NHTSA Complaint #10391947 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

ON THE MORNING OF 3/1/11 I GOT INTO MY FORD ESCAPE TO DRIVE TO WORK. I STARTED THE CAR, AND BACKED OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE, I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS VERY STIFF, WHICH I ATTRIBUTED IN MY MIND TO THE ICE STORM FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE. THAT EVENING WHEN I RETURNED HOME FROM WORK THE STEERING WAS FINE. HOWEVER, THE NEXT DAY, AGAIN THE STEERING WAS STIFF AS IF THERE WERE NO POWER STEERING. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE STEERING WAS FINE. AGAIN THAT EVENING ALL WAS FINE, BUT THE NEXT MORNING NO POWER STEERING. REPEATING MY STEPS FROM THE DAY BEFORE, I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND ALL WAS FINE, HOWEVER THAT EVENING AGAIN THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. I REFERRED TO MY OWNERS MANUAL AND FOUND THAT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING RESERVOIR TO CHECK OR FILL. I CONTACTED A MECHANIC AND HE WASN'T SURE WITH NO RESERVOIR, SO HE AND I BOTH BEGAN RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL WEBSITES WHICH LISTED MY VERY SAME PROBLEM, AND STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH ESTIMATES RANGING FROM $1100 TO $1700. THERE WERE SEVERAL ENTRIES WHICH MENTIONED ACCIDENTS WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE POWER STEERING BEEN WORKING. THIS IS APPARENTLY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH LEADS ME TO WONDER ABOUT THE AIR BAGS WORKING DURING AN ACCIDENT. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT, HE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY GAVE HIM A COUPLE OF THINGS TO CHECK, BUT DOUBTED ANY OF THEM WOULD BE THE CAUSE. HE TOOK THE ESCAPE TO HIS LOCAL FORD DEALER TO GET A READING FROM THE CARS COMPUTER, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT A STEERING COLUMN WAS NECESSARY. MY CONCERN IS THAT FORD IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING. I WOULD HATE TO THINK THAT SOMEONE HAS TO DIE BEFORE THIS PROBLEM GETS THE ATTENTION IT REQUIRES TO START A RECALL.