2008 Ford Escape Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report electric power steering problems far more than anything else, most often a sudden loss of steering assist, sometimes with a power steering warning light or code B2278; several say their vehicle was covered by the 14V284000 recall, while many others say theirs was not. Brake complaints, especially on hybrid versions, describe a hard or low pedal and messages such as "regen brakes disabled." Transmission and accelerator complaints round out the sample, and most reports involve well-used vehicles.

1. 1
   Steering

   Electric power steering assist cuts out

   • 991 complaints (50%)
   • median 116,855 mi at 8.3 yrs old (854 state mileage)
   • 28 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 97 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2026

   Owners describe the steering suddenly becoming very heavy or seizing, often while turning at low speed or exiting a highway, and sometimes with a power steering assist warning light. Some say the assist returned after shutting the vehicle off and restarting it, while others report it stayed out. Complaints describe diagnosis of a failed steering torque sensor (code B2278) or steering column, quotes for column or motor replacement, and several owners stating that their vehicle was not included in the related recall campaign. Reported from about 50,000 to over 230,000 miles, with many between 90,000 and 190,000 miles and no clear weather pattern.

   Recall 14V2840003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the torque sensor service kit or campaign 14V284000 work was ever performed, and check by VIN. On a test drive, turn at low speed with the windows down and feel for heavy or uneven assist and listen for motor noise.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My wife was on the freeway going 60 and she took an exit and immediately couldn't steer. The orange wrench light came on but she could still drive any speed it didn't engage limp mode .we can still drive just not steer. There is a recall for this yr for this torque sensor, but its not showing up for our VIN #.”

   NHTSA complaint #11364802, filed 2020-10, 121,000 miles

   “The VIN of my 2008 Ford Escape is not having any recalls, yet some of the 2008 Ford Escape has a recall for the steering assist modular, which my Ford Escape has a faulty modular as my VIN say no recalls, $1000.00 part and labor is a very high price need help to fix the steering knowing we are going through financial difficulties with the pandemic it's very hard to steer and I was able to pull in a parking spot for now”

   NHTSA complaint #11378398, filed 2020-12, 118,845 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Low, soft or hard brake pedal; regen brake warnings

   Mentioned in 13 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints, many from hybrid versions, describe the brake pedal going to the floor or feeling unusually hard, like pressing on a solid surface, so stopping took much more effort. Owners mention ABS and brake warning lights and messages such as "regen brakes disabled," sometimes on hot days, and some report the brakes dragging and wheels getting hot. Diagnoses in the complaints point to the ABS hydraulic control unit, booster or master cylinder, and some mechanics could not reproduce the problem. Mostly reported between roughly 73,000 and 197,000 miles; some owners note episodes on days above about 85 degrees.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: During a test drive, press the pedal firmly several times and note any long travel, hardness or dragging. Have a mechanic scan for ABS codes and check the ABS hydraulic unit, and ask whether the brake fluid has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Traveling on main highway with my 3 grandchildren when the ABS light came on and the check brake system light comes on, brakes go almost all of the way to the floor to get the vehicle to stop. Shortly after, the lights went off and the brakes worked fine. This has happened intermittently, which is very dangerous our mechanic said this is something that only a dealership can fix and it is a very expensive repair. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11340737, filed 2020-07, 193,210 miles

   “When I bought the car, it was over 12 years old and had approximately 137k miles. I experienced recurring brake problems about a month after purchasing the car: on some days, when starting the car the ABS failure light and the red brake failure light would remain illuminated and the check brake system message would appear. Sometimes restarting the car cleared the errors, but most of the time they would remain the entire day. The following day the failures often cleared up. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11300197, filed 2020-01, 137,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission harsh engagement and loss of gears

   • 153 complaints (8%)
   • median 60,328 mi at 4.8 yrs old (149 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $950 (median of 25 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2026

   Owners describe the transmission hesitating and then engaging with a hard lurch when selecting a gear from a stop, plus leaking fluid and a growling or clunking sound. Others report the vehicle losing gears or refusing to come out of gear and being limited to low speed. Complaints mention fluid leaks at the cooler lines and diagnosis of transmission failure. Reported from around 70,000 to 197,000 miles, often on older, higher-mileage vehicles.

   Recall 15V6060004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check for transmission fluid leaks or a burnt smell, and drive from a cold start through all gears to feel for delayed or harsh engagement. Ask about transmission fluid service history and any previous cooler line or transmission repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving to work I noticed a clicking noise if I let go of steering wheel which lasted about a week then on my way to work again it wouldnt go over 40 MPH and wont come out of gear. On the way home it wouldnt go over 30mph and still wont come out of gear.”

   NHTSA complaint #11309764, filed 2020-02, 180,000 miles

   “Power steering just went out, was working just fine then just all of a sudden quit working. Driving went to turn and all of a sudden it was just extremely hard to turn almost wrecked. Prior to this I was driving and turned went to accelerate and the car wouldn't go I had to pull off the side of the road and call a tow truck, the shop said the transmission went out. But no issues before this, just went out all of a sudden like the power steering now.”

   NHTSA complaint #11366743, filed 2020-10, 135,000 miles

Buying note. Have any 2008 Escape checked on a lift for subframe rust, and verify by VIN whether the steering campaign 14V284000 and torque sensor service were applied. Test the steering and brakes thoroughly at low and highway speed, since those are the two areas owners write about most.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.