NHTSA Complaint #11142373 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AROUND APPROXIMATELY 3PM (10/21/2018) I WAS DRIVING AND MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING, AND I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE IT. IN THE CAR WITH ME WAS MY FRIEND, AND MYSELF. ON THE FIRST INSTANCE THIS DAY, I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, AND WITHOUT WARNING MY CAR BEEPED TWICE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WENT COMPLETELY STIFF. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO JUST PARK WHERE I WAS, TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, AND THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE GONE. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, AS I WAS IN THE INTERSECTION COMING OUT OF THAT PARKING LOT, MY STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD, AND NO BEEPING OCCURRED. I COULD NOT MOVE THE WHEEL, AND I WAS TRAVELING IN THE DIRECTION OF OTHER VEHICLES THAT WERE TURNING, AND I WAS VERY CLOSE TO HITTING THEM. AGAIN, THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A SPOT STRAIGHT AHEAD TO PARK AND I ENDED UP LEAVING MY CAR THERE OVERNIGHT. MY FRIEND AND I ALMOST WRECKED IN A BUSY 4-WAY INTERSECTION DUE TO A MANUFACTURER MISTAKE, AS I HAVE RECOGNIZED ONLINE THROUGH MULTITUDES OF OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THIS IS DANGEROUS. SOMEONE NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, AS THE VEHICLE (A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID), GAVE ME NO WARNING WHATSOEVER BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED UP.