NHTSA Complaint #10817213 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING WILL NOT ENGAGE. AFTER ONE OR MORE TRIES IT WILL FINALLY ENGAGE. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE STEERING DISENGAGED WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND HAD TO BE STOPPED AND RESTARTED AS ABOVE. MY LOCAL GARAGE FOUND ERROR CODE B1342 AND CONFIRMED BY A FORD DEALER. THE CODE MEAN THE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED. THE DEALER SAID THE VEHICLE IN NOT COVERED BY THE RECAĺL 14S05. I SPOKE TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND A CASE # WAS OPENED. WHEN I CALLED TO INQUIRE KEVIN SAID A CASE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OPENED AND AN INTERNAL INQUIRY WOULD BE STARTED. FORD OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T WANT COMPLAINTS RECORDED. THIS IS A FORD MISTAKE AND A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED AT THEIR EXPENSE. FORD EXECUTIVES ARE UNACCOUNTABLE AND APPARENTLY ONLY WORRIED ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE AND THEIR BONUSES. THEY TRIED TO MEET THEIR SAFETY OBLIGATION BY UPDATING SOFTWARE IN SOME VEHICLES THAT WARNS STEERING IS ABOUT TO FAIL. THAT IS UNETHICAL AND NO HELP WHEN GOING 70 MPH ON A THREE OR FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. THIS REMINDS ME OF THE PINTO FIASCO.