NHTSA Complaint #11257991 — 2015 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE I WAS DRIVING UP I95 IN NEW JERSEY I PULLED INTO A REST STOP FOR GAS. TURNED THE CAR OFF TO GET GAS. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON, I NO LONGER HAD POWER STEERING. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RECONNECT BY TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON NOTHING HELPED. I THEN HAD TO DRIVE THE FINAL HOUR TO MY HOUSE WITH NO POWER STEERING WHICH WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND OBVIOUSLY DANGEROUS. I COULD HOLD A STRAIGHT LINE AND MAKE TURNS WHEN NECESSARY BUT TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF SWERVE TO AVOID SOMETHING WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE SO LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED LATE AT NIGHT WITH NO ONE ON THE ROAD. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOW OVER 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. (WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 60,000). THEY ENDED UP HAVING TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK AND ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM COSTING $3,400 OUT OF POCKET. I FOUND THIS LACK OF OWNING UP TO AN OBVIOUS FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE. ON TOP OF THAT, FORD CARS SUCH AS THE 2011-2013 FUSION HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. THAT BEING SAID I REQUEST YOU LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE FOR MY 2015 FORD ESCAPE MODEL BECAUSE I AM LEARNING I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW AND FORD IS NOT OWNING UP TO THE ISSUE. PASSING THIS MASSIVE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON ME AS A CUSTOMER IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE. ATTACHED PLEASE FIND THE WORK ORDER FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE!