NHTSA Complaint #10585094 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING HER 2002 FORD ESCAPE TO WORK MY DAUGHTER NOTICED THE STEERING WAS NOT RIGHT. IN ORDER FOR HER TO KEEP DRIVING STRAIGHT SHE HAD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. SHE WENT OVER A PAIR OF ROUGH RAILROAD TRACKS & LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HER FRONT PASSENGER TIRE CONTROL BAR HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. IT WAS RUSTED THROUGH. LUCKILY SHE WAS DRIVING IN A 30MPH ZONE & THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND. THANKFULLY SHE WAS NOT HURT BUT QUITE SHAKEN UP. WE WERE UNAWARE OF A VEHICLE RECALL ON THIS MODEL UNTIL A FRIEND OF HERS RECALLED SEEING AN ARTICLE IN THE NEWS ABOUT CONTROL BARS RUSTING THROUGH CAUSING STEERING PROBLEMS. HER FRONT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY BALD AFTER THIS INCIDENT. (TREAD WAS GOOD BEFORE). I CALLED FORD AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE & REPORTED THE INCIDENT. THE REP TOLD ME THAT IN ORDER FOR A REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A FORD DEALER & TO KEEP THE TOW BILL AS THEY WOULD COVER IT. RIGHT NOW THE SUV IS AT THE DEALER. IT HAS BEEN 2 DAYS SINCE THEY'VE HAD IT & I'VE HEARD NOTHING. I AM GETTING VERY IMPATIENT. BECAUSE IT'S A RECALL I HAVE A HUNCH THEY PUT IT ON THE BACK BURNER. THIS VEHICLE IS HER ONLY WAY TO SCHOOL & WORK. I ASKED ABOUT A LOANER & THEY EXPLAINED THAT BECAUSE OF THE HUGE VOLUME OF RECALLS, A LOANER WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO COME BY. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE? I AM EXPECTING NOT ONLY THE VEHICLE TO BE FIXED BUT I FEEL WE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THE 1 TIRE - MAYBE 2 DEPENDING ON THE CONDITION OF THE OTHER SIDE. I DON'T NEED A SET OF NEW ONES - JUST SOMETHING TO PASS INSPECTION. IF ANYONE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES PLEASE POST SOMETHING BACK. THANK YOU ! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR