Ford Escape problems
1,690 owners have filed defect reports on this one. That's not a small number. No active recalls — patterns come from the complaint record.
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
- Brakes: 83 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 78,500–133,000 mi
- Reliability score 6.4/10 — around the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
Electrical power steering failure came on dash warning and next start up the power steering went out while driving on a rural road.
Power steering stopped working while driving on a city street and then power steering came back. When I shut off the vehicle and restarted it, the power steering is still not working. I have not driven the car since because of safety concerns. I was told by Ford that my escape…
Purchased the vehicle in january 2017. Approximately mid december 2018 a code popped up on my dash "power steering assist fault" and the steering wheel shakes as I drive. I code is continuously on. I contacted Ford, who tell me there was a recall on the 2009 Ford escape in 2016…
The front sub frame rusted out on the passenger side. The is a 1inch by 5 inch hole in the sub frame. The lower control arm could have come off and the whole spindle and tire could have come off the vehicle while driving. Haggerty Ford iin West Chicago, Il noticed the large…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2009 Ford Escape reliable?
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.4 out of 10 based on 1,690 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Ford Escape has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
Should you avoid the 2009 Ford Escape?
The 2009 Ford Escape is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Brakes: 83 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 78,500–133,000 mi; Reliability score 6.4/10 — around the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2009 Ford Escape?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is steering, with 825 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 122,975 miles. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 122,975 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Ford Escape has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2009 Ford Escape?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 1,690 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.