Problems with 2008 Ford Escape STEERING

Noticed a vibration in steering on the way home yesterday on the highway. made a left turn onto street and steering wheel got extremely tight and hard to staighten. this morning started the 2008 escape and had no power steering. i am a fairly large male and it is tough for me to steer it without power steering and really do not know how a female could. it was lucky i was driving it when the steering went out or else i guarantee there would have been an accident, if not with another car, into a house or business building. i have read numerous accounts online of instances just like mine and somebody will eventually be killed. lets hope a recall happens before this happens! *tr

My 2008 ford escape has a bad steering sensor that caused issues with steering and had pulling to the left. ford informs me that they have to replace entire steering column to fix failed sensor and are quoting $1675. after searching online i see hundreds of similar complaints about ford escapes 2008-2010. this is a safety issue that must be addressed by ford. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the power steering assist failed to operate without warning. the contact shut off and restarted the vehicle to allow the system to reset. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic power steering module needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 100,000. updated 03/12/14*lj

My wife was backing out of the driveway and started driving down the street, when she got to the stop sign the power steering cut out and stopped working all together. i went out there and turned off the car and restarted it and it was working again. i'm very glad it did not happen on the freeway. she would have crashed. this needs to be recalled with how many incidents that have beed reported. *tr

Despite performing ford's safety recall 14s05, my vehicle's power steering continues to fail, ceasing to operate for hours or days, along with loss of traction control. the unpredictable failures seem to be associated with torque sensor (wheel angle) faults at low outdoor temperatures (<10f). the last failure occurred with a guest at the wheel (in the driveway, thank goodness) resulting in her backing into a snow bank and damaging the tail pipe. despite the clear documentation of this problem in nhtsa recall 14v-284, after two full days at the dealer, the service manager indicates ford will not authorize any action until they can replicate the failure in real time. does that mean they need to keep the car until the next cold front? or should i contact someone from ford to come immediately to wherever i am when the steering next fails? will that be from a ditch on the side of an icy road when steering suddenly activates or deactivates without warning? given the very well documented problems with the ford escape electronic power steering system, i would expect ford to authorize at least the next step in repairing this problem immediately. i would also expect a very reasonably priced repair of the damaged tail pipe connection. unfortunately, according to [xxx], a second tier ford customer relations manager, "there is absolutely nothing ford can do to correct this problem unless is occurs while at the dealer." information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

On 1-18-2014 my 2008 ford escape experienced shaking and pulling on the steering wheel when i was sitting idle in my driveway, then it just stopped. drove about 1/2 block and started pulling; took it to the mechanic and it is the electronic power steering $1200-1500 to repair and according to my mechanic when he talked to the local ford parts house they told him this part# has been changed 17 times because they keep failing. this is not acceptable! how can a problem with your steering not possible be a recall item? *tr

Without warning, the power steering on my 2008 ford escape simply went out. i had no issues or indication that the steering was about to fail and suddenly, the power steering simply stopped working. fortunately, this loss of power steering didn't result in a crash in my case. i quickly scheduled an inspection at the ford dealership and they confirmed that the power steering had in fact failed requiring replacement of my steering column. this was almost a $1,600 repair but had to be done immediately due to the serious nature of the failure. in researching this issue on the internet, i have found scores of other people with the same issue. i discovered that ford had changed from a hydraulic power steering system to an electric system starting in 2008. clearly this system is defective and should be looked into immediately. i was lucky not to have had an accident but one day some one will be killed when this system fails again. don't let this turn into another issue like is currently happening with gm ignitions and lives are lost. *tr

After making a left turn and braking at a stop sign, i experienced a sudden loss of power steering. *tr

Tl-the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated when he turned the vehicle ignition switch on. the power steering failed without any warning. the vehicle had not been taken to an dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnosis or repairs. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 58,000.lj

No power steering upon vehicle start up. power steering returns after turning off and restarting vehicle 1-4 times. *tr

