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2008 Ford EscapeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,974 owner complaints about the 2008 Ford Escape, most often about the steering. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-606 the manufacturer reports only 21% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Ford Escape
38
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.6× the Escape median · #5 of 24 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 21%Owner complaints1,974101 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage116kSteering, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Ford Escape has problems

1,974 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering112731
Power train3292
Vehicle speed control1756
Electrical system13610
Service brakes1208
Engine832
Structure417
Engine and engine cooling381
Electronic stability control (ESC)360
20 other systems24534

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2008 Ford Escape recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

21%repaired · 2017 Q1

Automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)

Recall 15V-606 · Sep 29, 2015 · 57 vehicles · 12 repaired

Risk. If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

54%repaired · 2016 Q1

Hybrid propulsion system

Recall 14V-526 · Sep 3, 2014 · 70,209 vehicles · 38,064 repaired

Risk. If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

72%repaired · 2015 Q4

Steering: electric power assist system

Recall 14V-284 · May 29, 2014 · 740,878 vehicles · 534,179 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do steering problems start?

116kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 956 steering complaints. 34% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
21under 30k miles324under 100k miles632100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Steering

106 owners mentioned a cost

$1,300median

Middle half: $971 – $1,600

Power train

48 owners mentioned a cost

$1,150median

Middle half: $800 – $3,081

Service brakes

11 owners mentioned a cost

$5,000median

Middle half: $4,700 – $5,550

Electrical system

8 owners mentioned a cost

$867median

Middle half: $650 – $1,030

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Escape year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Escape median. How we score

'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Ford Escape safety ratings

2008 Ford Escape 4-DR. w/SAB (Later release) in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2008 Ford Escape frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2008 Ford Escape side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 3 stars (20.4% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Ford Escape, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Electronic Throttle Body MalfunctionDP12006 · closed Feb 21, 2013
    No recall
  2. Loss of power steering while drivingDP15001 · closed Jun 14, 2018
    No recall
  3. TIRE VALVE CRACKINGPE08060 · closed Apr 9, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What Escape owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

Was driving on highway at 55 when the wrench warning light came on drove car to residence and turned it off, when car was cranked again it had no power steering. Vin number was not included in recall on same issue. Has not been fixed.
Complaint 11756566 · Aug 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH on the highway, the steering wheel seized. The failure was intermittent. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure recurred while reversing out of the driveway. The dealer was notified of the…
Complaint 11734808 · Apr 30, 2026 · 175,548 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became firm and failed to turn to…
Complaint 11729359 · Apr 6, 2026 · 190,000 miles

Own a 2008 Escape?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.