The Lemon IndexB2278 is a manufacturer-specific code, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full B2278 page
61 owner complaints · the #5 code Ford Escape owners name · 8% of Ford Escape complaints that name a code (every car: 0.5%)
Middle of 121,000 miles · most between 102,000 and 151,000 (47 owners gave it)
Ford Escape owners named B2278 in 61 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2008, 2011 and 2009 model years, at a middle of 121,000 miles. The part they name most is the power steering part (16 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Ford Escape model years that report B2278
Owner complaints naming B2278, 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
121,000 miles is the middle of what 47 owners entered. Half were between 102,000 and 151,000 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 16 of the 61 complaints (26%). 14 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 1 say the problem came back afterwards. Next: engine software (a reflash) (15).
- Power steering part16 complaints14 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back
- Software update (reflash)15 complaints15 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back
44 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 B2278
7% of these complaints say the check engine light came on. 8% say the Ford Escape had to be towed.
- Loses power or goes into limp mode33%20 of 61 complaints
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires13%8 of 61 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults8%5 of 61 complaints
- Stalls or shuts off7%4 of 61 complaints
Share of the complaints naming B2278 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
B1342 2 B2277 2
Other codes named in the same Ford Escape complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
- Steering column repair$1,4397 bills · middle bill
Repair bills owners named in these 61 complaints (7 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 B2278. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- B2278: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Ford Escape reliability by year
- 2008 Ford Escape problems and recalls
Other codes Ford Escape owners report
P2111 P2112 P0302 P0303 P0316 P0301 P0304 P1299 P0300 P1450
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 B2278 means
B2278 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): 11724177, 11720067, 11702343, 11696458, 11641175, 11593504, 11584787, 11565895, 11539676, 11539418, 11508660, 11508284 and 49 more.
Quick answers
Which Ford Escape years have the most B2278 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2008 (24), 2011 (12), 2009 (10) Ford Escape named B2278 most (61 complaints in all, 2008–2012). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes B2278 on a Ford Escape?
Owners most often name the power steering part (16 of 61 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 B2278 show up on a Ford Escape?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 121,000 miles; half were between 102,000 and 151,000 (47 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name B2278 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.