2009 Ford Escape Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Escape years
- Far more complaints than other years 7th of 27 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1,693 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Ford Escape. That ranks 7th out of 27 Escape model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (828 complaints, 49%), typically at around 121,000 miles. Complaints mention 34 crashes, 2 fires, 17 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 1,693owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 34complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 Ford Escape problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 828 | 49% | 121,000 | “steering assist” (19%) | $2,050 |
| Power Train problems | 301 | 18% | 65,000 | “throttle body” (29%) | $860 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 279 | 16% | 68,000 | “throttle body” (51%) | $760 |
| Engine problems | 254 | 15% | 70,167 | “throttle body” (35%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 143 | 8% | 85,500 | “throttle body” (16%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 116 | 7% | 71,552 | “throttle body” (42%) | — |
| Service Brakes problems | 94 | 6% | 100,000 | “master cylinder” (28%) | $2,250 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 88 | 5% | 62,000 | “throttle body” (39%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 55 | 3% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 37 | 2% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 32 | 2% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 22 | 1% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 19 | 1% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 14 | 1% | 23,435 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 1% | 112,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 11 | 1% | 47,916 | — | — |
| Wheels | 11 | 1% | 87,750 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 0% | 45,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 0% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 0% | 21,300 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 0% | 79,500 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 0% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 0% | 94,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 53,900 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 23,680 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 Ford Escape recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of power steering while driving (DP15001) — opened Apr 1, 2015, closed Jun 14, 2018.
- Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction (PE13003) — opened Feb 21, 2013, closed Feb 28, 2014.
- Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction (DP12006) — opened Oct 2, 2012, closed Feb 21, 2013.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 15 MPH, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…
A quien corresponda Por medio de la presente me pongo en contacto con ustedes por motivo de falla mecánica en mi auto móvil Ford escape 2009 ya que hace aproximadamente dos meses atrás al llenar el tanque de gasolina me percaté que el interior olÃa a combustible y al revisarlo noté que se…
Hi! I [XXX] [XXX] my vehicle streeing wheel struck or lock when the vehicle slow down or stopped. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the power steering failure warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…
On several occasions my 2009 Ford escape xlt completely died as I was driving 1. On the highway at 60mph I had to pull over and restart vehicle. 2. Going through town at 30mph I had to put in neutral to restart as I was moving uphill. 3. As I was at a stop light, again putting in neutral was…
Other Ford Escape years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Escape | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 Escape | 26 | 9 |
| 2024 Escape | 76 | 8 |
| 2023 Escape | 100 | 11 |
| 2022 Escape | 235 | 19 |
| 2021 Escape | 349 | 19 |
| 2020 Escape | 1,608 | 23 |
| 2019 Escape | 595 | 3 |
| 2018 Escape | 1,816 | 4 |
| 2017 Escape | 2,696 | 4 |
| 2016 Escape | 1,154 | 4 |
| 2015 Escape | 1,113 | 9 |
| 2014 Escape | 2,089 | 16 |
| 2013 Escape | 2,750 | 18 |
| 2012 Escape | 603 | 1 |
| 2011 Escape | 1,317 | 2 |
| 2010 Escape | 2,070 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1,693 | 1 |
| 2008 Escape | 1,974 | 3 |
| 2007 Escape | 254 | 2 |
| 2006 Escape | 464 | 3 |
| 2005 Escape | 1,394 | 4 |
| 2004 Escape | 499 | 6 |
| 2003 Escape | 558 | 7 |
| 2002 Escape | 1,027 | 8 |
| 2001 Escape | 996 | 13 |
| 2000 Escape | 5 | 0 |
See all Ford Escape problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Ford Escape?
Owners most often report steering, power train, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 828 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Ford Escape?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 Ford Escape a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Escape model years, the 2009 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.