Vehicle Data Hub

2012 Ford Escape steering problems

Owners reported steering problems in 140 complaints for the 2012 Ford Escape, 18% of the complaints on file. It is the 2nd most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
140 18% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
100,000 miles 100 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
3 and 0
Injuries and deaths
2 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When steering problems show up

Steering complaints by mileage, 2012 Ford Escape Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 100,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 5 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 5 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 7 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 17 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 15 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 17 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 10 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 13 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 10 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 1 complaints 200k+ miles: 0 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 100,000 miles
Based on 100 complaints that include mileage. 17% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles5
20k to 40k miles5
40k to 60k miles7
60k to 80k miles17
80k to 100k miles15
100k to 120k miles17
120k to 140k miles10
140k to 160k miles13
160k to 180k miles10
180k to 200k miles1
200k+ miles0

What the data shows

Of the 100 steering complaints that report mileage, the median is about 100,000 miles, and 17% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 injuries.

What owners wrote

Tl* the contact owned a 2012 ford escape. While driving 55 MPH, the steering wheel independently steered left. The vehicle crashed into an embankment and flipped several times before coming to a complete stop. A police report was filed. The driver side curtain air bag deployed. The contact sustained severe neck injuries, broken ribs, a broken left hand, and fractures to the skull. Medical attention was required. The local dealer was not contacted.

Reported at 40,000 miles, May 2017 CrashInjury

Was coming home from work, and parked the car in the driveway. The next day in the morning, when I turned the car on it started vibrating, which I though was from the cold temperature, but when I tried to drive it, the steering wheel wouldn't turn like normally. Had a mechanic come to look at it, and was told it was a problem with the electric power steering, and that this was a recognized problem with the electric power steering system in other escapes from different years.

Reported at 92,187 miles, October 2019

Other problems reported for the 2012 Ford Escape

Steering problems in other years

Steering problems across all Ford models