Power steering went out. was near home and able to get vehicle into driveway. after shutting off and re-starting power steering worked. steering wheel vibrated while driving until repair made. *tr

This happens multiple times on a long drive over 30 minutes. as i am driving the power steering in my 2008 ford escape xlt will fail and i will lose the ability to steer my vehicle. i have almost had several severe accidents on the highway when it happens at 70mph. this is a huge safety issue and there are many reports of this happening online to similar 2008 escapes. ford has been silent on the issue. this needs a recall in place immediately. ford is aware of the problem and how to fix it. average repair costs are >1400. i can not afford that and will continue to drive/risk my life until this is recalled because i have no other options. the problem resolves itself after restarting the vehicle but happens a short time later. please look into this, i don't feel safe and this is a huge safety issue. *tr

The vehicle's steering began to shutter. then the power steering suddenly gave out. i was barely able to make turns to the right to exit the highway. the condition goes away after stopping and restarting but less than a minute after restarting, the condition returns. i have yet to be able to take the vehicle in for repair of this issue. this is dangerous. *tr

The steering wheel locked in position and the vehicle could not be turn in any direction. this was a potentially deadly situation. the driver had no way of knowing when it might occur. *tr

Steering wheel began to shake or shimmy when the vehicle was stopped and idling. turned vehicle off and back on... the began to drive, power steering was out completely. the vehicle would steer - but was very hard to control. pulled over shut vehicle off, power steering resumed, but steering wheel was shaking again at idle. very dangerous if it were to happen at an speed. my daughter would not be able to control the vehicle, i am very strong and it was hard for me to control. this should be recalled - as so far i see 190+ complaints on this site, and many others on different sites, while trying to find a diagnosis for the problem. ford should address this immediately. *tr

My wife encountered a steering failure on our vehicle yesterday. upon review by my mechanic he reported a failure of code b2278 and the reported fix is the replacement by ford of the entire steering column. he also suggested i look online because this appears to be a very common problem among the mid-2000's ford escape hybrids. there are dozens of webpages, each with dozens of entries such as this page ( http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2008/ford/escape+hybrid/steering ) detailing steering column failures with near tragic results. a clear pattern of steering failure is right in front of the nhtsa's eyes as evidenced in this email. i am imploring you to act. it is bad enough that the column costs $2,000 to replace. does my son have to die before the agency takes action? please take the necessary steps available to the agency to ensure the reasonable safety of ford escape drivers. i will be happy to direct you to the other forums or assist in any manner the agency requests. take care. *tr

My daughter was driving this car and the steering went out, ie: steering wheel hard to turn.she was able to pull over and shut the car off. when she re-started, the steering was fine. this happened to me several times before in the exact same manner. luckily, neither of us was going terribly fast but this could happen anytime and at any speed. this vehicle needs recalled, as i see many other people have had the same issue. i cannot allow my daughter to drive this car in this condition.taking it to mechanic for check today, but they told me on the phone that this is very common. i bought this car new in 2008, and have been very diligent in my maintenance. this repair could exceed $2000! this sounds like an issue that should be corrected by the manufacturer as a defect! *tr

Power steering completely went out going around the curve. did not turn the car out because a test was done on the battery yesterday and it was good, but left work today and had to have it jumped. bought a new battery. started the vehicle again and still no power steering. will be fixed tomorrow for a total of 1200. i could have been with my small son today, but luckily i stayed home from work and my husband took the car. *tr

A few weeks ago my 2008 ford escapes steering wheel intermittently started vibrating and making clicking noises while idling. i researched this issue on the internet and discovered that this is an indicator the power steering will go out and it can happen while driving at anytime. people on freeways or while turning would loose there power steering which is a safety hazard and can cause a serious and potential deadly crash. i learned that aft first if you loose your power steering you can turn your engine off and back on again and the power steering will return. i called the local dealer regarding this serious problem and they said there isn't any recall. when i asked them why ford hasn't stepped up to the plate and taken responsibility for this serious safety issue they suggested i call ford corp and ask them. when i did, all i was told was there isn't a recall; they wouldn't say anything further. my husband has since called and filed a formal complaint with ford. in the mean time, my power steering has gone out many times while pulling away from a stop or parking spot. yesterday while driving it to the dealership to be repaired it went out while actually driving down the road. what will it take for ford to take responsibility for this issue, people to start dying? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, he attempted to make a right turn when the power steering assist malfunctioned and the steering wheel started pulling in the opposite direction. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the power steering assist module was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 175,000. updated 04/14/14*lj updated 04/22/14

