NHTSA Complaint #10494447 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

TWICE IN THE LAST MONTH, WHILE MAKING SHARP TURN AND U-TURN, WE LOST OUR POWER STEERING. THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT, BUT THE SECOND TIME WAS IN TRAFFIC. EACH TIME IT TOOK ALL OF OUR STRENGTH TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED SO THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE MOVED OUT OF TRAFFIC. BOTH TIMES WE PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED OFF IGNITION. WHEN RE-STARTED, POWER STEERING WAS FINE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS VEHICLE FAILURE. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC EACH TIME, BUT MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY THE NEXT. WHEN WE GOT HOME, WE GOOGLED 2008 FORD ESCAPE STEERING PROBLEMS TO SEE IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL THAT WE WERE NOT AWARE OF, AND WE WERE ASTONISHED TO SEE HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD REPORTED THIS SAME FAILURE. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE. *TR