2011 Ford Escape Problems and Recalls (1,351 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2011 Ford Escape is Steering (29% of 1,351 owner reports). There are 3 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 1,351 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2011 Ford Escape?

393 of 1,351 filings named Steering (29% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Cruise / speed control (193 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Steering, Suspension, and Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2010 has 2,128 reports on file; this year has 1,351. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2011 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 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  3. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  4. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  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 393 complaints · 29.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 41
  • Fires 7
  • Injuries 39
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2010 →
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 393 of 1,351 owner complaints (29.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Steering (STEERING): 393 complaints, 29.1% of reports Steering (STEERING) 6 crash reports 393 · 29.1% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 193 complaints, 14.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 8 crash reports 193 · 14.3% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 191 complaints, 14.1% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 191 · 14.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 191 complaints, 14.1% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 191 · 14.1% Engine (ENGINE): 115 complaints, 8.5% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 crash reports 4 fire reports 115 · 8.5% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 50 complaints, 3.7% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 50 · 3.7% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 41 complaints, 3.0% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 41 · 3.0% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 24 complaints, 1.8% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 24 · 1.8% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 20 complaints, 1.5% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 20 · 1.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 148 complaints, 10.9% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 5 crash reports 1 fire reports 148 · 10.9% 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) 393 29.1% 6 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 193 14.3% 8 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 191 14.1% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 191 14.1% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 115 8.5% 2 crashes · 4 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 50 3.7% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 41 3.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 24 1.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 20 1.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 148 10.9% 5 crashes · 1 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 Jan 2011; the first recall shown was reported in May 2014. 2011-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2011-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2011-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2012-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2013-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2013-Q2: 92 owner reports 92 2013-Q3: 182 owner reports 182 2013-Q4: 100 owner reports 100 2014-Q1: 28 owner reports 28 2014-Q2: 28 owner reports 28 2014-Q3: 33 owner reports 33 2014-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2015-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2015-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2015-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2015-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2016-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2016-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2016-Q3: 30 owner reports 30 2016-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2017-Q1: 24 owner reports 24 2017-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2017-Q3: 28 owner reports 28 2017-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2018-Q1: 43 owner reports 43 2018-Q2: 36 owner reports 36 2018-Q3: 24 owner reports 24 2018-Q4: 28 owner reports 28 2019-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2019-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2019-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2019-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2020-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2020-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2020-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2020-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2021-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2021-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2021-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2021-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2022-Q1: 22 owner reports 22 2022-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2022-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2022-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2023-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2023-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2023-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2023-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2024-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2024-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2024-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2025-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2025-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2025-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2025-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2026-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2026-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2011 Oct 2026 Recall campaign 14V284000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V284000 Recall campaign 15E045000 ◆ Recall campaign 15E045000 Recall campaign 16V777000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V777000 Investigation PE11016 ● Investigation PE11016 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation DP12006 ● Investigation DP12006 Investigation PE13003 ● Investigation PE13003 Investigation DP15001 ● Investigation DP15001 Investigation DP15001 ● Investigation DP15001 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005
  • Campaign 14V284000 was reported 1,120 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15E045000 was reported 259 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V777000 was reported 1,512 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q1 Owner reports 2
2011-Q2 Owner reports 8
2011-Q3 Owner reports 7
2011-Q4 Owner reports 8
2012-Q1 Owner reports 2
2012-Q2 Owner reports 4
2012-Q3 Owner reports 7
2012-Q4 Owner reports 14
2013-Q1 Owner reports 25
2013-Q2 Owner reports 92
2013-Q3 Owner reports 182
2013-Q4 Owner reports 100
2014-Q1 Owner reports 28
2014-Q2 Owner reports 28
2014-Q3 Owner reports 33
2014-Q4 Owner reports 19
2015-Q1 Owner reports 18
2015-Q2 Owner reports 18
2015-Q3 Owner reports 19
2015-Q4 Owner reports 17
2016-Q1 Owner reports 15
2016-Q2 Owner reports 14
2016-Q3 Owner reports 30
2016-Q4 Owner reports 18
2017-Q1 Owner reports 24
2017-Q2 Owner reports 25
2017-Q3 Owner reports 28
2017-Q4 Owner reports 33
2018-Q1 Owner reports 43
2018-Q2 Owner reports 36
2018-Q3 Owner reports 24
2018-Q4 Owner reports 28
2019-Q1 Owner reports 25
2019-Q2 Owner reports 16
2019-Q3 Owner reports 14
2019-Q4 Owner reports 23
2020-Q1 Owner reports 15
2020-Q2 Owner reports 8
2020-Q3 Owner reports 11
2020-Q4 Owner reports 19
2021-Q1 Owner reports 17
2021-Q2 Owner reports 12
2021-Q3 Owner reports 9
2021-Q4 Owner reports 17
2022-Q1 Owner reports 22
2022-Q2 Owner reports 7
2022-Q3 Owner reports 18
2022-Q4 Owner reports 15
2023-Q1 Owner reports 16
2023-Q2 Owner reports 8
2023-Q3 Owner reports 17
2023-Q4 Owner reports 15
2024-Q1 Owner reports 5
2024-Q2 Owner reports 17
2024-Q3 Owner reports 8
2024-Q4 Owner reports 13
2025-Q1 Owner reports 18
2025-Q2 Owner reports 12
2025-Q3 Owner reports 6
2025-Q4 Owner reports 3
2026-Q1 Owner reports 6
2026-Q2 Owner reports 4
2026-Q3 Owner reports 5
2026-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 14V284000
Recall campaign 1 15E045000
Recall campaign 1 16V777000
Defect investigation 1 PE11016
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 DP12006
Defect investigation 1 PE13003
Defect investigation 1 DP15001
Defect investigation 1 DP15001
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