Power steering stopped working while turning corner--car hit mail box @ 10mph. power steering goes out anytime. *tr

When i start the car intermittently i have no power steering until i turn off the car a restart it. also when the car is idling the steering wheel shakes and makes a knocking noise. i am very concerned that the steering will go out on the highway and cause an accident. *tr

I was coming to a stop and the electronic assist steering locked up, proceeded to pull away from stop sign and continued to drive to my destination without any steering assist. upon arrival, turned off car and restarted to get steering assist back. i'm glad nothing happened this time!!!!!, car is undrivable, and too expensive to fix. ford needs to step up and stand behind their product, too many corporations leave the dealer and/or consumers with paying the bill for their neglect. *tr

Just as many of the other complaints logged on this site about the 2008 ford escape my issues started with a rattling of the steering wheel when i was idling or breaking. then a few days later i turned my car on and my power steering wasn't working. i turned the car off and restarted it which resulted in the steering working again. this happened a few times for about a week. i was starting to think maybe this is a serious problem an i should get it checked out. the next time i drove it my power steering completely failed while i was driving on ice. i am very glad i was being cautious and going slow. if i had been going faster i could have had a horrible accident. now i've read endless complaints on line about this same problem and am hearing it could cost 1-2,000 to fix! please recall this before it becomes fatal! *tr

Car stalled when driving on hwy in snow storm on two different occasions. also, rpm's climb, just had the steering column replaced 2 months ago. *tr

i bought my 2008 ford escape on january 15 2013 at 67,000 miles it has 78,000 miles and is doing what so many other complaints said are doing. when i go to turn left especially makes a loud bang click noise in the steering wheel/column. i do have a warranty but others don't. there is over 500 complaints on this issue on safe car.gov. please dont let a death be a deciding factor for a recall to be issued and to save a couple bucks. evidently there is a problem. like i said had my car for one year. *tr

Power steering went out, then reset itself. has gone out again, and has not reset. went out when highway driving. serious safety issue. i have read numerous reports on this year make and model having the same issues. ford needs to recall before someone gets killed. *tr

Hey back in december of 2013 i was driving home and i noticed the steering wheel started to shake. it wasn't a violent shake but it was noticeable. now i knew i need my sway bar links replaced so i thought that was the issue. as we entered into 2014, (january) it was getting progressively worse. on 1/16/2014 (thursday) that morning before i went to work, the steering wheel was stiff. so i had to cut the car off and cut it back on and it loosened up. i knew at that point that is wasn't the sway bar links. so that friday (1/17/2014) i took it in to a car shop close to my house (wasn't a ford dealership) and i was told that my electronic steering column was bad and that the sensor was dying. i couldn't understand why this was happening until i looked online and saw that i wasn't the only one with this problem. there are people all over this country and in canada who have had similar problems. to be exact the same problem!! ford has not recalled this issue. i'm sure ford has tons of people that review all online comments, so they have to know about this issue. this is dangerous because just today(1/21/2014) my fiance was driving to work and she came to a red light. when it was time to go, the steering wheel got stiff and made it hard to turn. the sensor went out and it was manual turning. she got to work and when her shift was over, she started the car and the steering was loose again. we can not drive like this and know one else with an ford escape should have to drive like this either. i also found out through various websites that 2008 was the first year they went to this electronic steering column. they couldn't have done the proper testing on this vehicle, i only have 63000 miles on this car and this should not be an issue so soon! please email me back and tell me what i need to do to make ford recall this. thank you *tr

