NHTSA Complaint #11257544 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

I DROVE MY VEHICLE TO SCHOOL CLASS WHERE IT WAS PARKED FOR A FEW HOURS. ONCE I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE AND TRIED TO PULL OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE, MY STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED WHERE IT I WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I WAS 50 MINUTES FROM HOME AND WAS FORCED TO DRIVE MY TRUCK HOME WITH THE STEERING WHEEL BARELY BEING ABLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE. I CONTACTED FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER WHERE I HAD LOCATED A RECALL FOR VEHICLES MADE FROM 2008-2011 (FORD ESCAPE) CODE 14S05 THAT IMPACTED OVER 740,000 VEHICLES. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT I NO LONGER HAD WARRANTY AND THAT THE COST WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY SINCE THIS RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY TRUCK. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A $1400.00 BILL TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING GEAR RACK AND LABOR CHARGES SINCE IT WILL TAKE OVER 5 + HOURS TO REPLACE. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE SINCE THERE IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE SINCE IT IS A 2009 AND HAS THE SAME ISSUES DESCRIBED WITH THE RECALL NOTICE.