced. I switched it with a known working part, didn't fix the issue. Upon further research I found that it is a known issue. Source: [XXX] April 1, 2011 MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION NUMBER: SIS-21841 Components: AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NHTSA ID Number: 10038965 Manufacturer Communication Number: SIS-21841 Summary: COMM-TRANS LUND: SOME 2009-2011 MODELS MAY HAVE THE AIR BAG INICATOR FLASHING WITH A STORED TROUBLE CODE. THIS IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. *RM I have contacted both local dealerships, as well as Ford corporate. The remedy they all 3 offered: Take it in for diagnostics (I'm already fully aware of the issue) which will cost me around $300, then they will tell me if there's even a possibly solution. They were completely unwilling to tell me if they could fix the software issue without first paying for their diagnostic service, even though it's a known and recorded issue, with the NHTSA ID Number: 10038965 as well as the Manufacturer Communication Number: SIS-21841. Upon researching complaints, I have found that I am by far not the only person who has this exact issue. Note: "date of incident" is when I purchased the vehicle, mileage is the mileage at the time of purchase, it has had the light on since before that date and mileage. I tried to resolve this issue then, and recently have been trying again, in hopes that there has been a fix found finally, to no avail. INFORMATION REDA

While driving the vehicle, the power steering suddenly went out without warning.

Intermittent loss of power steering.

The front subframe on the passenger side is rusted through. I have also heard this part referred to as the engine cradle. I noticed while changing the serpentine belt and had it looked at by a mechanic. Took it to Midas and mechanic said front subframe should to be replaced but couldn't get the part. I researched this online and found it to be a common problem. People say it may be from AC water discharge due to occurring mostly on passenger side only. The uploaded images are of my own vehicle. Apparently people say these snap and the car takes a hard right turn when the wheel comes loose. I guess all the people that die don't post anything so the government isn't taking this issue seriously... Uploaded images are of my own vehicle. I'm also including youtube links of other people's similar year/make, same model issue as 2011 Ford Escape with the same issue. The first one is apparently by a Ford mechanic, fixing his mom's vehicle because he doesn't want her to die. I'm a [XXX], discovered this on Veterans Day 2024. Survived combat, but will this faulty vehicle kill me? Needs manufacturer recall, myself and many others have no choice but to drive it. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact attempted to make a right turn however, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel became difficult to steer in either direction. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown recall however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH around a roundabout, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated that the steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (STEERING). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 188,000.

I lose my power steering. First time it happened I had turned the steering wheel to its’ fullest extent, then lost the power steering.when I turn off the engine and restart it, the power returns. This has happened 4-5 times in the past 4-5 years… until today. Today it happened 4 times, just with normal turns (no hard banked turns) - again, I had to turn off the engine, then start it, with hopes that it reset itself. I’m 71, I CAN drive it without power steering, but I believe it’s dangerous and a safety hazard. Is my 2011 Ford Escape on a list for a replacement part? Thank you.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, the vehicle lost electrical power steering functionality and was nearly rear-ended. The contact stated that the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer into a parking lot. A mobile mechanic determined that the electric power steering had failed. The mechanic turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the electrical power steering became functional. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering torque sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) because the VIN was not included. A case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 204,043.

Power steering is inoperable and was verified by Crossroads Ford Wake Forest. Same issue as other 2011 Escapes that are covered under TSB 14-0016. My VIN was not included in the TSB but is the same issue per Ford Dealership. Vehicle is available for inspection if needed. May cause a crash since vehicle is difficult to control without power steering. Power steering has been intermittently not working for approximately 2 months.

The contact's father owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her father was driving at an undisclosed speed, the suspension of the vehicle collapsed, and the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the front passenger's side axle had fractured and had bent the front passenger's side wheel. The independent mechanic advised that the vehicle be replaced rather than repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. No further information was provided. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

The electric steering is not letting you turn the steering wheel while driving you have to turn the car off and let it sit before it will work again. I see there is a recall for the same year as my car but it is not included? I don’t understand why as I see that there are others with the same issues.

The brakes completely failed and I was unable to stop the car except by turning up hill and applying the emergency brake. I had it repaired by Ford in Bangor and it turned out that the ABS module had failed. It seems unreasonable that there was no mechanical backup to a failure of an electronic part.

Had my Escape in for an oil change and was informed that the engine cradle (Front Sub Frame) was rusting out. Took it to a second shop and was instructed that is need to be fixed in the month or it is going to drop when I am driving sometime. The estimated cast is from $1,500 to over $2,000. That is a huge cost for me and I am not sure how I am going to afford that. I look up and it seems to be happens to a lot of 2011 escape owners and need to be looked into. It could cost someone there life.

Sub frame rotted out on passenger side, causing passenger side control arm to become dislodged which resulted in lost control of car! Could have resulted in major accident and or death at higher speed! Entire family in car.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the electronic power steering assist malfunctioned, and the steering wheel was very difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the electronic power steering stopped functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The power steering assist fault warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); the VIN was included, but the vehicle had already been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 102,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel was very difficult to turn. The contact was not aware if there were any warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over and called a friend for assistance. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence and then the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the electric power steering sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The mechanic referred the contact to a dealer to complete the repair. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, a diagnostic test was not performed and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and jerked, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was diagnosed by Roadside Assistance as a failure with the alternator. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed as it was confirmed that the alternator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The dealer was not contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,499.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to drive from the parking lot; however, the steering wheel became very stiff, making it difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The contact was not able to turn the steering wheel to the right nor the left. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel was pulling to the right. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact used excessive force to regain control of the vehicle. The contact arrived to the destination and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a defective steering column. Upon investigation, the mechanic discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) which was linked to the failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was firm and difficult to maneuver. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

Power steering went out on wife's 2011 ford escape, checked for recall and found none for her vehicle however there was for 2008 to 2011 escapes which involved the torque sensor. I don't know why I never received a recall notice and have noticed many other people have had the same problem and Ford is unwilling to do anything about it. This is a defect that could cost someone or someone's their life or serious injury and Ford should be required to fix the problem. Hope that pressure will be put on Ford to fix the problem as they should.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the steering column assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his granddaughter was driving 30-35 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 206,550.

