ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING FAILURE CAME ON DASH WARNING AND NEXT START UP THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD.
2009 Ford Escape steering problems
moderate 823 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
823
Recalls
0
Crashes
15
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 15 most recent
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 WAS NOT PART OF THE NATIONAL RECALL.
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 FOR THIS EXACT CODE, BUT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ASSEMBLED IN KANSAS CITY, THAT THEY CANNOT FIX IT UNDER THE RECALL AN…
The steering wheel locks up and I am unable to start the car. Sometimes the ignition will turn and the car will start, but the wheel remains locked up. Eventually the car may start and the wheel will unlock, but I'm afraid it could go out while driving. I have discovered over 650 complaints about the same problem with Fords. I took the car to a mechanic (independent) who diagnosed a defective ign…
FIRST NOTICED STEERING WHEEL SHAKING AND A NOISE.SOON AFTER POWER ASSIST FAULT SENSOR CAME ON.NEXT STEERING WHEEL WAS SO TIGHT COULD NOT TURN IT.I WAS DRIVING WHEN POWER ASSIST SENSOR CAME ON.THEN I WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY TRYING TO PULL OUT WHEN STEERING WHEEL GOT TIGHT
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I WAS TRYING TO DET OVER WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING ACTED LIKE IT WAS LOCKED UP AND VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. THE PROBLEM QUIT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IS VERY SCARY. *TR
SAFETY ISSUE: MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE'S STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHUDDER/VIBRATE AT IDLE. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL CANNOT BE MOVED LEFT OR RIGHT. IT LOCKS UP. I HAVE TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RE-START IT IN ORDER TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE. TODAY, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I COULD H…
I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I TURNED LEFT AT A LIGHT AS I SHOULD, THE POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT WITH NO WARNING, ABSOLUTELY NO POWER STEERING AS I WAS TURNING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION . I WAS GOING MUCH SLOWER THAN 25 MPH SPEED LIMIT, SINCE I WAS TURNING. I ALMOST CRASHED INTO A CURB\STREET SIGN, BUT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL WITH ALL MY STRENGTH TO MAKE IT TURN WITHOUT THE POWER STE…
VERY SCARY MOMENT. TURNING LEFT WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC AND LOST ALL POWER STIRRING. WAS NEARLY HIT. THIS ESCAPE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEAR IN DECEMBER OF 2014 UNDER A RECALL. THE PSCM AND THE ICM WERE UPDATED AS PER THE FORD 14S05C RECALL NUMBER. I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT OR WORSE, THE FAMILY IN THE CAR THAT NEARLY MISSED ME. I HAVE BEEN READING ONLINE ABOUT THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THIS IS …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING FAILED AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST PUMP SENSOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIGOROUSLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2009 Ford Escape?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 823 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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