NHTSA Complaint #10786193 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

IN JULY 2015 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE FORD COMPANY. THE RECALL STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM MIGHT REVERT TO MANUAL STEERING MODE DUE TO AN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAULT RELATED TO THE TORQUE SENSOR RESULTING IN AN INCREASE OF AN ACCIDENT THE STEERING EFFORT WOULD BECOME GREATER AT LOW SPEEDS. ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2015 I HAD MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES STATED FOR THE RECALL AND PERFORM REAL 14S05 CONCLUDING THAT NO CODE WAS PRESENT AND PROCEEDED IN REPROGRAMMING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 UPON STARTING MY CAR AT WORK, THE POWER STEERING WHEEL DID NOT WORK AND MANUAL STEERING WAS REQUIRED UPON DRIVING TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. NO LIGHT WAS ON THE DASH BOARD OR THE INFO SETTING TO INDICATE THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE. UPON STARTING MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 26TH, THE SAME DEALERSHIP PERFORMED THE RECALL 14S05 AGAIN CHECKING FOR DTC'S AND THE TORQUE LIGHT SENSOR FAULT CODE B2278 WAS PRESENT. NO PINPOINT TESTS AVAILABLE FOR THE CODE AND THE CHART CALLED FOR SENSOR REPLACEMENT. THE COST TO FIX THIS IS $700 AND WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID FOR BY THE RECALL A MONTH PRIOR IF IT HAD SHOWN UP ON THE PERFORMED RECALL TEST. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT SEEN ANY RECALL VEHICLES WITH THE STEERING COLUMN INTERMITTENTLY WORKING BUT HAD REPLACED THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN ALL TOGETHER. FORD COMPANY: "ANY SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ASSIST REPAIRS EXPERIENCED AFTER COMPLETION OF MODULE REPROGRAMMING ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS RECALL". THE SOFTWARE UPDATES MAY EXTEND THE TIME STEERING ASSIST IS MAINTAINED. THE UPDATE PROVIDES INCREASED DRIVER AWARENESS BY SOUNDING A CHIME AND DISPLAYING THE WRENCH LIGHT OR WARNING IN THE MESSAGE CENTER WHEN A FAULT IS DETECTED." THIS CLEARLY DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN MY CAR LOST IT'S POWER STEERING ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2015.