NHTSA Complaint #11353437 — 2015 FORD ESCAPE

ON 09/05/2020, I ENCOUNTERED THE "STEERING ASSIST FAULT - SERVICE REQUIRED" ERROR MESSAGE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING MECHANISM. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE ATTRIBUTED TO SAFETY RECALL# 19S26 PERTAINING TO SIMILAR VEHICLES (FORD EDGE, ETC) OF THIS MODEL YEAR. THE ISSUE GENERATES FROM INADEQUATE WAX COATING ON THE BOLTS ATTACHING THE STEERING GEAR MOTOR, CAUSING IT TO DETACH FROM THE HOUSING. THIS RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES, CREATING A POTENTIAL CRASH HAZARD IF OCCURRING WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. MY VEHICLE HAS 37142 MILES (VERY LOW FOR THE MODEL YEAR) AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AS WELL AS DRIVEN WITH GREAT CARE AND ATTENTION TO PROLONGING ITS OVERALL LIFESPAN AND GENERAL CONDITION. THE ISSUE CAME TO PASS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE ERROR MESSAGE AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING OCCURRING WHILE PARKED AND STARTING UP SAID VEHICLE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER ONLINE COMPLAINTS OF THIS EXACT INCIDENT RELATING TO THIS MODEL YEAR AND SPECIFIC VEHICLE, YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IN MOST INSTANCES IT APPEARS THE CONSUMER IS EXPECTED TO ABSORB THE REPAIR COSTS, WHICH CAN RUN UPWARDS OF $2000 - 3000 OR MORE - UP TO AND INCLUDING REBUILDING THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM. THIS IS SUSPECT BEHAVIOR GIVEN THE LACK OF OWNERSHIP OF THE ROOT CAUSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND LEADS ONE TO BELIEVE DEALERSHIPS MAY BE UNFAIRLY PROFITING FROM NEEDLESS REPAIRS GIVEN THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE FAULT IN QUESTION.