The Lemon IndexU3000 is a manufacturer-specific code, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full U3000 page
15 owner complaints · one of 245 codes Ford Escape owners name · 2% of Ford Escape complaints that name a code (every car: 1.5%)
Middle of 89,000 miles · most between 74,000 and 100,000 (8 owners gave it)
Ford Escape owners named U3000 in 15 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2013, 2020 and 2014 model years, at a middle of 89,000 miles. The part they name most is the power steering part (5 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Ford Escape model years that report U3000
Owner complaints naming U3000, 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
89,000 miles is the middle of what 8 owners entered. Half were between 74,000 and 100,000 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 5 of the 15 complaints (33%). 3 of those mention it being replaced or repaired. Next: engine software (a reflash) (2) and 12-volt battery (2).
- Power steering part5 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement
- Software update (reflash)2 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement, 2 of them say the problem came back
- 12-volt battery2 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what owners paid
5 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 U3000
7% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Brakes or ABS act up20%3 of 15 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults20%3 of 15 complaints
- Loses power or goes into limp mode13%2 of 15 complaints
Share of the complaints naming U3000 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Recalls on these Ford Escape years
- Steering · 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 U3000. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- U3000: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Ford Escape reliability by year
- 2013 Ford Escape problems and recalls
Other codes Ford Escape owners report
P2111 P2112 P0302 P0303 B2278 P0316 P0301 P0304 P1299 P0300
U3000 on other cars
Honda Odyssey (51) · Ford Fusion (24) · Ford Explorer (23) · Honda Pilot (20) · Acura MDX (11) · Honda Passport (11)
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 U3000 means
U3000 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): 11722837, 11715848, 11555924, 11534192, 11504310, 11470865, 11430274, 11376194, 11374026, 11365869, 11330653, 11245857 and 3 more.
Quick answers
Which Ford Escape years have the most U3000 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2013 (8), 2020 (2), 2014 (2) Ford Escape named U3000 most (15 complaints in all, 2011–2020). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes U3000 on a Ford Escape?
Owners most often name the power steering part (5 of 15 complaints), then engine software (a reflash) and 12-volt battery. 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 U3000 show up on a Ford Escape?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 89,000 miles; half were between 74,000 and 100,000 (8 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name U3000 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.