NHTSA Complaint #10557905 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

SAFETY ISSUE: MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE'S STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHUDDER/VIBRATE AT IDLE. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL CANNOT BE MOVED LEFT OR RIGHT. IT LOCKS UP. I HAVE TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RE-START IT IN ORDER TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE. TODAY, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I COULD HARDLY CONTROL THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. I HAD TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AGAIN AND TURN IT BACK ON IN ORDER TO PROCEED. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS HAD THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON IT SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN JAN 2009. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE, AND WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS BASED ON SAFETY ISSUES. THE SITUATION THAT I EXPERIENCED TODAY COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITIES. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW STEERING COLUMN, AT 56,000 MILES. UPDATED 02/24/14