NHTSA Complaint #10498386 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

I AM JUST GLAD THAT WHEN THE CAR DIED, I WAS JUST PULLING INTO A PARKING GARAGE. ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS GOING THE 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT MINUTES EARLIER. VERY HEAVY BRAKING, MANUAL STEERING. I THINK FORD WANTS SOMEONE TO DIE IN A FEW CRASHES BEFORE THEY WILL COME OUT WITH A RECALL. I HAD TO WAIT 2 WEEKS FOR A RE-MANUFACTURED COMPUTER AS THEY WERE HEAVILY BACK-ORDERED. THIS INDICATES THAT A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST 32 OR SO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I HAD TO PAY FOR 3 WEEKS OR CAR RENTALS AND ONLY GOT TO PAY WHAT I DID BECAUSE OF FAMILY TIES TO THE FORD DEALER. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER $2800 DOLLARS IF PARTS AND LABOR WERE CHARGED RETAIL. FORD KNEW THERE WERE PROBLEMS BY ISSUING TWO TBS, YET THEY PREFERRED TO LET US PAY FOR THEIR ERROR. I FOUND OUT THAT FORD MAY REPAIR IT IF IT HAD LESS THAN 80,000 MILES AND LESS THAN 8 YEARS OLD. HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO BE IN ACCIDENTS BEFORE THIS VEHICLE IS RECALLED? *TR