2012 FORD ESCAPE Recalls, Complaints & Safety

I was driving approximately 35mph and the steering got extremely difficult. I had to use all my strength to try to turn the wheel. I pulled into a gas station parking lot, turned the car off, restarted the car and steering was back to normal. Has happened 2 times since. I had a mechanic friend look at it and he couldn't find a reason why it would do that.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, there was a strong fuel-like odor entering the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 153,000.

Clearly the vehicle is leaking and is a fire hazard. I received a notice that it has been recalled but it’s not showing up under my vin.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the steering wheel locked. The contact used force to turn the steering wheel while driving to the residence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who inspected the vehicle and retrieved DTC: B2278. The independent mechanic determined that the power steering control module and sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The sensor was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

Took my mothers car to the Ford dealership for inspection. Upon inspection the mechanic told us that the subframe is rotted out and that it is not safe to drive which is why there was issues with steering and tire leaning due to control arm coming off subframe. This vehicle has been taken care of through out the years. My 70 year old mother could have been seriously injured if not dead. Never have i seen a sub frame rot like that on a car unless it was sitting for many years. Now the dealership wants 3,000 dollars to replace sub frame.

Driving at normal rate of speed, Power steering quits and almost lost control of vehicle. I had to struggle with steering to park vehicle away from traffic. Steering wheel becomes very stiff.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon driving into the garage, the steering wheel was significantly loose. The steering wheel then detached but was held together by the electrical wires. There was no warning light illuminated. A mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle at the residence. The mechanic determined that the upper steering column shaft had detached. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

In other year models the power steering sensor has been under recall. I have a 2012 ford escape. That randomly the power steering does out this part has been replaced twice with no ultimately fixing the issue. It’s so dangerous when your driving 75 on the highway and the power steering goes out and the power heel jerks from your hands and you almost run off the road or run someone else off the road.

Was driving approximately 35mph and the steering got extremely difficult. Was able to get car safely off street. Turned car off, restarted car and steering was back to normal. Haven’t had problem since this one time. Called local dealer about electric steering and was told it was not in previous recall group of vehicles.

Gas tank leaking fuel around the joint where the fuel filler hose connects to the tank. It is NOT leaking at the hose connection but is leaking where the fitting connects/enters the tank.

It just started leaking fuel about a month ago and never stops

I have had a multitude of issues regarding the steering and suspension of my 2012 ford escape limited. I have replaced the same parts multiple times over a short period of time. And the parts normally would not be replaced but once in a car lifetime such as control arms 4x 3x on passenger 1x on driver. But anyway this led to me finding out that my front passenger subframe is rotted. Which led me to a community chat about this vehicle where I found people that have had accidents been hurt and this is a common thing to happen with this vehicle. The subframe should not rot especially on one side I’m particularly without a reason. There is a recall for some 2012 ford escapes for this part but for some reason my car is not on that recall. My car is now a danger to drive. The recall should include all vehicles that have the issue with that part. My vehicle is unsafe to drive now. Idk how long it’s been like that. I’ve had part after part replaced because of this but no one had figured it out until my most recent mechanic. I have had my wheel fall off my vehicle while driving when my first control arm broke because the rot in the subframe is causing the rubber inside the control arm to wear fast. So when my control arm broke when I was driving luckily I was on a street rd not a highway I was not hurt but had to get it towed. My wheel dropped a second time while I was driving because of the same issue where the rot on the subframe is, is at the connection to the control arm where the rubber is. So there’s 2 times I could’ve been seriously hurt. I drive on the highway a lot. I have been very lucky. There is cases of people being hurt and having accidents because of this. I’m on a chat about this vehicle where an overwhelming amount of owners have the same exact issue with this part.

My 2012 Ford Escape has a critical HVAC defect that impairs defrost performance and poses a serious safety risk. Specifically, the desiccant bag within the A/C system’s dryer appears to break down over time, releasing particles into the system. This causes clogging and malfunction of the thermal expansion valve (TXV) and other components, ultimately preventing the system from producing cold, dry air necessary to clear interior windshield fog and maintain visibility. This is not a maintenance issue or a wear-and-tear problem. The desiccant bag is a sealed internal component, and its disintegration appears to be the result of a design or manufacturing defect. I have personally replaced key components (including the TXV and dryer) multiple times, yet the problem persists. Each time, the system works temporarily, then begins to fail again. Inspection of previously replaced components reveals no external cause of failure. In Florida’s climate, where humidity is high and sudden rain is common, a functioning defroster is essential for safety. Without adequate cooling and dehumidification, the windshield fogs up quickly and cannot be cleared. This creates a serious and unpredictable visibility hazard during everyday driving, especially during morning commutes or in wet weather. Despite the apparent systemic nature of this problem and numerous online reports of similar issues in Ford Escape models of this era, Ford has not issued a recall or technical service bulletin. A recall should be considered due to the direct impact this issue has on driver visibility and safe vehicle operation.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and attempting to make a left or right turn, the steering wheel made an abnormal whining sound. Additionally, the contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle hesitate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. No warning light was illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed around a roundabout, the vehicle independently veered toward the right before the steering wheel became firm. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electronic steering column needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the part to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

