NHTSA Complaint #10565596 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

POWER STEERING/STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT. 250 MILES INTO MY TRIP I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I ACCELERATED AND WITHOUT WARNING I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I MANAGED TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT TO GET OFF THE BUSY STREET. HOPING FOR A SIMPLE ANSWER I CHECKED THE "FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MODULE (EPAS) , PARK AID MODULE" FUSE AND IT WAS FINE. IT WAS LATE EVENING - THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED, NO RENTAL CARS AVAILABLE. THE POLICE ENDED UP TAKING ME, MY DOGS, MY LUGGAGE, ETC. TO A MOTEL. IN THE MORNING ARRANGED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND RENTAL CAR. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC WAS A JERK BECAUSE I HAD PULLED THE FUSE AND RESET THE ERROR CODE. TOLD HIM WHEN YOU'RE IN A STRANGE AREA WITH NO HELP TO BE FOUND, YOU'RE DESPERATE AND WILL TRY WHATEVER YOU CAN. WAS NOT IN THE MOOD TO PUT UP WITH HIS ATTITUDE. GOT ON THE ROAD IN THE RENTAL CAR AND HOURS LATER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP TELLING ME THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR $1,300+ AND THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED HAD EXPIRED 1/21/2014. I HAVE SEEN SO MANY POSTS REGARDING THIS MATTER. WHEN IS FORD GOING TO REALIZE THIS IS NOT A RANDOM PROBLEM? I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT ISSUE I HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED (AT ABOUT 31K); FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED; THE LEFT, FRONT SPEAKER THAT WAS REPLACED HAS GONE BAD AGAIN. I AM NOT A BAD DRIVER (HAVE NEVER HAD A TICKET OR BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL), I AM CAREFUL WITH MY ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. NEXT TIME IT BREAKS DOWN I'LL BE TEMPTED TO WALK AWAY FROM THE THING AND NOT LOOK BACK. *TR