The Lemon IndexB1342 is a manufacturer-specific code, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full B1342 page
15 owner complaints · one of 245 codes Ford Escape owners name · 2% of Ford Escape complaints that name a code (every car: 0.2%)
Middle of 127,000 miles · most between 81,000 and 135,000 (12 owners gave it)
Ford Escape owners named B1342 in 15 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2009, 2011 and 2010 model years, at a middle of 127,000 miles. The part they name most is the power steering part (9 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Ford Escape model years that report B1342
Owner complaints naming B1342, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
127,000 miles is the middle of what 12 owners entered. Half were between 81,000 and 135,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the power steering part, in 9 of the 15 complaints (60%). 9 of those mention it being replaced or repaired. Next: engine software (a reflash) (4).
- Power steering part9 complaints9 mention a repair or replacement
- Software update (reflash)4 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement
9 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with B1342
7% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Loses power or goes into limp mode20%3 of 15 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults20%3 of 15 complaints
Share of the complaints naming B1342 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
B2278 2
Other codes named in the same Ford Escape complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
- Steering column repair$2,200, $2,6002 bills
- ABS module replacement$1,0001 bill
Repair bills owners named in these 15 complaints (3 in all). Owner reports, not a quote: costs vary by shop and region.
Recalls on these Ford Escape years
- Steering · 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 · issued 2014
The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. NHTSA 14V284000
1 recall for the same systems (steering) on the Ford Escape model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind B1342. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- B1342: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Ford Escape reliability by year
- 2009 Ford Escape problems and recalls
Other codes Ford Escape owners report
P2111 P2112 P0302 P0303 B2278 P0316 P0301 P0304 P1299 P0300
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What B1342 means
B1342 is a manufacturer-specific code: each carmaker decides what it means, so the same code can point to different problems on different brands. We haven't verified its meaning for Ford yet. A dealer or a scanner with the maker's software can tell you exactly.
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11536687, 11516553, 11486781, 11432626, 11422136, 11322560, 11310146, 11144994, 11048604, 11030027, 10817213, 10810123 and 3 more.
Quick answers
Which Ford Escape years have the most B1342 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2009 (11), 2011 (2), 2010 (1) Ford Escape named B1342 most (15 complaints in all, 2008–2011). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes B1342 on a Ford Escape?
Owners most often name the power steering part (9 of 15 complaints), then engine software (a reflash). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does B1342 show up on a Ford Escape?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 127,000 miles; half were between 81,000 and 135,000 (12 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name B1342 on the Ford Escape, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.