2010 Ford Escape Electrical Problems

My car is a limited version which equipped a Microsoft SYNC system which providing backup camera and vehicle system setting and information such as hybrid status, driven mode, battery charging status, GPS navigation, etc. Just because this 'Upgrade', the clock and date setting is different with regular escape hybrid cars which comes from the satellite only. Driver could adjust the hour and minute, but the day, month, and year would be reset to a certain day of 2006 if battery changing. After that, the date could be updated by GPS signal automatically. It was working well until one year ago. Now, my car is showing Oct, 2006 and running day after day. I did some research on internet and found a lot of drivers with same issue. A engineer revealed the root cause that Ford used a ten digits week counting method based on a starting date in 2006 to display the current date which could only working within 1023 weeks (17.5 years). Without changing the hardware, software might not correct this issue. I'm not sure and went to Ford dealer shop last week, they denied this issue and refused to recall even repair this car. I hope Ford could recall the fix this obvious defective product soon.

NHTSA ID

11741950

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

AFTERMARKET SEAT COVER AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. I can't electricly move my seats when I try and air bag warning comes in my dash board

NHTSA ID

11728377

Incident

Mar 31, 2026

The power system assist fault light came on and steering is very difficult

NHTSA ID

11705748

Incident

Nov 25, 2025

The power steering assist fault warning light came up and my steering wheel became hard to steer.

NHTSA ID

11682833

Incident

May 26, 2025

Electrical Issues overall and Hybrid battery emits dangerous electrical current.

NHTSA ID

11649724

Incident

Mar 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 15 MPH and making a right turn, the power steering malfunctioned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. Additionally, on several occasions, the vehicle failed to immediately start. The contact replaced the ignition switch, battery, starter, and alternator; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11624655

Incident

Oct 15, 2024

Mileage

150,000 mi

I don't even know where to start. Even with maintenance, this vehicle has been falling apart since I got it

NHTSA ID

11555820

Incident

Nov 18, 2023

My power steering keeps going in and out while I am driving. If I turn off the car and then turn it back on it comes back on but it is happening very frequently and will go out again as soon as I start driving. I was told that there is a recall for this and want more information. It is not safe.

NHTSA ID

11554409

Incident

Nov 8, 2023

My power steering went out after I got my car. My starter doesn’t work I have to use a button on my keys to always start my car the key will not start my car. It’s very hard to turn my car and it went out while I was making a turn and myself siblings and boyfriend almost got hit by an oncoming car. The car has not been inspected, I can have my car looked at most likely upon request unless I have work but I can come in the next available day. There were no messages or warnings to my car or any symptoms before they went out.

NHTSA ID

11505742

Incident

Jun 11, 2021

I have researched ford escape recalls. Each recall I have seen such as epas retention guide the bearing and fuel system is exactly what's wrong with my vehicle now. However when I look up the recall by Vin number I am only shown that I have a recall for the fuel system problem

NHTSA ID

11469943

Incident

Jun 19, 2021

1.2010 Ford Escape Electronic Throttle Body issue investigated by the NHTSA. 2. Hesitations, surges, stalls. Ford has issued a CSP 13N03 with time and mileage limits. This is a safety issue effecting many Ford vehicles and the symptoms may not surface until beyond the CSP 13N03 time limits imposed by Ford, as in my case. These electronic throttle body hesitations, surges and stalls are very dangerous and result in compromised safety for the driver, their passengers and others on the road. I have come very close to a collision on two separate occasions because of this issue. The NHTSA should force Ford to reclassify this issue as a recall with no time nor mileage limits or lift the current program time and mileage limits for people like me who are beyond the time limit who have just recently developed this problem. This is a mechanical defect as well as a safety issue. 3. Problem confirmed by Ford dealership. 4. Dash warnings - check engine light and wrench lights illuminated. In my case, these have gone on and off, vehicle demonstrates hesitations, surges, stalls, then resets itself and the vehicle functions normally. This has happened twice over the last few months. Just recently, the warning lights have stayed illuminated and the symptoms are now constant.

