NHTSA Complaint #10549478 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

SUNDAY OCTOBER 20TH, 2013. WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED. THIS WAS LIKE TRYING TO DRIVE A TANK. WHEN I GOT TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE STEERING WORKED OK AT THAT TIME. I TOOK MY CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE STEERING CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THE ONLY PACE TO GET THIS FIXED WAS AT A FORD DEALER AND THAT THIS TYPE FAILURE ON THE 2008 ESCAPE WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. LOOKING ON LINE I CONFIRMED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS VERY FREQUENT WITH THE 2008 FORD ESCAPE AND COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED TO ME ON A QUITE SUNDAY MORNING WHEN THERE WAS LITTLE TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT ENDANGERING MYSELF OR OTHER DRIVERS. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH POTENTIAL PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR A LOSS OF LIFE ACCIDENT. I FEEL FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL THE 2008 FORD ESCAPES EQUIPPED WITH THIS TYPE STEERING AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF BOTH THE FORD DRIVERS AND OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERED ON THE ROAD SHOULD THE STEERING FAIL. *TR