NHTSA Complaint #10937303 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION 14S05 FROM FORD ABOUT MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE RECALL WAS FOR A FAULTY TORQUE SENSOR THAT WOULD EITHER BE REPROGRAMMED OR REPLACED. INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE TORQUE SENSOR, FORD SERVICE DECIDED TO JUST REPROGRAM IT BECAUSE IT HAD NOT FAILED OR PRODUCED A SERVICE CODE. JUST RECENTLY THE TORQUE SENSOR FAILED AND MY STEERING LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT. I DID NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL AND HAD TO JUST STOP AND LEAVE THE CAR IN THE LOT UNTIL SOMEONE COULD COME HELP ME. I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED THE ORIGINAL RECALL REPAIR AND AM BEING TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED AND NOW I MUST PAY THEM TO REPLACE THE TORQUE SENSOR. AFTER SPENDING TIME RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. IT IS APPARENT THAT FORD IS ONLY REPLACING THE SENSORS IF THEY HAVE ALREADY FAILED WHEN YOU BRING YOUR CAR IN FOR THE RECALL. IF IT HAS NOT FAILED THEN FORD ONLY DOES A REPROGRAMMING THAT DOESN'T PREVENT THEM FROM FAILING BUT ALLOWS FORD TO CLOSE OUT THE RECALL ON YOUR VEHICLE AND SAVE MONEY ON A REPLACEMENT PART. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS LEGAL FOR THEM TO DO. I TALKED TO SEVERAL OF FORD'S SERVICE MANAGERS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES AND THEY ALL GIVE THE STANDARD REHEARSED ANSWER. *TR