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 Fuel system.

  1. 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 →

  2. 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 →

  3. Recall campaign 16V777000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 13, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S41.
    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 9 of 1,351 complaints · page 1 of 55
2026-10-08Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11769905
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My 2011 ford escape is experiencing symptoms of the recall of the faulty Electric Power Steering (EPS) torque sensor. Its not often, but when I turn on the car I wont have power steering but when I turn it off and turn it back on the power steering works. Is there anyway you could open/put a recall on my 2011 ford escape.
2026-08-19Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11757910
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I have a 2011 Ford Escape AWD 3.0 engine. I took it for NY state inspection and it fails due the right side front subframe is rusted and unsafe. Ford has a recall on models up to 2004 but this vehicle has the same issue of the A/C draining on it causing the rust. I have been an auto tech for over 48 years, retired now, and strongly feel this should be a major concern and covered at least 50% by Ford. This design flaw and the fact that I live in a state that uses salt in the winter on the roads, I feel there is nothing I could have done to prevent this from happening.
2026-08-17Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11757463
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who diagnosed that the steering torque sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. 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 150,000.
2026-08-13Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11756851
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I went for an oil change and my mechanic found that the subframe/cross member assembly was almost rusted through. Very dangerous. Needs to be replaced. Found out this is very common with the Ford Escape model of these years. Will cost thousands to repair.
2026-07-29Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11753547
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The rear hatch clicks like it wants to open but doesn't release the latch to open it and I can't get to the place to release an lower the spare tire which is safety concern to me. Also the driver side seat belt casing broke and doesn't release every time you push button to unlatch it which can cause serious problems if in an accident I had a individual garage guy inspect an said he had replaced several latch mechanisms in the hatch for several escape owners i can't afford to have it replaced at this time. If we're to have a flat in extreme heat or extremely cold weather it can cause heat stroke or hypothermia. There were no warning signs one day wouldn't open. An seatbelt wouldn't release one day until pushed so hard the casing broke off an could push clip inside
2026-07-01Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11747578
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The steering wheel locked in one position i pulled over shut off the car restarted and the steering wheel started working again. Is their a recall on my 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid with this problem. This scared me to death I got lucky and the road was straight and I was able to stop the car. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-05-20Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11739089
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The steering shaft torque sensor unexpectedly malfunctioned while driving resulting in a loss of steering. There was no indication that this would happen, no check engine light was on, and no symptoms prior to the incident. The vehicle is undrivable due to a lack of steering and was diagnosed by an independent garage. The steering shaft torque sensor is recalled for other 2010 Ford Escapes, but not this one.
2026-04-30Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11734832
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I was traveling at 20 mph and slowed to make a turn when the steering wheel took two hands to turn the wheel ... I knew it was a power steering issue. Happend all of a sudden with no warning and I was stuck in the middle of an intersection trying to turn around to go back home
2026-04-15Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11731331
CrashFireInjuryDeath
For months my vehicle has had intermittent loss of power steering making it nearly impossible to control direction. On Jan. 29, 2026, I ran into the back of a vehicle that stopped suddenly and due to sudden power steering loss, I wasn't able to swerve and avoid collision. I was issued an infraction for this incident and had to file an insurance claim to repair the front end damage to my vehicle. I brought my vehicle to an independent repair shop who confirmed the issue and said the entire steering column would need to be replaced and would cost approximately $3,000.00. I was also notified that Ford issued Safety Recall Campaign/NHTSA #14S05/14V284 for this exact issue. I contacted the Ford dealership where I purchased my vehicle and they said my VIN is not included in that recall. It seems too coincidental that my 2011 Ford Escape is experiencing the very same issue that prompted a safety recall for thousands of 2008-2010 Ford Escapes but not mine. I contacted Ford customer service and was issued escalation Case #CXH-07666011-H9L5H3.

Ford Escape Complaints by Model Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2011 Ford Escape?

Owners named Steering most often — 393 of 1,351 reports (29%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2011 Ford Escape?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Steering, Suspension, and Fuel system. 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 2011 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