"How reliable is the 2009 Ford Escape?"

"Based on 2337 NHTSA complaints, the 2009 Ford Escape has a median complaint mileage of 83000 miles. The most common issue is Steering."

"What are common problems with the 2009 Ford Escape?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2009 Ford Escape is Steering, accounting for a significant portion of the 2337 total complaints filed."

2009 Ford Escape: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 2337 complaints

2337

Total Complaints

83,000mi

Median Mileage

Steering

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

57,000 25th Percentile

83,000 Median Mileage

122,538 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Steering

811

Power Train

279

Vehicle Speed Control

277

Engine

252

Electrical System

141

Fuel/Propulsion System

115

Service Brakes

Fuel System, Gasoline

Unknown Or Other

Engine And Engine Cooling

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THIS COMPLAINT APPLIES TO THE 2009 ESCAPE HYBRID MODEL ONLY. WHILE CHANGING OIL IN THE VEHICLE, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE OIL FILLER TUBE IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD (ONE OF THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE ENGINE BAY). I SPILLED A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WHILE REFILLING (2 TABLESPOONS) AN..."

"59 YR. WOMAN NO DRUGS NEVER. NON SMOKER. ATTENDING TRAFFIC VERY CONCENTRATED. 17 YEARS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS TRUE I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE WITHOUT NOTICED ANY PROBLEM. ALSO IT IS TRUE I DIDN'T TRY TO STOPPED SUDDENLY AT ANY TIME BEFORE. USUALLY I DRIVE VERY SAFE TAKING A R..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Steering 811 complaints

25th: 90,000 mi Median: 120,988 mi 75th: 150,000 mi

Power Train 279 complaints

25th: 47,097 mi Median: 66,000 mi 75th: 87,605 mi

Vehicle Speed Control 277 complaints

25th: 53,440 mi Median: 68,965 mi 75th: 90,000 mi

Engine 252 complaints

25th: 50,100 mi Median: 70,167 mi 75th: 92,064 mi

Electrical System 141 complaints

25th: 59,180 mi Median: 85,500 mi 75th: 132,640 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

MI: 187 TX: 178 FL: 151 CA: 143 OH: 130 IL: 110 VA: 95 NC: 92 PA: 91 GA: 87

Who Files Complaints?

1.2%

Original Owners

98.8%

Second+ Owners

Ford Escape — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
2001	1387	81,000	Gasoline	109
2002	1388	89,000	Gasoline	96
2003	736	94,160	Suspension	55
2004	715	111,070	Suspension	49
2005	2030	109,000	Suspension	54
2006	626	85,000	Vehicle Speed Control	25
2007	350	71,800	Power Train	22
2008	2398	98,000	Steering	80
2010	3171	57,600	Vehicle Speed Control	43
2011	1867	52,000	Steering	50
2012	788	52,100	Fuel/Propulsion System	57
2013	3660	73,000	Engine	64
2014	2608	74,000	Engine	78
2015	1225	74,000	Power Train	37
2016	1178	71,400	Power Train	46
2017	3080	69,000	Engine	50
2018	1943	80,000	Engine	38
2019	637	58,300	Engine	33
2020	1907	41,000	Body	28
2021	349	30,000	Body	14
2022	253	33,503	Fuel System, Gasoline	10
2023	130	13,000	Electrical System	1
2024	128	9,062	Electrical System	2
2025	24	3,250	Electrical System	0

Active Recalls (3)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Wheel Bearing

Campaign 15E045000 | 03/06/2015

Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.

Electric Power Assist System

Campaign 14V284000 | 29/05/2014

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.

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

Equipment

Campaign 10E043000 | 03/09/2010

AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.

MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.

Protect Your Steering System

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

Get a wheel alignment annually or after hitting a significant pothole
Don't hold the steering wheel at full lock for more than a few seconds
Check power steering fluid monthly on hydraulic systems
Address wandering, vibration, or play in the wheel promptly
Replace worn tie rod ends before they cause tire wear

Compare Ford Escape

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Vehicle Rankings

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28