NHTSA Complaint #10658961 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

PURSUANT TO THE 2014 RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, I TOOK MY 2008 ESCAPE TO BE SERVICED. UPON INFORMATION AND BELIEF, THE TORQUE SENSOR MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF STEERING. SAID SERVICE WAS PERFORMED ON OCTOBER 1, 2014. ON NOVEMBER 14, 2014, THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF STEERING WHILE DRIVING WITH MY YOUNG CHILD, THREE HOURS FROM HOME. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED THE WORK UNDER THE RECALL, I WAS TOLD WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS, DESPITE THE MECHANIC ADMITTING AND AGREEING WITH US THAT IT WAS AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED UNDER THE RECALL. THE MECHANIC'S HANDS WERE TIED AS FORD WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE THE WORK TO BE PERFORMED ON THE COMPANY'S EXPENSE. THE ESTIMATED PRICE OF REPAIRS IS $1600. THE MECHANIC ALSO TOLD US HAD WE NOT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN AS INSTRUCTED BY THE WELL PUBLICIZED RECALL AND THE STEERING FAILED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE RECALL STATES, "ALTERNATIVELY, THE DEALER MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE TORQUE SENSOR OR THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE (PARTS AND LABOR)". FORD INDICATED BY PHONE THAT THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THE FIRST VISIT. ANY SUBSEQUENT VISIT FOR A RECALL ISSUE IS THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. FORD'S MISREPRESENTATIONS IN ITS RECALL NOTICE AND SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS ARE UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES, NOT TO MENTION AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE AND DANGER TO CONSUMERS WHO BELIEVE NOT THAT THEIR VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE AFTER BEING SERVICED BY THE RECALL. *TR