NHTSA Complaint #10543674 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING SYSTEM SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED SO THERE WAS NO RISK OF ACCIDENT AT THE TIME. THIS ISSUE HAS NEVER OCCURRED BEFORE. I TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. I DID AN ON ONLINE SEARCH AND DISCOVERED THIS IS FAR FROM AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. I FOUND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER 2008 ESCAPE OWNERS REPORTING SUDDEN STEERING LOSS PROBLEMS WITH CHARACTERISTICS MATCHING PRECISELY WHAT I EXPERIENCED. THESE COMPLAINTS SEEMED TO BEGIN TO SURFACE WITHIN THE LAST 2 YEARS. IT APPEARS THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) MOUNTED IN THE STEERING COLUMN IS TO BLAME FOR THE FAILURES. I BELIEVE 2008 WAS THE FIRST YEAR FORD INTRODUCED THE ECU TO REPLACE CONVENTIONAL POWER STEERING PUMPS. WELL IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WHICH FORD HAS APPARENTLY IGNORED SO FAR. I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT IN THE HOPES THAT THE NHTSA WILL COMPEL FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS NOT AN INCONVENIENCE, THIS A LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. IF POWER STEERING FAILS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT AND QUITE POSSIBLY DIE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. AND PLEASE DO IT SOON. *TR