2012 Ford Escape steering problems
137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the steering on the 2012 Ford Escape — 23% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Vehicle: 2012 Ford Escape Issue: Loss of steering assist while driving While operating my vehicle, the power steering assist suddenly fails, making the steering wheel extremely difficult to turn. This creates a dangerous driving condition and significantly increases the risk of an accident. This…”
filed Apr 30, 2026
“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…”
filed Mar 24, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Steering problems in other Escape years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 1 | 5% |
| 2022 Escape | 4 | 2% |
| 2021 Escape | 4 | 1% |
| 2020 Escape | 18 | 1% |
| 2019 Escape | 16 | 3% |
| 2018 Escape | 32 | 2% |
| 2017 Escape | 49 | 2% |
| 2016 Escape | 73 | 7% |
| 2015 Escape | 79 | 8% |
| 2014 Escape | 151 | 7% |
| 2013 Escape | 302 | 11% |
| 2011 Escape | 407 | 31% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2012 Ford Escape
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.