NHTSA Complaint #11154628 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND MADE A LEFT TURN, WHILE STEERING TURNING BACK TO THE RIGHT IT FELT AS THOUGH IT WANTED TO LOCK BUT EVENTUALLY BROKE AND WENT TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 DIFFERENT TIMES SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASED. TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP IN FREDERICKSBURG, VA, THEY TOLD ME AFTER TESTING, I NEEDED A STEERING COLUMN EPAS AT THE TUNE OF $1400. THEY SAID YOU COULD NOT JUST REPLACE THE EPAS PART ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND IT WAS NOT ONE OF THE ONES RECALLED EARLIER. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE AND CHECKING WITH ANOTHER DEALER, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE EPAS PART CAN BE REPLACED BUT APPARENTLY FORD WILL NOT LET THEIR SERVICE TECHS JUST REPLACE THAT PART. THIS IS NOT RIGHT, I HAVE PAID A LOT FOR THIS VEHICLE, NEW, AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THAT STEERING IS MORE THAN I RECEIVE A MONTH FROM DISABILITY. THANKFULLY I HAVE NOT BEEN IN A SITUATION OF AN ACCIDENT. WHAT CAN WE AS CONSUMERS DO TO DEMAND THAT FORD TAKE OWNERSHIP AND HELP OUT THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS? I AM LOOSING MORE AND MORE FAITH IN FORD (3 OUT OF MY 4) SERVICE VISITS SHOWED THAT THE SERVICE TECH PUT A CHECK MARK THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS OK?????? ANOTHER PROBLEM, IN FEB. 2018 SERVICE VISIT, THEY SAID MY TREAD WAS IN THE YELLOW. BACK AGAIN FOR SERVICE IN AUG. 2018, SHOWED TREAD IN GREEN??? THIS IS WHY I WENT BACK FOR THIS CHECK UP ON ALL THINGS AT NOT CHARGE AFTER SPEAKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. IF I HAD NOT TAKEN IT BACK FOR A REVISIT, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE STEERING! I WILL SAY MY LAST VISIT WAS THE BEST I HAVE HAD TO DATE, THANKS TO THE SERVICE TECH. STILL I AM NOT SURE I WOULD EVERY PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD!