B2278 — manufacturer-specific body code

B2278 is a manufacturer-specific body code: it is defined by the carmaker, not by the OBD-II standard, so the same code can mean different things on different brands. Below are the vehicles and failure patterns where owners report it, drawn from NHTSA complaints — the most reliable guide to what it means in practice.

Ask A Mechanic

In our record, B2278 is reported most often on Ford, Mercury and Mazda vehicles , against steering failure patterns , across 2008–2012 model years. Ford alone accounts for 63% of them.

In ProblemsByVin's analysis of the NHTSA owner-complaint record, owners cite B2278 across 8 vehicle failure patterns. Diagnostic codes in complaints are reported by owners and are unverified — they point to where this code shows up, not a confirmed diagnosis. Open a page below for the full pattern (symptoms, mileage, repair costs owners cite).

Vehicles where owners report B2278 8 patterns

2012 Ford Escape

steering — Intermittent Loss of Power Steering Assist

2011 Ford Escape

steering — Power Steering Loss or Failure

2011 Mercury Mariner

steering — Torque Sensor Failure – Power Steering Loss

2010 Ford Escape

steering — Power steering control module (PSCM) fault—loss of electric assist

2009 Ford Escape

steering — Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) / Torque Sensor Failure – Intermittent Loss of Assist

2008 Ford Escape

steering — Sudden Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist

2008 Mazda Tribute

steering — Loss of Power Steering / Power Steering Assist Failure

2008 Mercury Mariner

steering — Power steering assist loss / reversion to manual mode

Codes are pulled from what owners wrote in their NHTSA filings — they're allegations, not a shop diagnosis. Always confirm with a live scan. Browse all diagnostic codes →