NHTSA Complaint #10790466 — 2003 FORD ESCAPE

MY WIFE OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING IT DOWN THE ROAD SHE NOTICED THE STEERING WAS GETTING UNCONTROLLABLE. SHE PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED AAA FOR A TOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MIDAS WHERE WE USUALLY HAVE OUR WORK DONE ON OUR VEHICLES. MIDAS LOOKED AT THE CAR WHILE STILL ON THE TOW TRUCK. THEY SAID THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL ON THE CAR. MIDAS CALLED WAIKEM FORD AND WAS TOLD TO TELL US TO BRING IT THERE. WE HAD THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TAKE IT THERE. THIS WAS ON 11/05/15. I WAS CALLED ON 11/6 AND TOLD THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE CAR THAT DAY AND MONDAY 11/9 THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. THIS WAS IN A MESSAGE TO MY PHONE. MONDAY I RECEIVED ANOTHER MESSAGE FROM A GUY NAMED CRAIG THAT HE HAD TAKEN PICTURES OF THE PROBLEM AND SENT IT TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THAT WAS ALL THE MESSAGE SAID. TUESDAY I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM CRAIG THAT THE CAR WAS DONE AND WE COULD PICK IT UP ANYTIME. I TOOK MY WIFE OVER TO GET THE CAR AND SHE DROVE IT HOME WHICH IS THREE BLOCKS AWAY. SHE DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG DO TO THE SHORT TRIP AND SLOW SPEED. SATURDAY 11/14 SHE TOOK THE CAR OUT AND ONCE AGAIN THE STEERING FELT UNCONTROLLABLE. I WENT OVER TO WAIKEM FORD AND ASK WHY THE CAR WASN'T FIXED. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD DENIED THE FIX ON THE CAR. CROSS BRACE WAS INSTALLED WHICH IS WHAT THEY DO ON THE RECALL. HOW EVER THE FRAME RUSTED OUT WHERE THE CONTROL ARMS ATTACH AND THE CROSS BRACE DID NOTHING. THE CAR WAS RELEASED TO US WITHOUT BEING TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WASN'T FIXED. WE WERE NOT TOLD FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD REJECTED THE REQUEST FOR REPAIR. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE CAR, AND FORD SHOULD HAVE AUTHORIZED THE FIX. FORD MOTOR COMPANIES DECISION ALONG WITH WAIKEM FORD RELEASING THAT CAR TO US PUT MY WIFE AND THE PUBLIC IN DANGER.