NHTSA Complaint #10795214 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK I HAVE DRIVEN MY VEHICLE STRAIGHT FROM A PARKED LOCATION ONLY TO FIND I HAVE NO POWER STEERING 40-50 YARDS INTO THE TRIP. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I PULL OVER AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, THE PROBLEMS USUALLY GOES AWAY, OR GOES AWAY AFTER SEVERAL SHUTDOWN CYCLES. MY VEHICLE WAS PART OF RECALL 14S05, AND RECEIVED A SOFTWARE UPDATE IN 2014. SINCE THEN THE STEERING HAS BEEN NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT AND SOMETIMES SHAKY WHEN BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. EVEN WORSE, FORD IS NOT HONORING THE RECALL. I WENT INTO A DEALERSHIP TODAY AND THEY INFORMED ME THE RECALL WAS CLOSED OUT AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FREE OF CHARGE, EVEN THOUGH MUCH OF WHAT I'VE READ FROM THIS INVESTIGATION IS THAT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE ONLY PUSHED OFF THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT FIX IT. I AM VERY CERTAIN THE PROBLEM IS A TORQUE SENSOR BASED ON THE DISCUSSION HERE. IT APPEARS FORD HAS NO CARE IN FIXING A CRITICAL SAFETY PROBLEM, AND IS IN FACT, TRYING TO COVER IT UP WITH SOFTWARE AND PASSING IT OFF AS USUAL WEAR AND TEAR.