NHTSA Complaint #11207602 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS LEAVING HOME, GOT INTO VEHICLE, STARTED IT AND NOTICED ALERT THAT SAID 'STEERING ASSIST FAULT, SERVICE REQUIRED'. I HAD NOT HAD ANY ISSUES WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE DAY BEFORE. UPON ATTEMPT TO DRIVE VEHICLE I REALIZED THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT. IT. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY (5 YEARS/60,000 MILES) WAS EXPIRED BECAUSE I HAD 64000 MILES ON IT. REPAIR AND RENTAL CAR FOR THREE DAYS (HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY) WERE OUT OF POCKET. ENDED UP BEING THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. REPAIR WAS JUST UNDER $2000. THREE DAY CAR RENTAL WAS $100. THERE WAS A RECALL ON OLDER VEHICLES FOR STEERING BUT NOT FOR MY MODEL YEAR. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHERS SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THE ISSUE WITH THE STEERING HAS BEEN FIXED. STEERING SHOULD NOT GO OUT WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE VEHICLE.