NHTSA ID

11435482

Incident

Sep 20, 2021

Unknown

NHTSA ID

11434343

Incident

Aug 18, 2021

FIRST I NOTICE THE CAR JUST DROP GEARS AND NEARLY STOP ON THE OFF RAMP OF THE HIGHWAY. SECOND TIME I TRIED TO REVERSE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE AND I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE IT TO THE GARAGE. FORD TOLD ME IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. FORD DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE ME OVER $ 5000 FOR THE JOB. I WINDED UP GOING TO A LEE MYLES THAT CHARGE COST TO $ 4000 FOR THE REPAIRS IT HAD DONE. NOW FEW MONTHS LATER AND THE VEHICLE IS SHAKING UPON START UP AND IDILING. WHENEVER I DRIVE THE CAR IT FEELS LIKE ITS JERKS SLIGHTLY WHEN GOING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. CHANGED OUT THE AIR FILTER, REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND STILL HAVING PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEMS WITH THIS 2010 FORD ESCAPE.

NHTSA ID

11407340

Incident

Oct 13, 2020

Mileage

37,000 mi

BATTERY CONSTANTLY DIES IF LEFT UNUSED FOR MORE THAN 2-3 DAYS. NOTHING IS EVER LEFT ON, NO RADIO, NO LIGHTS, NOTHING BUT SOMETHING KEEPS DRAINING THE BATTERY

NHTSA ID

11396429

Incident

Feb 10, 2021

@12:56PM ON 2/11/2021, MY CAR SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER, ACCELERATION, LIGHTS, PEDAL/GAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. THE TIME REMAINED ON. IT WAS 19* F WITH NO PRECIPITATION ON DRY/PARTLY SNOWY PAVEMENT ON HIGHWAY US31 JUST S OF THE NORTH MUSKEGON/BUSINESS 31 BYPASS. I WAS GOING ABOUT 75 MPH AND ADJUSTED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO SLOW FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE SHORTLY BEFORE THE SHUTOFF. IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THAT IS RELATED, BECAUSE THE TIMING WAS NOT IMMEDIATE. I HAD NOT CHANGED LANES IN MORE THAN A MILE, ALTHOUGH THE ROAD DOES TWIST SLIGHTLY IN THAT LOCATION. I HAD ON AUTOMATIC LIGHTS, DEFROST AND REAR DEFROST, BLUETOOTH AUDIO, AND CRUISE CONTROL. MY TANK WAS JUST BELOW 1/2 FULL OF GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BUT IS NOT STORED IN A GARAGE OVERNIGHT. I COASTED TO AN EMERGENCY LANE ON THE PASSING LANE, TURNED THE KEY OFF (OTHER THAN THE TIME, AUDIO, AND BRAKES, NOTHING ELSE WOULD RESPOND.) I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 60 SECONDS, IT STARTED WITHOUT PROBLEM, AND I COULD CONTINUE TO MY VACCINE APPOINTMENT WITH NO DISCERNIBLE SIGNS OF ANY OTHER ISSUE OR ERROR. IT WAS TERRIFYING.

NHTSA ID

11395764

Incident

Feb 11, 2021

Mileage

76,152 mi

POWER STEERING STOPPED ON CAR. TURNED CAR ON IN THE MORNING AND GOT A MESSAGE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" ON DASH. WENT TO DRIVE CAR AND POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING.

NHTSA ID

11388345

Incident

Jan 13, 2021

Mileage

157,000 mi

THIS VECHICAL IS BEING FINANCED THROUGH CENTRAL AUTO SALES OF HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS. THIS VECHICAL HAS SERIOUS ISSUES, I CONTACTED CENTRAL AUTO ABOUT MY CAR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. IT KEPT STALLING ON FREEWAY THAT I WAS BARELY MISSED BY A DIESAL TRUCK HITTING ME. I TOLD THEM IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY CONTROL POWER TRAIN THAT'S KEEP STALLING. THEY PICKED THE CAR UP KEPT IT FOR 2DAYS DIDN'T FIX IT BUT WANTED TO CHARGE ME $344 FOR REPAIRS THAT WASN'T DONE. GOT CAR BACK IN SAME POSITION AND IT STALLED AGAIN ON ME IN MIDDLE OF FREEWAY ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH. I HAD TO BUY MY PART AND HAD SOMEONE TO PUT THE THROTTLE BODY ON. NOW IT'S THE STEERING WHEEL IT WON'T TURN PROPERLY IT'S SO HARD TO TURN LIKE IT'S LOCK CAUSE IT MAKE A CLICKING SOUND BEFORE IT COMPLETELY LOCK. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND THEY SENT ME A TEXT TOLD ME TO DO WHATEVER I WANT. THIS VECHICAL IS A HAZARD TO DRIVE. BUT THEY WANT $210 CAR NOTE PAYMENT FOR A NON FUNCTIONING CAR. I ASKED COULD I TRADE IT BACK IN TO THEM GOT NO REPLY ONLY ABOUT A CAR PAYMENT WHICH I NEVER MISSED A PAYMENT. AND IT ALSO RAINS IN THE CAR YOU CAN HERE THE WATER IN THE DOORS AND THE FLOOR BE SOAKED.

