NHTSA Complaint #11088687 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

JANUARY 2017 PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT I FELT A JOLT AND HAD NO ABILITY TO STEER. I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING SPACE WHERE I TURNED OFF MY ESCAPE. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE. STILL NO ABILITY TO STEER. TURNED OFF ESCAPE & PHONED MY HUSBAND. HE CAME AND TRIED TO STEER THE ESCAPE BUT COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT A GREAT EFFORT. THE NEXT MORNING WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL GARAGE WHO ADVISED US TO TAKE IT TO THE FORD GARAGE. WE DID AND WERE TOLD IT NEEDED A STEERING COLUMN. THE SERVICE REP TOLD US THIS WAS COMMON IN THE ESCAPES AND TO KEEP OUR RECEIPT BECAUSE FORD MAY HAVE A RECALL. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR AND RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT THIS ESCAPE WAS RECALLED AND SERVICED IN JUNE OF 2014. THE FORD MOTOR CO TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DONE SINCE IT WAS SERVICED FOR THIS ISSUE. I TOLD THE REP THAT I WANTED FORD TO KNOW THAT THE RECALL HAVING BEEN DONE LESS THAN 3 YEARS PRIOR TO MY REPAIR DID NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM AND COST ME $1400. THEN THE REP TOLD ME SHE WOULD REPORT MY NEGATIVE COMMENT AND 'IS THERE ANYTHING FORD CAN HELP YOU WITH TODAY?'