NHTSA Complaint #10939549 — 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, THE STEERING INSTANTLY BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF AND I WAS FORCED OFF THE ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL WITHOUT EXTREME AMOUNT OF EFFORT. THE YELLOW WRENCH SYMBOL LIT UP AND A WARNING MESSAGE CAME UP: "SERVICE PWR STEERING." THE FAIL WAS INSTANT AND NEARLY CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD JUST COMPLETING A LEFT TURN WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT STEERING SEIZED UP. I CHECKED ALL 4 FUSED RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING AND ALL OF THEM ARE GOOD. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD HYBRID VEHICLES AND IT REQUIRES THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO BE REPLACED (A $1500-$2000 JOB). THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE, BUT NEEDS TO BE ASAP. *TR