NHTSA Complaint #10821316 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

MY WIFE HAD THE POWER STEERING STOP WORKING, IN HER VEHICLE, WHILE DRIVING HOME ON CITY STREETS. UPON SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO IN FOR SERVICE AS WE WANT A RELIABLE, SAFE VEHICLE. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS AND APPLIED A SOFTWARE UPDATE PER RECALL 14S05. DROVE HOME WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING/VIBRATING/TURNING ON ITS OWN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN PARK. DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS PROBLEM DID NOT GET BETTER. CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER BACK 3 DAYS AFTER ORIGINAL SERVICE, WHEN THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS APPLIED TO SCHEDULE NEW APPOINTMENT. THE FOLLOWUP APPOINTMENT WAS 4 DAYS LATER OR ONE WEEK AFTER THE ORIGINAL SERVICE DATE. SIX DAYS AFTER SOFTWARE UPDATE THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING HOME, ON A HIGHWAY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK IN THE FOLLOWING MORNING (1 WEEK FROM ORIGINAL SERVICE DATE) FOR SERVICE. THIS TIME THE SERVICE CENTER FOUND A PROBLEM AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE GEAR AND THIS WASN'T COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. IT COULD JUST BE THE TIMING BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE CAUSED PROBLEMS (STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION) THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR UPDATE, OR THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS WHEN THE HAVE A KNOWN ISSUE. ALSO DISAPPOINTED THAT GIVEN THE KNOWN ISSUE (RECALL 14S05) THAT FORD FEELS A SOFTWARE UPDATE IS A "FIX" FOR A STEERING FAILURE, A POTENTIAL SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.