Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

2009 Ford Escape: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2009 Ford Escape, most recently filed May 2014. Owners have filed 1,693 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the steering.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (1)

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2009 Ford Escape. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2009 Ford Escape. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 14V284000 Filed May 29, 2014

Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist

Steering · electric power assist system
Official NHTSA text
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.
72.3% repairedof 740,878 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 14V284000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (1,693)

1,693 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The steering is mentioned most often.

34involved a crash
2involved a fire
17injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Ford Escape, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 1,693.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2009 compares with other Escape years

Best and worst Escape years →
2005200620072008200920102011201220132014
This year (2009)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 24 mpg combined

24
mpg combined
22
city
28
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$2,800
CO₂ tailpipe
370 g/mi
EPA class
Sport Utility Vehicle -

What it costs you to run

$2,721per year
$227per month
625gallons a year

Miles ÷ 24 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2009 Ford Escape configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
2.5 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manualFront-Wheel Drive22 / 28 / 24$2,800370
2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive20 / 28 / 23$2,900386
3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive18 / 26 / 21$3,200423
2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive19 / 25 / 21$3,200423
3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive17 / 24 / 20$3,350444

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2009 Escape for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Escape years

Where to next

2009 Ford Escape FAQ

How many recalls does the 2009 Ford Escape have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign: 14V284000 (steering). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2009 Ford Escape problems?

Owners filed 1,693 complaints with NHTSA. Steering (828), Power train (301), Vehicle speed control (279) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2009 Ford Escape get?

EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual version at 22 city, 28 highway and 24 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

How does the 2009 Escape compare with other years?

Among the 2005–2014 Ford Escape model years at least five years old, the 2007 drew the fewest complaints (254) and the 2013 the most (2,750). The 2009 drew 1,693. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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