NHTSA Complaint #10460122 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

THIS PAST WINTER THE DRIVERS SIDE EXIT SHAFT SEAL FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED BY OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER. UPON RETURN MY WIFE NOTED THE STEERING COCKED TO THE LEFT SLIGHTLY BUT NO OTHER ISSUES, I TOLD HER THAT THEY PROBABLE WERE OFF A TOOTH ON THE PITMAN ARM AND THAT SHE NEEDED TO TAKE IT BACK, SHE HAD NOT. THE DAY IN QUESTION WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD WITNESSED THE MALFUNCTION. I HAD MADE A TURN OFF A SECONDARY STREET TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS ABOUT A 90 DEGREE TURN, AND WHEN I EXITED THE TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STILL AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE OFF NEUTRAL. IT STAYED THIS WAY FOR A FEW SECONDS AS I ACCELERATED DOWN THE ON RAMP, THEN VIOLENTLY RETURNED TO NEUTRAL. I PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER AND CHECKED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES THAT DAY AND THE FOLLOWING DAY. I MADE SEVERAL 90 DEGREE TURNS TO SEE IF I COULD DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. MY WIFE LET ME KNOW THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO HER, USUALLY WHEN SHE WAS PARKING THE CAR AT SCHOOL. WHEN SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE WHEEL WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THIS MORNING THAT THERE ARE PARTS ON ORDER FOR THE STEERING GEAR AND STEERING POSITION SENSOR. WHEN WE RETURNED HOME, WE WERE IN FT WORTH TEXAS FOR THE WEEKEND IN QUESTION, I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD SEEN THIS A FEW TIMES BUT THAT IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND NOTIFY THE NHTSA. *TR