NHTSA Complaint #10609423 — 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, MY CAR SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE YELLOW WRENCH LIGHT LIT UP, AND THE DIGITAL READ-OUT SAID TO SERVICE THE POWER STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWO DAYS AGO. THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW REPLACING THE MODULE, BUT ADVISED THAT MAY NOT WORK; IF IT DOES NOT, THEY SAY THE STEERING RACK WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I AM AWARE OF FORD'S RECENTLY ANNOUNCED RECALL OF 2008 AND LATER ESCAPES FOR POWER STEERING FAILURES. AFTER DISCUSSING THAT WITH THE DEALER, I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. HE SAID MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. I TOLD HIM I UNDERSTOOD THAT, BUT PERHAPS THEIR RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED. HE ASKED WHY I WAS CALLING, AND I SAID THE DEALER HAD TOLD ME TO CALL AND START THE CLAIMS PROCESS. AT FIRST, HE TOLD ME THERE WAS NO CLAIM I COULD MAKE BECAUSE THE RECALL DOESN'T COVER MY CAR, BUT ULTIMATELY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER. (I DON'T KNOW IF HE ACTUALLY A CLAIM OR JUST GAVE ME A NUMBER TO GET ME OFF THE PHONE.) *TR