2009 Ford Escape Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report a sudden loss of electric power steering assist, which can happen while driving at any speed, at start-up, or while turning, and which sometimes resets after a restart. Complaints describe the loss as abrupt, with the steering wheel becoming difficult to turn and the dash showing a power steering fault message. Second most common are brake complaints in which the pedal sinks to the floor after an ABS event, along with a smaller set describing rough running or transmission fluid leaks.

1. 1
   Steering

   Electric power steering assist cuts out

   • 792 complaints (47%)
   • median 120,100 mi at 9.5 yrs old (627 state mileage)
   • 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,400 (median of 75 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2026

   Complaints describe the steering wheel suddenly becoming very hard to turn, sometimes at highway speed and sometimes when first starting the vehicle or pulling out of a parking space. Many owners say no warning appeared, while others report a 'Power Steering Assist Fault' message; some say restarting the vehicle briefly restores assist. Several mention that the vehicle had already been serviced under recall 14V284000, or that the dealer checked the VIN and said the vehicle was not included. Dealers and independent shops are reported to have diagnosed the power steering control module, the steering column, or the assist motor and to have quoted repairs or a reprogramming. Reported from just over 10,000 miles up past 200,000, with many complaints filed between roughly 90,000 and 150,000 miles.

   Recall 14V2840003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the steering software update or torque sensor service kit under recall 14V284000 was applied, and have any stored power steering codes read before buying. Note that several owners report the assist failed again after that work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My power steering keeps going out when I am driving and my car was recalled for it but they never replaced it and they said they scanned it and nothing was wrong but now it's acting up and Ford won't fix it.. It was recalled for this.. I believe they should fix it I have almost wrecked twice..and when I start it up and it don't want to work do you know how hard it is to steer?”

   NHTSA complaint #11394362, filed 2021-02, 106,000 miles

   “Was driving and all of a sudden the power steering stopped, talked to dealership to work with me said there is no recall but ii did find it the number is 14v284000. Or recall 14s05. The Ford company is monarch Ford in exeter, calif. Please help I drive for my business.”

   NHTSA complaint #11372762, filed 2020-11, 131,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake pedal sinks to the floor after ABS event

   • 115 complaints (7%)
   • median 96,300 mi at 9.5 yrs old (87 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,100 (median of 20 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2025

   Owners describe the brake pedal traveling all the way to the floor during braking, often after the ABS activated on a slippery or rough surface, with the vehicle not stopping as expected. Some report that replacing the master cylinder did not help and that a shop identified the ABS module as the cause. Several say the dealer told them the ABS module was on national backorder with no delivery date, leaving the vehicle out of use. Mostly reported between roughly 90,000 and 220,000 miles; several describe the pedal going soft after a single hard stop.

   What to check: Test the pedal feel after a hard stop on a low-traction surface and check for an ABS warning light. Ask whether the ABS module has been replaced or is still original.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brake pedal goes to the floor after vehicle brakes applied during a semi hard stop, people have reported this issue many times and found the issue to be the ABS control module. This is a big safety issue and needs to have a recall to repair before some is killed or injured. I don't understand why a recall has not been issued so far as complaints go back several years for this same issue. Please investigate this before someone is hurt or killed. I have seen in many post that it is about a 2000.00 plus repair. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11330663, filed 2020-06, 92,000 miles

   “I was driving my 2009 Ford Escape and the ABS brakes activated due to a slippery spot on the road. Then a car stopped quick in front of me and my brake pedal went to the floor resulting in no brakes, I went off the road to avoid a collision. I had the car towed. Went to my mechanic and was diagnosed as bad ABS modula. Called Ford and was told it could be $2,000 to repair. I see recalls on fords 2006-2010. But not my Ford Escape. This should be covered in a recall. My 2009 Ford was purchased new and in my family ever since. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11386649, filed 2021-01, 140,000 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Steering column clunk or pop while turning

   • 53 complaints (3%)
   • median 126,000 mi at 9.3 yrs old (37 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,400 (median of 17 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe a clunk or pop felt and heard through the steering wheel during tight turns, especially in parking maneuvers. Ford service information issued bulletins on this symptom, stating that a clunk heard on the first lock-to-lock cycle is a normal characteristic of the system and that steering column replacement is not required for a certain stored code. No single complaint in the sample isolates this symptom. Reported on vehicles at assorted mileages; bulletins describe it as appearing during low-speed turning.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the wheel lock to lock in a parking lot and listen for a single clunk; ask whether any steering column work was already done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving on a city street, I turned right at a light and the power steering went completely out with no warning, absolutely no power steering as I was turning through the intersection . I had to slow down to almost a crawl in order to make the turn to keep from crashing into oncoming traffic. It took all my strencth to turn the wheel but was able to make the turn without the power steering. I pulled into a parking lot to have my wife come and get me and had my car towed to the mechanic. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11387498, filed 2021-01, 150,000 miles

   “I purchased a used 2009 Ford Escape xlt three years 8 months ago. All of a sudden, the electronic power steering is gone. Apparently there was a recall that began july of 2014 and the previous owner had it reprogrammed but it has gone out again which speaks to it being a chronic issue. As this is a known issue with this model that came out of the kansas plant, it should be replaced at no cost as opposed to simply being reprogrammed as it is now a safety issue, not to mention that it renders my car undrivable. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11405492, filed 2021-03, 141,000 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission fluid leak at the left halfshaft seal

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Service information describes fluid leaking from the automatic transmission at the left-hand halfshaft seal because of wear on the case bushing, and Ford issued a service kit for the repair. No complaint in this sample describes the leak directly, but the transmission area draws a substantial share of complaints overall, often involving harsh or erratic shifting and solenoid codes. Bulletins cover vehicles built through October 2013; leaks typically appear with accumulated mileage.

   7 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look for red or brown fluid under the driver-side front of the transmission and check the fluid level and color; ask whether the halfshaft seal service kit was installed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My steering wheel began to shake about a week and a half ago. Last night as pulling out my drive way my steering wheel was very hard to turn. O pulled back into my drive and noticed on the dash it read power assist failure. Before this my dash would blink out and I would have to tap it so it will come back on. When it does all the dials would go back into sync . The bad part is if you are not noticing your dash and park and turn off the car it wouldn't crank back up. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11387474, filed 2021-01, 160,000 miles

   “While parked and trying to start the steering column would not unlock. After wiggling the column back and forth while turning the key the vehicle would start. As soon as you put the vehicle in drive the steering column would lock.after a while it would remain unlocked but it was too difficult to steer. No maintenance code or warning light indicators. Two days prior had driven approx. 470 miles from pa to nh with no issues. Initial research suggest an issue with a worn key switch. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11300890, filed 2020-01, 130,000 miles

Buying note. The steering assist fault is the issue to weigh most heavily on this model year: confirm in writing whether the recall work was completed and whether assist has failed since. Also budget for a brake pedal check after ABS activation, since owners report ABS module parts being hard to obtain.

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.