RE: Subject: Urgent Concern Regarding Power Steering Failure - 2012 Ford Escape (VIN: [XXX] ) I am writing to express my urgent concern regarding a significant and recurring power steering failure in my 2012 Ford Escape, which I have owned for thirteen years. I have been experiencing a complete loss of power steering while driving, creating extremely dangerous situations. This issue is not intermittent; it occurs frequently and without warning, making my vehicle difficult to control, particularly at lower speeds. I am now unable to drive my beloved car, My research indicates that Ford issued a safety recall for similar power steering problems in several 2011-2013 Ford models, including the Taurus, Flex, Fusion, and others. The recall, as described on [XXX] , addressed "a potential intermittent electrical connection in the steering gear that might result in the loss of electric power steering assist while driving." This description perfectly matches the issues I am experiencing. Despite these known problems and the related recall, I did not receive any notification, and my 2012 Ford Escape was not included in the listed models. I am deeply concerned and puzzled by this omission, as the safety risk is identical. The loss of power steering has repeatedly placed me in potentially hazardous situations, and I fear for my safety and the safety of other drivers. I urgently request your assistance in resolving this matter. Specifically, I would like to: Determine why my 2012 Ford Escape was not included in the power steering recall, given the identical symptoms. Request an immediate inspection of my vehicle by a certified Ford technician to diagnose and repair the power steering issue. Inquire about any potential remedies, including financial assistance, for the repairs, considering the known recall and the safety risk involved. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V777000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and the vehicle was repaired under the recall. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired, the vehicle would only start after several attempts. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who acknowledged that the clamp for the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) flange was not properly placed, and the issue was corrected. The contact stated that the failure persisted while attempting to start the vehicle the following morning. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning fuel odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle became difficult to turn to the left or right. The contact stated that as a temporary repair, the vehicle was restarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering column assembly needed to be replaced due to the steering wheel seizing. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown Ford Recall; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was scheduled to be repaired at the owner's expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 5 MPH, the steering wheel failed to respond as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was attempting to straighten the steering wheel and the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start, and the gear shifter failed to move or operate as intended. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

My sub frame on the right-side front has rusted completely out and needs to be replaced to drive it safely. It is available for inspection, it has been inspected by three different mechanics, all came to the same conclusion, the sub frame needs replacing ASAP. The car has not been inspected by anyone else. No warning lights are on, this is not a part that would activate a warning light.

Steering wheel locked while turning into a parking lot traveling about 10 MPH. No amount of force on the steering wheel would turn the front wheels. It was total steering failure. Braking failed at the same time. Car coasted to a stop. No warning lamps or dashboard indication of failure. There would have been total loss of vehicle control had this happened at highway speed with catastrophic results. By luck there was not an accident or collision as a result of the failure. The engine was turned off then restarted a few minutes later. Steering and brake function returned after restarting the engine. Researching similar incidents regarding model 2012 Ford Escape shows this is a common problem judging from the number of complaints filed by other owners of this model Ford. A recall was issued for Escape model years up to 2011 but not for the 2012 or later. Problem description for model years prior to 2012 seem to be an identical match for the 2012 model. This car is unsafe to drive. Hopefully Ford will step up to the issue and provide correction for this dangerous automobile.

I was driving this morning and the steering wheel became very hard to turn. I slowed down because I didn’t know what was happening, tried to turn into my workplace and had to use all of my strength to turn the steering wheel. No dashboard warning lights. It was sudden and was a scary situation.

The power steering locks up and you can not use the steering wheel at all. I was doing a michigan left turning onto a busy main road and the steering locked up. I had to put my car in park, turn off the ignition and then restart it. All before being hit by upcoming traffic. I had 2 babies in the back and a passenger. This should be a recall and I'm shocked to not see it on the list. No warnings or lights to indicate that the steering was locked up. Did not take it to the dealership yet, I was checking the recall on it first. This malfunction could of lead to 4 deaths today.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH and turning right onto a main road, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact pulled over, turned off and restarted the vehicle to reset the steering functionality. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the steering torque sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,170.

Sub frame cracked,due to corrosion.Broke Lower control arm. I could not steer my SUV. I was terrified.The noise was so loud. This happened a road away from my home. I called AAA. They came and towed my vehicle to my driveway. I don’t understand why Ford company did not send me a recall. I could have been killed.I was on the highway a day before.I have researched and found this to be a safety concern for Ford Escape 2012. My SUV has 60.000 miles and is in very good condition. I have taken great care of my vehicle.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed; the lever under the steering column was used to adjust the steering wheel, which caused the steering wheel to detach. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The power steering fails without warning. I have been waiting on a new part for months with no ETA from Ford.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the power steering assist had failed without warning while driving at various speeds. The contact then pulled over to the side of the road, turned off and then restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking space the vehicle suddenly accelerated hitting a parking sign causing it to fall and hit another vehicle. Then the vehicle crashed into another parked vehicle. The vehicle's passenger side of the bumper and headlight had been damaged. The vehicle was able to be steered in another direction while the brake pedal was aggressively pressed causing the vehicle to come to a stop. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle that the parking sign fell onto had received paint damage on the hood of the vehicle and the parked vehicle's bumper had detached from the vehicle. There were no injuries. No medical attention was needed. A police report was filed. The The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the throttle body had failed. The mechanic had shared that the vehicle was included in a TSB (ID number unknown). The contact had called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was no longer covered under the TSB due to the time duration at which it was active had since passed. The vehicle had been repaired by the mechanic. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the diagnosis was confirmed and the throttle body was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.