NHTSA ID

11385005

Incident

Dec 3, 2020

Mileage

150,251 mi

WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE ELECTRICAL STEERING ASSIST DISENGAGED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND A BEEPING ALARM SOUNDED THREE TIMES. THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON ANOTHER OCCASION. AFTER THE SECOND TIME I GOT THE CAR BACK HOME AND PARKED IT UNTIL I COULD DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. FOUND THE SAME HAPPENINGS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND MY ESCAPE WAS ONE OF THE RECALL VINS. IN 2014, I TOOK IT TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID WHATEVER WAS REQUIRED AT THAT TIME. I NEVER HAD AN ISSUE BEFORE THE RECALL, AND THEY APPARENTLY DID THE REPLACEMENT TO KEEP THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST FROM DISENGAGING. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. MY ESCAPE IS AT 191,000 MILES CURRENTLY. FORD SERVICE SAYS THEY CANNOT FIX IT WITHOUT ME COVERING THE COST, AND IF ANOTHER RECALL IS ISSUED, FORD MAY REIMBURSE ME. I BELIEVE ANOTHER RECALL SHOULD BE REQUIRED AS VEHICLES TODAY ARE DRIVEN MORE MILES THAT 150K. IT IS DANGEROUS WHEN THE STEERING ASSIST DISENGAGES AS NO POWER STEERING IS AVAILABLE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN WHEN THE ASSIST GOES OUT. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AS THE STEERING ASSIST REENGAGED WHILE STILL IN MY TURN. IF IT HAD NOT REENGAGED AT THAT EXACT TIME, NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WOULD HAVE HIT THE VEHICLE IN THE OTHER LANE. I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AT THE TIME IT FIRST HAPPENED AND THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED I WAS TURNING INTO SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ID

11374830

Incident

Nov 9, 2020

Mileage

191,480 mi

ON OCTOBER 19, 2020 MY GRANDCHILDREN AND I WHERE TRAVELING BACK HOME FROM SAN DIEGO, CA TO GEORGIA AND AS WE WHERE DRIVING ON HWY 20 IN TEXAS, I HIT A BUMP THE CAR BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I SLOWLY DROVE THE CAR TO KILGORE, TEXAS TOOK THE CARE TO AUTOMOTIVE SUPER CENTER 1505 US HWY 259 NORTH BUSINESS KILGORE, TX 75663. CHANDLER GORDY SAID HE WOULD CHECK IT OUT AND CALL ME. CHANDLER CALLED ME AND GAVE ME THE REPORT (SEE ATTACHED REPORT). CHANDLER STATED THAT TO FIX THAT UNIT IT COST OVER $2,000.00 IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO HAVE IT DONE. I ASKED HIM WHAT HE COULD DO SO THAT WE COULD GET BACK HOME HE SAID HE WOULD TRY AND RESET THE SENSOR. CHANDLER RESET IT & WE HAD TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE IT MIGHT GO OUT AGAIN AND TO BE VERY CAREFUL. 10/23/2020 SLOWLY DROVE HOMETHE NEXT DAY 10/26/2020 I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AT CARTECH AUTOMOTIVE HE CHECKED IT OUT CALLED ME AND SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CAR AND TO COME GET THE CAR AND TAKE IT TO FORD SO THAT THEY CAN FIX IT. I TOOK THE CAR TO LOGANVILLE FORD 3460 HIGHWAY 78 LOGANVILLE GA 30052 770-554-9994. I SPOKE WITH BRIAN AND UPON HIS EXAMINATION OF THE VIN# THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY CAR AND THAT IF I WANTED THE CAR CHECKED OUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $235.00 TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT.I THEN WENT AND CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER 866-436-7332 AND SPOKE WITH DANA WHO STATED THAT ON AUGUST 4, 2014 THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE POWER-STEERING SENSOR/MODULE IT WAS RESET NOT REPLACED. I TOLD DANA THAT THIS IS A RECALL AND THE UNIT WAS TO BE REPLACED NOT RESET & DANA SAID THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST HIGH TECH PROGRAMMING SYSTEMS. IT WAS RESET NOT REPLACED, DANA SAID YES & THAT THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I THEN CALLED 888-327-4236 AND SPOKE WITH LAVENIA DID MY REPORT. FORD IS UNWILLING TO REPLACE THE RECALL UNIT 14S05/NHTSA RECALL 14V-284.

