NHTSA Complaint #11054757 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

MY VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO SAFETY RECALL 14S05. I AM THE 2ND OWNER, AND ACCORDING TO FORD THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED IN 2014(REPROGRAMMING THE PSCM. HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL TORQUES SENSOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NOT REPLACED. THIS MORNING IT WENT OUT ON ME ON MY WAY TO WORK WHILE EXITING I96 WB IN WIXOM, MI. WE HAD 7 INCHES OF SNOW FALL LAST NIGHT, SO ROAD CONDITIONS WERE SNOWY AND ICY. WHEN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING ASSIST WENT OUT, THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD MANUAL STEERING, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO USE. AS A RESULT, I TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, NEARLY STRIKING ANOTHER MOTORIST. I THEN CORRECTED THE STEERING WHEEL BACK IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, AND RAN OFF THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD INTO A SNOW DRIFT. I WAS NOT INJURED, AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY MY VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE SNOW DRIFT UNDER IT'S OWN POWER, AND CONTINUED ON TO WORK. I AM VERY LUCKY TO BE WRITING THIS COMPLAINT TODAY, I VERY NEARLY COULD HAVE SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, OR INJURED OR KILLED ANOTHER MOTORIST. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET TO TRY TO DIAGNOSE, ONLY TO FIND THAT THIS IS A PROMINENT PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES, AND THAT THE SAFETY RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. BUT AS I SOON LEARNED, LIKE MANY, MANY OTHERS, AFTER THE INITIAL RECALL REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED, FORD WILL NO LONGER DO ANY OTHER REMEDIES FOR THIS PROBLEM. I FIND THIS TO BE ALARMING, AND UNACCEPTABLE. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE CONDITION STILL EXISTS, AND I AM TRYING TO GET ESTIMATES ON THE REPAIRS. I WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY, AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS MORE TO THIS PROBLEM THAN SIMPLY REPROGRAMMING THE PSCM. I BELIEVE THAT THE STEERING TORQUE SENSOR AND/OR STEERING COLUMN IS MORE LIKELY THE PROBLEM, AND THAT FORD SHOULD FIX OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY.