NHTSA Complaint #10255708 — 2007 FORD ESCAPE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPAIRED THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL MONTHS LATER. THE DEALER IS CURRENTLY DIAGNOSING THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ALL OF THE REMEDIES TO DATE HAVE BEEN INSUFFICIENT IN CORRECTING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,731 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000. THE TRANSMISSION WAS JERKING AND SHIFTING HARD. WHEN COMING TO A STOP IT MADE A SOUND LIKE TWISTING METAL AND THE BRAKES POPPED AND JERKED, WHEN ACCELERATING IN A CURVE. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE ALSO PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR NO REASON, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, THEY WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK AT WILL WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS BACKING UP. UPDATED 02/05/09. *JB