NHTSA Complaint #10765222 — 2003 FORD ESCAPE

WHEN PULLING OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT MY CAR STEERING ITSELF SHARPLY. I PULLED THE WHEEL BACK TO STRAIGHT. AS I WAS DOING THIS, I HEARD A CRACK. I HAVE BEEN HEARING SIMILAR CRACKS IN THE PAST MONTHS WHEN I GO OVER BUMPS AT SLOW SPEEDS. I CAME UPON RECALL #14S02. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO APPLE FORD IN APPLE VALLEY, MN TO GET MY BRACE INSTALLED. MY TECH SAID THE CARS SUB FRAME FAILED INSPECTION. THE FRAME WAS SO BAD YOU COULD STICK A PEN THOUGH IT. HE SUBMITTED PHOTOS TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO GET A NEW FRAME APPROVED. FORD DENIED THE REPAIR AS THE SUB FRAME IS NOT BROKEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THIS FIX IS ON THE CUSTOMER FOR $2200. I CANNOT PAY THAT. I ASKED, SINCE MY FRAME WAS SO BAD IF IT WAS SAFE? IT WAS RECOMMENDED I STAY OFF THE HIGHWAY, OR STAY UNDER 60 MPH. THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN MY CAR ANYMORE. I UNDERSTAND THAT FORD IS ONLY LEGALLY LIABLE FOR THE SOLUTION THEY CAME UP WITH AS A FIX THAT THE NHTSA APPROVES. THAT IS THE BRACE ONLY. PLEASE LOOK INTO MAKING FORD REPLACE SIGNIFICANT CORROSION TO THE FRAME INSTEAD OF A COMPLETE BREAK. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE AS NORMAL WITH THIS RECALL FIX. NOW, I HAVE A CAR THAT I WANT TO GET RID OF. WHO WILL WANT TO BUY THIS CAR FOR WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WORTH IF IT WAS 100% ROAD WORTHY? PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS RECALL. I HAVE REPAIR DOCUMENTS AND MY FORD TECHNICIAN SAYS HE WILL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE WHO NEEDS HIS INPUT. HE WAS VERY SURPRISED THE REPAIR WAS DENIED DUE TO THE POOR CONDITION.