On dec 27 2013 we were driving escape . when trying go around curve ford lost all power steering which caused us to almost hit wall. my husband drove to side road. shut it off . waited few minutes started it power steering was back. took it to garage was told power steering sensor was going out . was told it be 1123.00 cost. it happened again on january 3rd 2014. was told that this is a safety issue and that ford knows its not working right. need a recall before someone gets hurt or killed. our escape is not only one doing it. the ones with electric power steering are failing. i'm scared drive it much. *tr

Upon starting the vehicle, power steering was unable to work. there is no power steering liquid in this model, and instead uses a computer to assist with power steering. after sitting for several moments, a second attempt was made, and power steering successfully responded. there are hundreds of complaints of a similar nature regarding 2008 models and some for the 2009 model of the ford escape. is there a recall of any form going on for these dangerous issues or do we have to shell out a few thousand dollars for something that we were unaware of when purchasing the vehicle? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated while driving approximately 20 mph, a loud clicking noise emitted from the dashboard in addition to a loss of power steering. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the engine was turned off. the vehicle resumed normally upon restarting. the failure recurred when the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the steering column was replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 146,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to function properly while making a turn. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the electronic power steering had failed. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 87,800.

The power steering would not engage when starting the vehicle. i would have to turn off the vehicle and restart until in engaged. when it was operating, the steering wheel would shutter back and forth. i took it in to the ford dealer and scan code b2278 confirmed that the torque sensor was bad in the electronic power steering assist. required the steering column to be replaced at a cost of $1,439.68. *tr

The first time my steering wheel started to shake for no apparent reason at a red light. then it stopped as i proceeded to drive down the road the steering wheel jerked to the left. i then was worried because i had my little boy with me. i ran into the store and then went home and it stopped. today, i drove 36 miles pulled into my driveway, stopped waiting for the garage door to open and the steering wheel started to shake. i tried to tape it with my phone and it stopped after a couple of minutes. will have it checked out because i would hate to drive my little one and have the power steering go out in it. *tr

Our ford escape lost power steering right as were going into a curve in the road. there was not warning that this was going to happen. lucky i was able to get the vehicle stopped. once i turned the car off and back on again the steering started to work. this problem started to happen more often which prompted me to research what the problem was. i was surprised to discover that many ford escape owners have experienced the same problem. everything i have read states the steering column is faulty and needs replaced. this is a serious safety concern since this is my wife's daily driver. *tr

Sometimes when the vehicle is started the power steering doesn't work, and when it does the steering wheel shakes when the vehicle is idling as well as when it's driving. *tr

While attempting to turn left on an intersecting road from a stop sign, the power steering went out with no prior warning. it took all of my strength to get out of the intersection and off of the side of the road. after turning off the engine and restarting the car a couple of times, it began working again. the car was taken to the nearest ford dealership and they said the steering column had to be replaced for $1,300.00 which is not covered under my extended warranty that was purchased when i bought the car brand new. i could not drive the car because after researching on the internet, i have found hundreds of the same complaints and this can happen intermittently while driving at any time. this is a major safety concern and i can not believe that ford has not made a recall on this! i can't bare to think of what could have happened with my child in the car as i was taking him to school. *tr

This problem originally occurred on dec 12th 2013. when i started my car,the steering wheel was locked. i then turned off the car,pulled the key out of the ignition and restarted it,and the wheel was fine then. as i was driving, my steering wheel would shake slightly back and forth without me touching it. there were no indicator lights lit up on my dashboard. then while driving some more,i heard a faint click,and my steering wheel was locked again,it had absolutely no power steering and it took all of my strength to turn the steering wheel. that has continued to happen every time i drive now,and recently it has gotten to the point where the steering wheel is always locked with no power steering. i took the car to the mechanic and was told that the electronic steering sensor is malfunctioning and the whole steering coloumn needs to be replaced and it is a very big job. i am still awaiting my quote to see exactly how much it will cost me.i have had this car for only 7 months and it seems like this is a common problem among the 2008 ford escapes. i do not understand why this issue has not been recalled,they can recall things like a power window for locking up and not being able to go up or down,but not this. this problem could cause serious injury and possibly death. this is the only car i have and i rely on it heavily. it it almost impossible to turn the steering wheel and this issue needs to be taken care of by ford already. how many complaints do they need before this problem is addressed?? *tr

