NHTSA Complaint #11131031 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE ON HIGHWAY TRAVELING TO CHICAGO, MY VEHICLE POWER STEERING FAILED. I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY. THE POWER STEERING IS ELECTRICAL SO CANNOT DRIVE WITHOUT POWER STEERING. HAD TO LEAVE CAR STRANDED IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS AT LANDMARK FORD AND PAY $50 PER DAY FOR RENTAL. IT IS A SAFETY RECALL 14S05 AND HAS FAILED IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CARS IN THE US AND CANADA. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL INFORMATION ONLINE AND MY CALLS TO DEALERSHIPS; MY CAR'S RECALL UPDATED THE SOFTWARE TO LET ME KNOW THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL. THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE TORQUE SENSOR WHICH IS THE ITEM THAT FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY AND MADE MY CAR NOT OPERATIONAL. IF YOUR TORQUE SENSOR FAILED PRIOR IT WAS REPLACED BY FORD UNDER THE RECALL - IF IT HADN'T FAILED BY THE TIME OF THE SOFTWARE UPDATE THE RECALL WAS CLOSED OUT. I HAVE FOUND ALL THIS OUT TODAY BEFORE MY CAR HAS BEEN FIXED. SO FORD WILL NOT FIX MY TORQUE SENSOR AND THE COST IS $617 PLUS THE RENTAL CAR AT $50 PER DAY. (MY CAR FAILED 5 HOURS FROM HOME) - I HAVE TO GO PICK IT UP WHEN IT IS FIXED. SINCE IT WAS A SAFETY RECALL AND THE TORQUE SENSOR HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED, AND FORD KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH 1.1 MILLION CARS, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR A FAILED FAULTY PART? MY CAR ONLY HAS 74,000 MILES AND IS WELL MAINTAINED. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BUT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY EASILY. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS STRANDED 275 MILES FROM HOME AND FORD WILL NOT FIX THE FAULTY PART. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM VERY UNHAPPY. THE TORQUE SENSOR, STEERING COLUMN OR WHATEVER PARTS MAKE THIS CAR UNSAFE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF UNDER THE RECALL. FORD NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF LIVES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.