NHTSA Complaint #10138120 — 2003 FORD ESCAPE

PERIODICALLY AND UNPREDICTABLY, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. SOMETIMES, IT CAN BE FORCED, IF YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH. OTHER TIMES IT CANNOT EVEN BE FORCED. BUT THEN IT WILL WORK THE NEXT DAY. MOVING THE STEARING WHEEL DOES NOT ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN EVEN WHEN TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL WITH FORCE. MY CAR HAS BEEN TOWED ONCE BECAUSE 3 PEOPLE TRIED AND COULD NOT TURN EITHER KEY I HAVE FOR THE VEHICLE. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A COMMON FORD PROBLEM. I BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE/WHEN YOU WILL BE STRANDED, WHETHER OR NOT YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A PHONE. ONE MECHANIC SAID HE COULD REBUILD THE STEARING COLUMN AND THAT HAD WORKED FOR OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM - HOWEVER, THAT DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT PROVIDE A LOANER CAR SO I WOULD BE WITHOUT ANY TRANSPORTATION FOR 1-2 DAYS. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS SPORATIC AND THEY SAY THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE IT. THE IGNITION HAS LOCKED 4 TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH. ADDITONALLY - THE ABS BRAKES ONLY WORK INTERMITENTLY WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT WHEN MAKING THE SPLIT SECOND DECISION OF WHETHER TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES OR PUMP THE BRAKE.