Crash

The power steering turned off while driving. I have an electrical power steering system. Almost crashed because it was too hard to turn. No warning lamps or inspection done

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle pulled to the right while stopping. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the passenger's side engine cradle subframe was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter was shifted into drive however, the gear shifter failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that after several attempts, the gear shifter responded as needed. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed of an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Ford Dealership diagnosed with Code B2278, Power Steering Torque Angle sensor malfunction. I see recalls on same item for many years up to 2011, but my 2012 not included. Many on web describing the same problem with their 2012 Ford Escape. Only have 131,000 miles. Has spoken to service advisors from several Ford dealerships and all have said they see this same problem all the time in 2012 Escapes. It's a safety matter because you drive down the road and it goes out, especially when slowing down the power steering goes out, meaning the steering wheel stiffens to manual mode, even while turning. Many times the engine shuts off. Then in a complete stop while on the road, turning key off/on resets the EPAS steering. This sequence has happened several times. Is dangerous to drive. Don't feel safe letting wife or daughter drive it. All this same info provided to Ford dealership, and also called Ford Corporate customer service and they logged me in. Seems a recall should be in order if it affects as many 2012's Ford Escapes as projected from basic web searches. I need a drivable vehicle so I'll proceed to get it fixed, as it's too hazardous to drive as is. Thank you for attention to this matter.

This is a second car so don't drive it every day -- first incident occurred back in 2023 driving in town and car stopped!! Rolled to side and it started back up -- this happened several times and was very hesitant to drive on any highways. Several days the car would not start -- looked on line trying to figure out what was wrong and saw many people were having similar issues but nothing resolved -- battery tested fine but got a new battery from AAA but the next day battery was dead again. My husband did some more research and decided to pull the fuse for the radio and the front display module and the car has not stalled nor the battery been dead since but have been driving without a radio. I had to go on a five hour drive (both ways) last weekend and not fun driving that long without a radio. Stopped by a AAA repair shop yesterday and they said they had many complaints about the radio causing this problem (two actually that morning) and to call Ford to see if there was a recall. I called Ford this morning and the answer was NO! They told me to take it to a Ford Dealer (which is not convenient) and to have it diagnosed but again from what I have read Ford does not have any solutions to this problem. Wanted to get on file to let other people with this same issue to try removing the radio fuses (#14, #28, #39) but they would have no radio either. If I get the radio replaced not sure if that would create other issues and what affect it would have on the anti-theft system.

While doing an exhaust inspection on my car, I noticed the front subframe is rusted completely through on the right hand side near the rear lower control are bushing. This is a major structural component of the vehicle and I believe it is a huge safety risk driving it. The car has around 114,000 miles on it. I feel Ford should issue a recall and replace these rusted trough front subframes. I cannot afford to replace it at the cost of $2000 including labor. Please help, thank you.

Power steering has failed a few times while driving. Purchased this Ford 2012 Escape in November 2023. Had 46,412 miles on it. Noticed a howl like a power steering pump. Took it to mechanic and he said there is no pump and that it could be the alternator. Had that replaced. Thought this issue might be part of a recall for that year with the power steering but dealership said no. Continues to howl and have lost power steering so we are not driving it presently. When the power steering fails it becomes hard to steer. Thank goodness it has failed at slower speeds. No warning lights have come on.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the vehicle was difficult to steer, and was veering to the left independently. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the subframe was detaching the axle from the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and transferred the call to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

Was informed by my mechanic that the subframe has rusted out and is a safety issue. There is also excessive rust for the car's age and level of maintenance in the rear wheel wells.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and tuning into a parking lot, the power steering became inoperable, and the steering wheel failed to turn. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 177,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to steer the vehicle off the road. The contact stopped, turned off, and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained proper steering functionality. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

Power steering failed on my 2012 Ford Escape multiple times, without warning, or any indication light. To fix it required the car to be turned off and on again, which is difficult if you are actively driving. The steering failed while making both left and right hand turns, often at speeds <30mph. 2008-2011 Ford Escape models were recalled for this same issue - 2012 Escapes were never included in the recall however it seems to be the exact same issue. It was brought to the dealership once a year ago to inquire about this issue, but the issue could not be replicated. It was just again brought to the dealership after experiencing a loss of power steering 4 times in 4 days, and they replicated the issue and recorded diagnostic code B2278. It required replacing and reprogramming the steering shaft torque sensor (the exact same fix from the 2014 recall). The safety of this is concerning because Ford knows it is an issue based on the 2014 recall and the loss of power steering comes with no warning light, indication, or prediction. If this happens while driving, it absolutely increases risk of injury to the driver or others, along with increasing the risk of accidents.