NHTSA Complaint #11067289 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAULT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT MORNING, THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE POWER STEERING WAS INOPERABLE. THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER (PHIL LONG FORD AT CHAPEL HILLS, 1565 AUTO MALL LOOP, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT A PREVIOUS RECALL ATTACHED. SINCE THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED IN 2014, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL COULD NO LONGER BE HONORED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE, THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID FOR AT HIS EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.