NHTSA Complaint #10558107 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

THIS PROBLEM ORIGINALLY OCCURRED ON DEC 12TH 2013. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR,THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR,PULLED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTED IT,AND THE WHEEL WAS FINE THEN. AS I WAS DRIVING, MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE SLIGHTLY BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT ME TOUCHING IT. THERE WERE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS LIT UP ON MY DASHBOARD. THEN WHILE DRIVING SOME MORE,I HEARD A FAINT CLICK,AND MY STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AGAIN,IT HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POWER STEERING AND IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THAT HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME I DRIVE NOW,AND RECENTLY IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALWAYS LOCKED WITH NO POWER STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING AND THE WHOLE STEERING COLOUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND IT IS A VERY BIG JOB. I AM STILL AWAITING MY QUOTE TO SEE EXACTLY HOW MUCH IT WILL COST ME.I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR ONLY 7 MONTHS AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE 2008 FORD ESCAPES. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED,THEY CAN RECALL THINGS LIKE A POWER WINDOW FOR LOCKING UP AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GO UP OR DOWN,BUT NOT THIS. THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY AND POSSIBLY DEATH. THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE AND I RELY ON IT HEAVILY. IT IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY FORD ALREADY. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO THEY NEED BEFORE THIS PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED?? *TR