2009 Ford Escape problems and complaints

Owners have filed 1692 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Ford Escape. The most-reported areas: Steering (827), Power Train (301), Vehicle Speed Control (279).

Key takeaways

  • 1692 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
  • 34 involve a crash, 2 a fire, 17 reported injuries.
  • Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
Complaints by component
ComponentComplaintsShare
Steering82749%
Power Train30118%
Vehicle Speed Control27916%
Engine25415%
Electrical System1438%
Fuel/Propulsion System1167%
Service Brakes1086%
Fuel System885%
Gasoline885%
Unknown Or Other553%
Engine And Engine Cooling372%
Structure322%

One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

NHTSA 5-Star crash ratings
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
2009 Ford Escape 4-DR. w/SABNot ratedNot ratedNot rated3/5

Latest complaints, as filed

Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.

Fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-08-13

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 olía a combustible y al revisarlo noté que se tiraba por debajo del vehícul...

Steering - filed 2026-06-23

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)

Steering - filed 2026-05-20

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 repaired by an indepen...

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More for the 2009 Ford Escape

Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.