2008 Ford Escape Problems: Steering (2,398 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2008 Ford Escape is Steering (49% of 2,398 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Steering — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-15 2,398 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2008 Ford Escape?

1,165 of 2,398 filings named Steering (49% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (299 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Steering, Suspension, and Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2007 has 389 reports on file; this year has 2,398. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2008 Ford Escape

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Steering. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Steering 1,165 complaints · 48.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 72
  • Fires 7
  • Injuries 45
  • Deaths 0
All Ford Escape years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Steering (STEERING) appears in 1,165 of 2,398 owner complaints (48.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Steering (STEERING): 1,165 complaints, 48.6% of reports Steering (STEERING) 24 crash reports 1,165 · 48.6% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 299 complaints, 12.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 299 · 12.5% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 241 complaints, 10.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 12 crash reports 241 · 10.1% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 154 complaints, 6.4% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 5 crash reports 154 · 6.4% Engine (ENGINE): 140 complaints, 5.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 140 · 5.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 110 complaints, 4.6% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 crash reports 2 fire reports 110 · 4.6% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 54 complaints, 2.3% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 54 · 2.3% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 29 complaints, 1.2% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 crash reports 29 · 1.2% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 29 complaints, 1.2% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 29 · 1.2% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 355 complaints, 14.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 9 crash reports 2 fire reports 355 · 14.8% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Steering (STEERING) 1,165 48.6% 24 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 299 12.5% 2 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 241 10.1% 12 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 154 6.4% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 140 5.8% 2 crashes · 1 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 110 4.6% 3 crashes · 2 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 54 2.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 29 1.2% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 29 1.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 355 14.8% 9 crashes · 2 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2007; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2010. 2007-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2007-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2008-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2009-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2009-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2009-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2009-Q4: 20 owner reports 20 2010-Q1: 54 owner reports 54 2010-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2010-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2010-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2011-Q1: 29 owner reports 29 2011-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 2011-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2011-Q4: 38 owner reports 38 2012-Q1: 38 owner reports 38 2012-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2012-Q3: 39 owner reports 39 2012-Q4: 39 owner reports 39 2013-Q1: 85 owner reports 85 2013-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 2013-Q3: 48 owner reports 48 2013-Q4: 64 owner reports 64 2014-Q1: 152 owner reports 152 2014-Q2: 80 owner reports 80 2014-Q3: 63 owner reports 63 2014-Q4: 77 owner reports 77 2015-Q1: 90 owner reports 90 2015-Q2: 38 owner reports 38 2015-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 2015-Q4: 48 owner reports 48 2016-Q1: 94 owner reports 94 2016-Q2: 48 owner reports 48 2016-Q3: 35 owner reports 35 2016-Q4: 53 owner reports 53 2017-Q1: 86 owner reports 86 2017-Q2: 34 owner reports 34 2017-Q3: 21 owner reports 21 2017-Q4: 57 owner reports 57 2018-Q1: 86 owner reports 86 2018-Q2: 47 owner reports 47 2018-Q3: 47 owner reports 47 2018-Q4: 63 owner reports 63 2019-Q1: 59 owner reports 59 2019-Q2: 37 owner reports 37 2019-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 2019-Q4: 28 owner reports 28 2020-Q1: 35 owner reports 35 2020-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2020-Q3: 26 owner reports 26 2020-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2021-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2021-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2021-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2021-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2022-Q1: 27 owner reports 27 2022-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2022-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2022-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2023-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2023-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2023-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2024-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2024-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2025-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2025-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2025-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2025-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2026-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2026-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 Owner reports Apr 2007 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 10E043000 ◆ Recall campaign 10E043000 Recall campaign 14V284000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V284000 Recall campaign 14V526000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V526000 Recall campaign 15E045000 ◆ Recall campaign 15E045000 Recall campaign 15V606000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V606000 Investigation PE08060 ● Investigation PE08060 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation DP15001 ● Investigation DP15001 Investigation DP15001 ● Investigation DP15001 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005
  • Campaign 14V284000 was reported 2,545 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15E045000 was reported 2,820 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V606000 was reported 2,650 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2007-Q2 Owner reports 2
2007-Q3 Owner reports 7
2007-Q4 Owner reports 2
2008-Q1 Owner reports 3
2008-Q2 Owner reports 7
2008-Q3 Owner reports 5
2008-Q4 Owner reports 11
2009-Q1 Owner reports 21
2009-Q2 Owner reports 15
2009-Q3 Owner reports 15
2009-Q4 Owner reports 20
2010-Q1 Owner reports 54
2010-Q2 Owner reports 16
2010-Q3 Owner reports 12
2010-Q4 Owner reports 24
2011-Q1 Owner reports 29
2011-Q2 Owner reports 33
2011-Q3 Owner reports 23
2011-Q4 Owner reports 38
2012-Q1 Owner reports 38
2012-Q2 Owner reports 30
2012-Q3 Owner reports 39
2012-Q4 Owner reports 39
2013-Q1 Owner reports 85
2013-Q2 Owner reports 33
2013-Q3 Owner reports 48
2013-Q4 Owner reports 64
2014-Q1 Owner reports 152
2014-Q2 Owner reports 80
2014-Q3 Owner reports 63
2014-Q4 Owner reports 77
2015-Q1 Owner reports 90
2015-Q2 Owner reports 38
2015-Q3 Owner reports 31
2015-Q4 Owner reports 48
2016-Q1 Owner reports 94
2016-Q2 Owner reports 48
2016-Q3 Owner reports 35
2016-Q4 Owner reports 53
2017-Q1 Owner reports 86
2017-Q2 Owner reports 34
2017-Q3 Owner reports 21
2017-Q4 Owner reports 57
2018-Q1 Owner reports 86
2018-Q2 Owner reports 47
2018-Q3 Owner reports 47
2018-Q4 Owner reports 63
2019-Q1 Owner reports 59
2019-Q2 Owner reports 37
2019-Q3 Owner reports 22
2019-Q4 Owner reports 28
2020-Q1 Owner reports 35
2020-Q2 Owner reports 9
2020-Q3 Owner reports 26
2020-Q4 Owner reports 24
2021-Q1 Owner reports 17
2021-Q2 Owner reports 11
2021-Q3 Owner reports 9
2021-Q4 Owner reports 9
2022-Q1 Owner reports 27
2022-Q2 Owner reports 7
2022-Q3 Owner reports 10
2022-Q4 Owner reports 10
2023-Q1 Owner reports 17
2023-Q2 Owner reports 3
2023-Q3 Owner reports 8
2023-Q4 Owner reports 2
2024-Q1 Owner reports 8
2024-Q2 Owner reports 5
2024-Q3 Owner reports 4
2024-Q4 Owner reports 4
2025-Q1 Owner reports 11
2025-Q2 Owner reports 6
2025-Q3 Owner reports 8
2025-Q4 Owner reports 5
2026-Q1 Owner reports 7
2026-Q2 Owner reports 4
2026-Q3 Owner reports 3
Recall campaign 1 10E043000
Recall campaign 1 14V284000
Recall campaign 1 14V526000
Recall campaign 1 15E045000
Recall campaign 1 15V606000
Defect investigation 1 PE08060
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 DP15001
Defect investigation 1 DP15001
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Steering, Suspension, and Transmission / driveline.