NHTSA ID

11372628

Incident

Oct 20, 2020

Mileage

175,000 mi

CANNOT START VEHICLE! PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. KEY WILL NOT TURN FORWARD ENOUGH TO ENGAGE STARTER. PROBLEM STARTED YEARS AGO AND NOW HAS PROGRESSED TO THIS POINT WHERE IT WILL NOT START AT ALL USING THE IGNITION. THANKS!

NHTSA ID

11351169

Incident

Aug 4, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

I'VE REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH TWICE, AND NOW HAVING TO REPLACE IGNITION HOUSING. LEFT ME STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES. I WAS STATIONARY AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THIS MADE ME LATE FOR WORK AND SCHOOL. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329691

Incident

Jun 13, 2020

Mileage

102,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WILL SHUT OFF SUDDENLY AFTER A SMALL "CLICK" SOUND AND THE POWER STEERING IS SUDDENLY GONE. THE BATTERY SYMBOL WILL LIGHT UP RANDOMLY. ALL OF THE ELECTRIC COMPONENTS WILL FAIL WHEN THE STEERING DOES, INCLUDING THE ENTIRE DASH, HEAT/AC, RADIO, HEATED SEATS. IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS MULTIPLE TIMES. SOMETIMES THE CAR WORKS PERFECTLY, OTHER TIMES THE POWER STEERING REFUSES TO REENGAGE FOR A WHILE. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING FORWARD AND REVERSING. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER WHAT SPEED I'M GOING, IF IT DECIDED TO SHUT OFF IT'S JUST GONE.

NHTSA ID

11311468

Incident

Jan 3, 2020

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITH 130K+ ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS BACK IN 2014 BUT BECAUSE IT WASN'T "BROKEN" IN 2014 THEY CLOSED THE RECALL. NOW IN 2020, IT IS GIVING FAULT CODES AND IT STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. FORD REFUSES TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE IT WASN'T BROKEN 6 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY REALIZED THE MECHANICS OF THE SYSTEM WERE FAULTY IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING BACKED OUT OF A DRIVEWAY WHEN IT LOST POWER STEERING ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11310489

Incident

Feb 21, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING BATTERY LIGHT COMES ALL LIGHTS ON DASH GOES OUT THEN EVENTUALLY WILL COME BACK ON, THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE ON THE DASH THEN THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT N THE HEAT WILL GO OFF N ON PERIODICALLY. I'VE SEEN OTHERS COMPLAIN REGARDING SAME ISSUE ON BLOGS. THIS HAPPENS EVERYDAY SEVERAL TIMES

NHTSA ID

11306308

Incident

Jan 29, 2020

Mileage

147,000 mi

POWER STEERING WAS LOST WHILE DRIVING. POWER STEERING IS NOW IN MANUAL MODE. POWER ASSISTED STEERING HAS FAILED. DEALER SAYS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL THAT HAS AFFECTED SEVERAL OTHERS. SAME COMPONENTS AS OTHER RECALLED ESCAPES. AS FORD DEALER CHARGED $150 TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11300560

Incident

Jan 13, 2020

Mileage

123,800 mi