NHTSA Complaint #10565502 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

MY WIFE COMPLAINED ONE DAY THE STEERING COLUMN WAS SHAKING. THEN A FEW DAYS LATER SHE SAID THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. TO GET IT TO WORK, SHE TURNED THE IGNITION ON AND OFF UNTIL IT WORKED. I DROVE IT A FEW DAYS LATER AND FOUND THE COLUMN SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE NEXT MORNING, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. APPARENTLY THE SENSOR IN THE COLUMN DID NOT TELL THE IGNITION TO TURN OFF AND IT DRAINED THE BATTERY. TOW TRUCK STARTED THE BATTERY, I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TELL ME IT WILL BE $1000. RIDICULOUS. I HAVE NEVER HEARD NOR HAVE MY FRIENDS HEARD OF THIS TYPE OF ISSUE IN A CAR WITH LESS THAN 200,000 MILES. DEALER SAYS THIS IS INFREQUENT BUT FROM MY READING ON THIS SITE I AM DOUBTING THEIR WORD. FORD SHOULD BE MORE HELPFUL WITH THIS. SHARE THE COST OR REPAIR FOR FREE. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. OTHER THAN FIRES, OR BRAKES CAN YOU IMAGINE A MORE SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR