Table 1 shows one common steering related problems of the 2022 Ford Escape.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Steering problems |
The following message was displayed on the dash "steering assist fault service required". Immediately lost power assisted steering and the steering became difficult (manual steering), mostly at lower speeds. Could have resulted in an accident if it happened while making a turn, as I would not have expected to need that much effort to turn. Car is currently at a Ford dealership for service. The error message has come on several times in the past at start up, but by restarting the car it went away with no loss of function. This last time, it came on while driving.
While going on the highway it braked hard and displayed service stabilitrak light with traction control light flashing went away after 10 seconds. Then I pulled into my driveway and it snapped the wheel out of my hand forcefully almost breaking my wrist and wouldn't let me turn right. Towed it to Ford where they claim a loose battery terminal was present. No warning at all before this. Upper engine noise too (possibly pulley) 28k miles and trans is shifting hard as well. The trust for the vehicle is gone. I have a video as well of the steering wheel snapping.
I own a 2022 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid, which is affected by recall 24s79 (NHTSA recall 24v954). This recall involves a high-voltage battery defect that could result in a fire or sudden loss of vehicle control while driving. Ford has confirmed that there is no fix available until at least the second quarter of 2025, leaving affected owners without a solution for well over a year. However, Ford refuses to provide loaner vehicles, rental reimbursement, or any safe alternative for customers forced to continue driving these potentially dangerous vehicles. I have contacted multiple dealerships (fort collins Ford and loveland Ford), and both confirmed that no loaner vehicles are available. Ford’s customer service continues to redirect me back to the dealership without resolution, despite the fact that my dealership has no assistance to offer. While I have not yet experienced a battery fire or loss of vehicle control, the recall documentation explicitly states that these are potential risks. It is only a matter of time before a fire or serious accident occurs due to Ford’s inaction. Ford is placing thousands of affected drivers at risk by failing to provide a fix, alternative transportation, or any safety plan for affected customers. I urge NHTSA to investigate Ford’s lack of action and failure to protect affected vehicle owners. Ford should be required to provide loaner vehicles or rental reimbursement until a remedy is available.
Power steering on the vehicle failed without any warning or notice. It happened just as car was being parked. If the incident had happened while driving, our family would have been in grave danger. This is the second major issue with the relatively new car, in addition to the two safety recalls. Ford should be held accountable for faulty engineering that is unsafe and could take lives.
On three separate occasions, the steering wheel has locked while the vehicle is in drive. My safety is at risk as the car becomes inoperable. I brought the vehicle in for service, and was told they were unable to reproduce it. No warnings or alerts were received after the incidents.
I bought this car in June 2022 brand new. This morning I received an alert on my phone from Ford saying that my car is in "deep sleep" mode to conserve battery energy and my remote features including start/stop and lock/unlock. I went to my car and I could not get into my car and it did not start. When I contacted the dealership, vista Ford in woodland hills, CA, they informed me that this is a feature on the car, and that if the car is not driven within 48 hours, the car will go into deep sleep. I drove the car the night before, not even 8 hours prior so I do not understand why this happened. I manually used my key from the fob to get into my car, and asked the sales manager to assist me on how to start the car. He said I had to set the fob in the middle console and push the start button. It did not work. I had to call aaa to come and jump my brand new car to start. This is putting me at risk and this car is not safe to drive because it goes into this deep sleep mode and does not start. The dealership said the first available appointment was not until 3/08/23 which is in about two weeks. I hope the factory is able to disable this deep sleep mode. It is unsafe to have a car that does not start and you cannot get into your vehicle. I already had a recall for the cooling of the engine, now my car will not start, and I can't get into it, what's next?.