NHTSA Complaint #11210515 — 2006 FORD ESCAPE HEV

MY SON AND I WERE LEAVING A PARKING LOT WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I GOT A WARNING CHIME AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE MESSAGE "SERVICE PWR STEERING" ON THE DASH. LUCKILY (I THOUGHT) I WAS NEAR A AUTO PARTS PLACE SO I SLOWLY DROVE THERE. I PULLED IN, TOOK OUT THE MANUAL AND REALIZED THAT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR TO CHECK OR FILL (AS WOULD HAVE BEEN MY QUICK SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM). DRIVING WAS SLOW AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO INABILITY TO TURN (AT SPEED). THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY PURCHASED FOR MY MOM, WHO WAS 75 AT THE TIME. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR HER WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS.DRIVING WITH MANUAL STEERING IS DIFFICULT AND MUSCLE BUILDING. I HAD TO DRIVE 25 BACK HOME ON CURVY, MOUNTAIN BACK ROADS. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT/INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. I READ THROUGH MANY COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS AND REALIZED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I PLAN ON CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING, BUT AM NOT HOLDING MY BREATH FOR RESULTS. DURING A PAST ISSUE I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD ONLY ONE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT WAS TRAINED ON THE HYBRID VEHICLES. THAT TIME, THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY! HAHA! THAT ISSUE WAS RESOLVED DUE TO A RECALL. SO MAYBE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FOR POWER STEERING ISSUES WILL FINALLY GET A RECALL TOO. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE.