2013 Ford Escape Steering Problems
Owners have filed 302 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2013 Ford Escape, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 81,280 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering assist” (42% of reports).
- 302steering complaints
- 81,280median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $2,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 18%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.
- Steering assist: mentioned in 127 of 302 complaints (42%)
- Fault service: mentioned in 27 of 302 complaints (9%)
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 17 of 302 complaints (6%)
- Turn wheel: mentioned in 16 of 302 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2013 Ford Escape at $2,600, and half of them between $2,400 and $2,800.
Based on 45 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 191 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 302 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 4 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 (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2013 Ford Escape. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on three separate occasions, the steering wheel became firm while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, excessive effort was needed to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who…
Failed part: Electronic Steering Gear Assembly. Starting January 15th 2026 this car began having steering problems, since then it has occurred 2 more times. I immediately determined this car was undrivable because it seemed to be locked but in each situation (1) I was parked along side a curb in…
Steering wheel locked up hard to turn wheel Consuming(burning) way more gas than normally would
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2013 Ford Escapes have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 302 owner complaints about steering for the 2013 Ford Escape (11% of the 2,750 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 2013 Ford Escape steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 81,280 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2013 Ford Escape?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,600 (half paid between $2,400 and $2,800), from 45 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2013 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “steering assist”, in 127 of 302 complaints, followed by “fault service” (27).
Other 2013 Ford Escape problems
See all 2013 Ford Escape problems or steering problems across all Escape years.