2005 Ford Escape Hybrid Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

20Steering complaints

11.2%Of all 178 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES39 · 21.9%

SUSPENSION30 · 16.9%

STEERING20 · 11.2%

STRUCTURE:BODY20 · 11.2%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC18 · 10.1%

Share of the 178 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES THE "PWR STEERING SERVICE" MESSAGE WAS…”NHTSA complaint 10690111 — filed 02/23/2015

“DRIVING AT LOW SPEED WHEN POWER STEERING SHUT OFF. THIS HAS OCCURRED 1-2/MONTH SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM THE DEALER IN 2008. WHEN I…”NHTSA complaint 10632272 — filed 09/10/2014

“CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF LEFT SITTING FOR 2 HOURS. GOT BACK, TURNED VEHICLE ON, BACKED UP FROM PARKING STALL AND POWER STEERING LOCKED…”NHTSA complaint 10617440 — filed 07/29/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid: 20 of 178 complaints on file (11.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid have in total?

178 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 4 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 1 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.