Started car and attempted to turn wheel to find absolutely no power steering, was able to get car to repair shop. once car was shut off and restarted, power steering worked perfectly, then once driving it intermittently would stop working causing severely dangerous driving conditions. no warning lights on vehicle regarding power steering control issues were ever displayed. diagnostic test done at ford dealership shows error with the sensor in steering column, which requires a complete replacement of steering column. ford online forum list hundreds of complaints with that exact same issue, similar mileage on vehicle. car is scheduled to be repaired by ford dealership, unable to drive until repaired do to sporadic loss of power steering. *tr

Tl - the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated while driving 35 mph the steering wheel started to shake and vibrate, it then became hard to maneuver the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the steering shaft position sensor malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 84,000. rk

My wife was turning to pull into a parking spot when the power steering went out. she had to restart the engine to get it working again. *tr

Started vehicle and began to back out of driveway when i noticed the power steering wasn't working. turned the vehicle off and upon re-starting, power steering began to work again. this has occurred several times since. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the contact turned the engine off and after restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel returned to normal function without failure. the manufacturer was made aware of failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 117,000.

While backing out of my driveway the power steering failed, placed the escape back in the driveway. will call the ford dealer on monday. *tr

I purchased my 2008 ford escape at 71,000 miles, now at 122,000 miles my steering appears to be locking up. or losing power steering. while the vehicle is in park idling, the steering wheel will move from side to side on its own making noise that sounds as if it is coming from the steering column. there have been thousands of complaints on this. ford needs to recall this before someone gets hurt. driving down the highway at 70 mph, and steering locks up. this is an accident waiting to happen. i called ford and they have yet to do anything about it. as many complaints they have out there with this issue, you think they would take this into consideration and the safety concerns for this. *tr

Help! i bought a brand new 2008 ford escape and have a pretty good record of maintenance. a week ago, i noticed my steering wheel is locking. i have to restart so many times before i can move it. two days ago, i was exiting from the freeway and as i turned, the wheel locked and almost crashed, straight head on to the opposite side. that was frightening! i checked online and surprised to find thousand of complains about the same incident for 2008 model and up. i believe this is a mechanical problem and ford should have update the way how they make the electrical sensor/power steering wheel that is causing this and should not be stuck to pay $2,000 just to have this parts fixed. there should be a recall for this before someone gets really hurt and cause death. *tr

Tl* the contact owes a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the steering wheel suddenly malfunctioned and became difficult to turn. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the electronic power steering needed to be replaced. the contact stated that no repairs were performed to the vehicle. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving in reverse at an unknown speed, the steering wheel failed to maneuver in any direction. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 79,000. the vin was unavailable.

I was driving down the road and loss power steering, luckily i was only going 45 miles per hour and was able to maintain control of the car. surprised to see so many complaints and ford not standing behind their products. this will be the last ford our family will own. how in the world can they say this is not a safety issue is unbelievable. what will it take a fatality to get fords attention? *tr

It first happened when you started the vehicle , no power steering !!!!! shut it off ,, restart it and you had power steering again. this happened around 20 more times in the next month . then the power steering would shut off while driving it , regardless of speed . it was worst than having old standard steering . as long as you were rolling you could steer it , but when you stopped it took both hands to turn the steering wheel. it was very scary and dangerous . my wife drives this vehicle to work monday through friday . she has been scared to drive it not knowing what might take place when the steering goes completely out. well it finally went out today !!!!!!!! don"t know what it"s going to cost ? i think ford should have to take care of this problem . it a very serious safety problem . thank you *tr