NHTSA Complaint #10553707 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

OUR 2009 FORD ESCAPE HAS LOST IT'S POWER STEERING, WHILE I WAS DRIVING, TWICE THIS WEEK. IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, YET IT WAS STILL RUNNING. IT IS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SO THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT IT (I INITIALLY THOUGHT MY POWER STEERING FLUID MUST BE LOW). THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, ON FRIDAY, I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. NOTHING SHOWED UP ON THE DASHBOARD AT THE TIME AND NOTHING SHOWED UP ON HIS SCANNERS. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS STARTED AGAIN THE STEERING WORKED FINE. WE DECIDED IT MUST BE A FLUKE. WE ONLY HAVE 85,505 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT JUST HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY HUSBAND WAS SUPPOSED TO DRIVE TO OUR FRIEND'S HOUSE NORTH OF BOSTON (WE ARE SOUTH OF BOSTON). HE CANCELLED. IT TERRIFIES ME TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO HIM AT HIGH SPEED ON THOSE HIGHWAYS. WE GOT ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN 2008 & 2009 FORD ESCAPES. IT TURNS OUT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AVERAGE COST IS $1500. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS LIFE SAFETY PROBLEM YET HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. DO PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO DIE FIRST? *TR