KnownCarProblems2009 Ford Escape Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 1,693 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Ford Escape, most often about the steering (49% of complaints, typically around 121,000 miles). It is 7th of 27 Escape model years by number of complaints and has 1 recall.
Most common 2009 Ford Escape problems
Steering
828 complaints · 49%Half of these problems showed up before 121,000 miles. Parts named most often: column, electric power assist system, hydraulic power assist system, steering control module.
The vehicle is having intermittent power steering loss. Power steering is failing during transit. Sterring wheel is vibrating and making loud noises.
Was driving at slow speeds on residential roads and power steering stopped without any warning and could not turn the will without hard force and it still wouldn't turn fully only turned about maybe 20 degrees left or right, very dangerous the epas is terrible turned it off and back on and it started working until my…
Transmission
301 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 64,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, axle assembly.
Shortly after entering highway on dark rainy evening, with no fore warning, car began to shake and lose power. Was able to pull to side of highway. Even though I was pressing on the gas, car would not go forward. Wrench light was illuminated on the dashboard. Called for assistance. When help arrived they suggested I…
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle made a noise and the vehicle would not accelerate past 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the a dealer for inspection and they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer…
Engine
289 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 69,500 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine.
This happened first on january 7 and again today jjnuary 10, 2013. The car suddenly stops. The yellow wrench warning light comes on and indicates throttle control problem. Can turn car off and restart and drive normally. It was very scary as my wife was left in the dark in the middle of a busy street. It seems to be…
I started having problems with my car shutting down in feb 2012. After 2 throttle body's and still problems the dealer put a flight recorder on my car. This recorded 5 episodes of engine failure. They found that a sensor to the main computer was bad and replaced it. They left the recorder on and today 3/12/13 the car…
Speed control
279 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 68,000 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal.
My 2009 Ford Escape has acceleration problems. I try not to make left turns due to vehicle slowing down when I am accelerating, the wrench comes on in the cab when I start experiencing the problem. Also when on highway wrench light comes on and car slows down lie the brakes are on.
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated the vehicle accelerated several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and they were unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated and slowed down rapidly on several occasions, but never…
Fuel system
203 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 68,500 miles. Parts named most often: storage, delivery.
I feel like I should document the same issue that happened to many other of these vehicles. I pulled out of the driveway, put it in drive. The engine reved up and down from about 1300 to 2000. There was no power at all. This is so dangerous, everything feels fine, you go to give your car power, and it stutters and…
Driving again today and truck just shut off this is the second time in last two weeks is Ford go to recall this problem pulled code and code number is 2112 same code as before.
Electrical
143 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 84,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery.
On the morning of sept 4, 2013- I was making a turn at about 20 miles an hour. I had just about completed the turn when I was engaging the gas peddle to continue on, but the car was running and it wasn't going. I was able to coast off the road. I turned the car off. I started the car back up and had power from the…
As I was driving and the cruise control was set the road I was traveling had slight hills. It seems as though when the car went to down shift and speed up is when it lost power and went into limp mode. The last occurrence was on 10-17-13 while I was driving on a flat road. I had to brake for traffic when I went to…
Brakes
107 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 100,000 miles. Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, antilock.
Brakes began going all the way to the floor before stopping vehicle. Had the main master cylinder replaced to the tune of $307.63, but the problem has not been solved. Why hasn't there been a recall? Many others are obviously having this problem.
Starting in late 2018 when I applied my brakes they were soft and nearly went to the floor. We took it to the Ford dealership and they couldn't find anything wrong. The brakes started acting up again about a month later after visiting the dealership. Now they are soft spongy nearly all the time. It's scary to drive.…
Other or unspecified
55 complaints · 3%Half of these problems showed up before 102,000 miles.
Vehicle would stall out, all power loss during driving. P2111 throttle issue. Happened 3 times. During acceleration/deceleration (especially on slopes) vehicle would just lose all power. Had to stop and shut off ignition before it would work again.
The Escape has been towed in 5 times in the last 6 months, the Ford house has kept it 2 weeks, 3 times and they can't figure out why randomly just won't start. They replaced starter, but that did not fix it. I took to a master mechanic and he can't figure it out. Vehicle was stationary.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2009 Ford Escape recalls
Steering: electric power assist system
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.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (pscm) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the pscm when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on july 18, 2014. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14s05.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 ford escape and mercury mariner vehicles manufactured august 18, 2006, through september 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the electric power steering (eps) assist.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Loss of power steering while driving
Summary
On may 27, 2014, amended june 2, 2014, ford motor company (ford) submitted a defect information report (dir) to NHTSA describing a safety defect that may result in a sudden loss of power steering assist while driving in approximately 746,067 model year (my) 2008 through 2011 ford escape vehicles equipped with electric power assisted steering (NHTSA 14v-284, ford 14s05). Ford's dir described the defect condition as a poor signal to noise ratio [snr] in the torque sensor within the electric power assisted steering (epas) system [which] does not allow the pscm to determine the driver's steering input. When the system detects this fault condition, it transitions the epas system to the fail-safe/
Electronic throttle body malfunction
Summary
On february 21, 2013, the office of defects investigations (odi) opened preliminary evaluation pe13-003 to investigate allegations of electronic throttle body (etb) failures resulting in sudden reduction of engine power in model year (my) 2009-2013 ford escape, fusion, mariner and milan vehicles. During this investigation, ford identified a condition in subject vehicles equipped with 2.5l and 3.0l engines that may result in a sudden reduction of engine power.according to ford, the etb internal motor contacts may develop a high resistance material buildup condition on the commutator, resulting in intermittent electrical connectivity and reduced engine power. When this condition occurs, the ma
Electronic throttle body malfunction
Summary
In a letter dated august 30, 2012, the north carolina consumers council (nccc) petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged electronic throttle body failures resulting in engine stall or surge while driving in model year (my) 2005 through 2012 ford escape vehicles. On october 2, 2012 the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a defect petition dp12-006 to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. The petition is hereby granted on certain model years. The nccc letter cites two complaints of stall while driving in my 2009 ford escape vehicles that were diagnosed as failed throttle bodies with diagnostic trouble
Questions about the 2009 Ford Escape
- What are the most common problems with the 2009 Ford Escape?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: steering (828 complaints, typically around 121,000 miles); transmission (301 complaints, typically around 64,500 miles); engine (289 complaints, typically around 69,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2009 Ford Escape have?
- 1 recall listed by NHTSA, the latest from May 29, 2014 (steering). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2009 a bad year for the Ford Escape?
- It is 7th of 27 Escape model years by number of complaints, with 1,693 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.