NHTSA Complaint #11195812 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

DUE TO A RECALL ISSUED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY (NHTSA RECALL 14V-284), JERRY'S FORD (ANNANDALE, VA) REPLACED THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM ON MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE ON JULY 24, 2014, AT NO CHARGE. AT THE TIME, THE ESCAPE'S MILEAGE WAS 32,950. ON FEBRUARY 17, 2019, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC A FEW MILES FROM OURISMAN FORD (6129 RICHMOND HWY, ALEXANDRIA, VA). WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, I MANAGED TO DRIVE TO OURISMAN, WHERE, TWO DAYS LATER, THEY REPLACED THE FAILED SYSTEM AT A COST OF $2,319.97. AT THAT TIME, THE ESCAPE'S MILEAGE WAS 54,061. THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED ON RECALL LASTED ONLY 21,111 MILES AND FEWER THAN 4.5 YEARS. THE ESCAPE IS OTHERWISE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2008. IT'S REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT THE PART WOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER, ESPECIALLY SINCE ITS FAILURE MAY HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. ON FEBRUARY 22, I SPOKE WITH BRENDON AT FORD CORPORATE (800.392.3673). HE SAID HE COULD DO NOTHING AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE DEALER. ON FEBRUARY 28, I SPOKE WITH CHUCK JACKOWSKI AT OURISMAN, WHO SAID HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP AND WOULD CALL ME BACK, BUT DID NOT CALL. WHEN I CALLED AGAIN ON MARCH 7, CHUCK SAID HE DID NOT YET HAVE A SOLUTION, BUT WOULD FOLLOW UP AND CALL ME ON MARCH 8; HE DID NOT CALL. I CALLED CHUCK ONCE MORE ON MARCH 13 AND JOON KO ANSWERED. I IDENTIFIED MYSELF, JOON SAID HE WOULD GET CHUCK, BUT RETURNED TO SAY THAT CHUCK WAS BUSY AND WOULD CALL ME BACK SHORTLY. CHUCK DID NOT CALL. I HAVE ALSO WRITTEN TO FORD CORPORATE; NO REPLY.