2011 Ford Escape Steering Problems
Owners have filed 410 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2011 Ford Escape, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 110,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “torque sensor” (13% of reports).
- 410steering complaints
- 110,000median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,750typical repair cost reported by owners
- 20%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Torque sensor: mentioned in 52 of 410 complaints (13%)
- Difficult turn: mentioned in 47 of 410 complaints (11%)
- Included steering: mentioned in 40 of 410 complaints (10%)
- Wheel became: mentioned in 35 of 410 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2011 Ford Escape at $1,750, and half of them between $1,450 and $2,700.
Based on 18 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 306 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 410 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Ford Escape steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 2 | 8% | — |
| 2022 Escape | 6 | 3% | — |
| 2021 Escape | 4 | 1% | 14,000 |
| 2020 Escape | 18 | 1% | 12,450 |
| 2019 Escape | 16 | 3% | 35,600 |
| 2018 Escape | 32 | 2% | 28,000 |
| 2017 Escape | 49 | 2% | 45,500 |
| 2016 Escape | 73 | 6% | 41,900 |
| 2015 Escape | 81 | 7% | 46,149 |
| 2014 Escape | 151 | 7% | 63,370 |
| 2013 Escape | 302 | 11% | 81,280 |
| 2012 Escape | 139 | 23% | 100,000 |
| 2011 Escape | 410 | 31% | 110,000 |
| 2010 Escape | 423 | 20% | 114,000 |
| 2009 Escape | 828 | 49% | 121,000 |
| 2008 Escape | 1,127 | 57% | 116,000 |
| 2007 Escape | 15 | 6% | 45,500 |
| 2006 Escape | 20 | 4% | 78,816 |
| 2005 Escape | 49 | 4% | 114,500 |
| 2004 Escape | 26 | 5% | 101,000 |
| 2003 Escape | 44 | 8% | 103,204 |
| 2002 Escape | 70 | 7% | 87,986 |
| 2001 Escape | 58 | 6% | 77,700 |
| 2000 Escape | 1 | 20% | 123,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My 2011 ford escape is experiencing symptoms of the recall of the faulty Electric Power Steering (EPS) torque sensor. Its not often, but when I turn on the car I wont have power steering but when I turn it off and turn it back on the power steering works. Is there anyway you could open/put a recall…
I have a 2011 Ford Escape AWD 3.0 engine. I took it for NY state inspection and it fails due the right side front subframe is rusted and unsafe. Ford has a recall on models up to 2004 but this vehicle has the same issue of the A/C draining on it causing the rust. I have been an auto tech for over…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who diagnosed that the steering torque sensor…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Ford Escapes have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 410 owner complaints about steering for the 2011 Ford Escape (31% of the 1,317 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Ford Escape steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 110,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2011 Ford Escape?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,750 (half paid between $1,450 and $2,700), from 18 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2011 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “torque sensor”, in 52 of 410 complaints, followed by “difficult turn” (47).
Other 2011 Ford Escape problems
See all 2011 Ford Escape problems or steering problems across all Escape years.