NHTSA Complaint #10706545 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

INITIALLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE A POP IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN TURNED TO THE LEFT AND AN ACCELERATION ISSUE CAUSING SPUTTERING DURING CLIMBS TO HIGHER SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY. THE ACCELERATION ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED AND REPAIRED AT AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE OF $720. THE STEERING ISSUE WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS CAUSED FROM A DEFECT THAT HAD PROMPTED A RECALL THAT WAS NOT MADE KNOWN TO THE VEHICLE OWNER. THE DEALER RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE STEERING PROGRAMMING WAS TO BE UPDATED AND THAT ALL ISSUES WOULD CEASE. MONTHS LATER, FIRST OF THE YEAR, THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AT THE OWNER'S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, PROCEEDED OUT OF PARKING SPACE TO THE SURPRISE OF NO POWER ASSISTED STEERING, CAUSING THE CURRENT DIRECTION OF THE FRONT WHEELS TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING GARAGE COLUMN AND DISLODGING THE FRONT RIGHT BUMPER COVER AT THE COVER/FENDER SEAM. OWNER RETURNED VEHICLE TO THE PARK GEAR, DISENGAGED THE IGNITION, ASSESSED THE DAMAGE, AND ONCE AGAIN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE TO THE ADDITIONAL SURPRISE OF WORKING POWER ASSISTED STEERING. OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE FOR A CONTINUING FOUR MONTHS, AT RANDOM INTERVALS, WITH SEEMINGLY INCREASINGLY FREQUENCY. REPAIR ESTIMATES ARE AT THE $1500. RANGE AND ONCE ALERTED TO THE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES OF SAME MODEL OWNERS, BELIEVES THIS IS A DEFECT OF THE RECALL SOLUTION FOR A DEFECT. *TR