NHTSA Complaint #10554644 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND EXITED SAFELY. WENT THROUGH TYPICAL STOP-AND-GO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES UNTIL REACHING WORK, IN WHICH THE CAMPUS' SPEED IS SET TO 25 MPH THROUGHOUT. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON WORK CAMPUS A LITTLE UNDER 30 MPH. SUDDENLY, THE CAR STALLED AND THE BATTERY AND OIL WARNING LIGHTS HAD COME ON. STEERING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE PARKING PLACE WAS DIFFICULT AS THE STEERING WHEEL HAD BECOME TIGHT. ONCE SAFELY PARKED, THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND AFTER 5 SECONDS TURNED BACK ON. THE ENGINE STARTED UP NORMALLY. STARTED DRIVING THE VEHICLE CLOSER TO WHERE IT WAS NEEDED TO BE PARKED AND THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN AFTER 1000 FEET AND THE STEERING WENT TIGHT AGAIN. TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND AFTER 5 SECONDS ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT BACK ON. THE ENGINE HAD TROUBLE STARTING BUT AFTER AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF TIME TRYING TO TURN OVER, THE ENGINE DID. WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE IN THE APPROPRIATE PARKING AREA. VEHICLE HAS FULL TANK OF GASOLINE, 2000 MILES OVER OIL CHANGE RECOMMENDATION BY DEALER, AND FACTORY BATTERY. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OFF-ROAD BUT HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO EASY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS SINCE PURCHASED FROM DEALERSHIP. *TR