Worst 2008 Ford Escape Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
STEERING
POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Ford Escape.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | 1,106 | 28 | — | 120,129 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 221 | 2 | — | 89,359 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 168 | 5 | — | 82,675 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 127 | 4 | 5 | 106,517 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 120 | 8 | — | 127,391 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 107 | — | — | 40,327 mi | |
| ENGINE | 83 | 1 | — | 91,139 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 55 | — | 1 | 140,080 mi | |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 36 | — | — | 133,629 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 36 | — | — | 114,063 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 30 | 2 | — | 125,371 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 28 | 15 | — | 73,774 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 28 | 3 | — | 88,958 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 24 | — | 1 | 63,907 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 20 | — | — | 71,522 mi | |
| TIRES | 18 | — | — | 39,390 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 15 | 2 | — | 81,360 mi | |
| WHEELS | 14 | 2 | — | 83,276 mi | |
| VISIBILITY | 13 | — | — | 39,551 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 12 | — | — | 38,604 mi | |
| STEERING:COLUMN | 12 | — | — | 100,300 mi | |
| TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS | 8 | — | — | 19,400 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 8 | 1 | — | 114,364 mi | |
| STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 7 | — | — | 141,500 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 6 | — | 1 | 68,086 mi | |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 6 | — | — | 118,083 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 5 | — | — | 34,350 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS | 5 | 1 | — | 59,500 mi | |
| TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 5 | — | — | 58,164 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 4 | — | — | 1,773,334 mi |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Ford Escape. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2008 Ford Escape
4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~811,201 vehicles.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Other Ford Escape Years
Wider context: See the full Ford Escape reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2008 Ford Escape
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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