  1. Recall campaign 10E043000

    Safety recall 10E043000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.
    Remedy:
    MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 14V284000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    Consequence:
    If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 14V526000

    Safety recall 14V526000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S19.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 15E045000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 15V606000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-14
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 2,398 complaints · page 1 of 96
2026-09-02Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11761770
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Electronic power steering went out a couple times on me .
2026-08-12Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11756566
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Was driving on highway at 55 when the wrench warning light came on drove car to residence and turned it off, when car was cranked again it had no power steering. Vin number was not included in recall on same issue. Has not been fixed.
2026-07-13Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11750029
CrashFireInjuryDeath
While driving over 60 MPH the car will begin to say the engine is hot and sometimes without warning going to stop safely now however when you open the hood nothing is hot to touch and there's an extreme amount of coolant gone from the engine coolant tank have replaced coolant tank itself still having issue begin happening in March and is still continuing
2026-06-22Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11745583
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle and driving from a parking lot at 5 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the transmission skipped second and forth gear, and remained in third gear. The vehicle hesitated and stalled. An Independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed a bolt failure and that the transmission bands needed to be replaced. The transmission band was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 116,000.
2026-04-30Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11734808
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH on the highway, the steering wheel seized. The failure was intermittent. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure recurred while reversing out of the driveway. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,548
2026-04-14Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11731174
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the powertrain malfunction warning light and the ABS warning light were illuminated. The driver was able to pull over, the battery was disconnected and reconnected, and the contact was able to continue driving. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard when the ABS light was illuminated. While reversing, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the repairs would be at the owner's expense. Another local dealer, Bob Davidson Ford Lincoln, located at 1845 E Joppa Rd, Baltimore, MD 21234, was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall and referred the contact to the local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
2026-04-06Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11729359
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became firm and failed to turn to the left or the right. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it remained for several weeks; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
2026-03-17Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11724880
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The power steering torque sensor went out. It was recalled, the repair was made, but the part is failing again. It is creating a safety issue. Ford won't re-repair. The part they put in is failing again. It has been less than 15 years since they put in the recalled part.
2026-03-02Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11721440
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Check engine light keeps flashing, car vibration, bad head gasket, oil and fluid leak
2026-02-18Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11718770
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The power steering started going out at low speeds and eventually just stopped working. The car keeps saying power steering assist fault. The power steering no longer works.

Ford Escape Complaints by Model Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2008 Ford Escape?

Owners named Steering most often — 1,165 of 2,398 reports (49%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2008 Ford Escape?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Steering, Suspension, and Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2008 Ford Escape?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-14. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources