NHTSA Complaint #10916751 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 AROUND 6:30PM, I STARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE STEERING WHEEL. NORMALLY THE STEERING WOULD COMEBACK AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE BUT NOT AT THAT TIME. I WAS RUNNING LATE AND DROPPED MY SON TO HIS ACTIVITY CLASS ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY MY HOME IN THE CITY AREA. THE POWER STEERING DID NOT COME BACK AT ANY TIME DURING THE TRIP THERE AND BACK. I COULD ONLY DRIVE SAFELY AT ABOUT 10 MILES PER HOUR, AND WHEN I NEEDED TO TURN, I HAD TO SLOW TO ABOUT 2 MILES PER HOUR IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TURN SAFELY. THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SO WHEN I GOT HOME, I ARRANGED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE THE DEALER LOOK AT THE FAILED POWER STEERING. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS BAD CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. IT SEEMS THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH SEVERAL OTHER YEARS WITH THE ESCAPE UP TO 2012. MY ESCAPE IS A 2013 MODEL AND SHOULD ALSO BE A RECALL ITEM. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS, AND IT WAS ONLY 65,000 MILES AT THE TIME. IT'S TRULY UPSETTING THAT IT IS GIVING ME THIS TYPE OF UNSAFE ISSUE AND ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF MY FAMILY AND OTHERS WHO IS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. *TR