You turn on the car and the steering wheel is locked and this is happening every day, every time you turn on the car.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering failed to work as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with EGR valve failure. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The contacted stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not included the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering functionality was inoperable, and the vehicle was difficult to steer. Additionally, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.

Power steering locks up and makes it almost impossible to turn the wheel. Error diagnostic code is B2278. VIN is not included in the recall.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the power steering failed to function as needed. The contact was able to park and restart the vehicle; however, the power steering failed to regain normal functionality, making it difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed as having power steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 240,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after driving approximately 10 MPH and then attempting to park the vehicle, the power steering abruptly switched to manual steering mode and became difficult to turn. The contact stated after turning off and restarting the vehicle, the power steering regained normal functionality before the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

This 2011 Ford Escape has a front K-frame (subframe) failure. The area where the front passenger lower control connects to the k-frame has completely rusted through, causing the lower control arm to almost detach from the vehicle at the front bushing. While driving, the steering wheel suddenly became crooked and the car was taken to a shop for an alignment. Upon inspection it was learned that the K-frame has rusted in that one area so badly that the wheel could become detached if the vehicle is driven any further. I see that Ford has this exact issue with 2001-2004 models and did a recall. However, they are not indicating that they are addressing this same problem with newer models.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel locked, causing the vehicle to drive straightforwardly towards oncoming traffic. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she stopped the vehicle and reversed. The contact stated that a road construction worker placed traffic cones around the vehicle to prevent a crash. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic contacted the dealer for the part and was informed that the part was not available. The contact followed up with the dealer, who informed her that the part had been discontinued. Additionally, the contact stated while the vehicle was being towed to the independent mechanic, the front driver's side lower control arm fractured due to severely rusted bolts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.

I took my vehicle to Chenango Ford to have its NYS Inspection done. After a few minutes the representative at the Ford dealership came out to tell me that the Front Subframe had a rusted hole (Rusted Out) and it would cost me $4800.00 to repair the vehicle. I was able to drive the vehicle home and have filed a complaint with Ford Motor Company the representative I spoke with is Case Number: [XXX] Patricia Johnson Phone Number: (866)631-3788 Extension: 79606 At this time I am left with a well maintained vehicle that is no longer usable due to safety issues caused by I believe faulty engineering and vehicle design. As a Disabled person on a limited income I now have lost a major means of transportation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The power steering keeps locking up while driving on the highway and taking turns. Driving this car when this happens is very stressful and frighting, since you have to turn the car off and move the steering wheel to loosen it up before you can drive again. This has almost cause me to have several accidents. And there is no warning when this is going to happen, it just locks up. Ford has done a recall for the power steering issue for the Ford Escape and for the same year. They are telling me that my car is not listed for this recall. Took the car to Ford Auto Nation in July of 2023 and paid over 3000.00 to have fixed. Not even a week later the steering was locking up more. Took the car back and they have had it ever since. It has been 9 months waiting for this to be fixed. I would like this car to be included in the recall so I can get a refund and have my car fixed by a different dealership. I did a case number [XXX] with Ford for them to just tell me my vin number isn't included in the recall. I would appreciate any assistance you can provide. This issue started back in November of 2022, but since I am in the Coast Guard and would spend 3 to 6 months out at sea it sat on base for most of the time. Had the car shipped from California to Florida in June of 2023 and took to repair shop who said it would be covered over the recall which as I explained I am being informed it isn't. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact's daughter owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was veering around a curb the vehicle temporarily lost power steering functionality. The contact’s daughter was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated; however, 5 audible dings were coming from the system. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, and it was diagnosed with an intermittent power steering failure. The mechanic informed the contact there was a recall for that failure and to contact the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the recall was not associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline by the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, prompting her to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the power steering torque sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated when he entered the vehicle, the vehicle was without power steering functionality. The contact stated that while the vehicle was started, the vehicle was jerking. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) as a possible solution; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 313,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that there might have been a recall on the vehicle for the transmission. The manufacturer was notified, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

Loses power steering. Recall had been fixed way before I bought it.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering function became inoperable. The contact stated that while making a turn, the power steering was inoperable, and the vehicle was very difficult to steer. In addition, the contact became aware of a failure with the electrical system. The contact stated the radio and other features did not function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that after driving the vehicle, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contacted stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH and steering the vehicle to the right around a traffic circle, the power steering functionality failed. The contact was able to pullover and stop the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the power steering functionality returned. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering failure was intermittent but was a reoccurring failure. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 206,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving at approximately 10 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel started spinning abnormally. The contact was unaware if there were any warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the steering sensor and steering column needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Power steering will go out. Sometimes if I turn the car off and back on it will come back. Very stiff steering when it goes out. Drives really rough when it’s out.