What are the most common problems with the 2008 Ford Escape?

Owners have filed 1,974 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is steering (1,127 complaints), followed by power train (329).

How many 2008 Ford Escape complaints mention a crash or fire?

59 of 1,974 complaints report a crash and 6 a fire; 44 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2008 Ford Escape recalls and problems

3 recalls and 1,974 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Ford Escape.

recalls

1,974

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2008 Ford Escape recalls

Power train: automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shift · Power train: automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)

NHTSA campaign 15V606000 · reported September 29, 2015 · Ford Motor Company · 57 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.
The risk: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.

Hybrid propulsion system

NHTSA campaign 14V526000 · reported September 3, 2014 · Ford Motor Company · 70,209 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles manufactured October 13, 2003, to June 20, 2008, and 2006-2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid electric vehicles manufactured June 10, 2005, to June 20, 2008. The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating.
The risk: If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S19.

Steering: electric power assist system

NHTSA campaign 14V284000 · reported May 29, 2014 · Ford Motor Company · 740,878 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The 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.
The 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.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Steering1,127
Power train329
Vehicle speed control175
Electrical system136
Service brakes120
Engine83
Unknown or other55
Structure41
Engine and engine cooling38
Electronic stability control (ESC)36

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Sep 2, 2026 · Electrical system
Electronic power steering went out a couple times on me .

Aug 12, 2026 · Steering
Was driving on highway at 55 when the wrench warning light came on drove car to residence and turned it off, when car was cranked again it had no power steering. Vin number was not included in recall on same issue. Has not been fixed.

Jun 22, 2026 · Power train · 116,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle and driving from a parking lot at 5 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the transmission skipped second and forth gear, and remained in third gear. The vehicle hesitated and stalled. An…

Apr 30, 2026 · Steering · 175,548 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH on the highway, the steering wheel seized. The failure was intermittent. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure recurred while reversing out of the driveway. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the…

Apr 14, 2026 · Service brakes, hydraulic · 136,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the powertrain malfunction warning light and the ABS warning light were illuminated. The driver was able to pull over, the battery was disconnected and reconnected, and the contact was able to continue driving. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard…

Escape model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2005	4	1,394	40	20
2006	3	464	16	9
2007	2	254	15	2
2008	3	1,974	59	6
2009	1	1,693	34	2
2010	3	2,070	29	3
2011	2	1,318	38	7

Across all years, the 2013 Escape has the most complaints (2,753). All Ford Escape years →

Questions

Does the 2008 Ford Escape have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2008 Ford Escape, the most recent reported on September 29, 2015 (Power train: automatic transmission, lever and linkage, floor shift, Power train: automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Ford Escape?: Owners have filed 1,974 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is steering (1,127 complaints), followed by power train (329).
How many 2008 Ford Escape complaints mention a crash or fire?: 59 of 1,974 complaints report a crash and 6 a fire; 44 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received September 2, 2026.