NHTSA Complaint #11374131 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE, I HAVE HAD 5 RECALLS THAT WERE FIXED TO MY SATISFACTION AT KUNES FORD. MY MOST EXPENSIVE REPAIR WAS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY ON JULY20, 2020 AT A COST OF $2400. MY MILEAGE AT THIS TIME WAS 55,602. I ENCOUNTERED TWO INCIDENTS WHERE MY STEERING WHEEL FROZE. I WAS PARKED AT THIS TIME AND IT CORRECTED ITSELF. THE FOLLOWING DAY IT OCCURRED AGAIN AND I GOT AN ERROR MESSAGE 'POWER STEERING FAILURE.' FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS PARKED. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT THIS HAPPENED TO OTHERS WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING. I CONTACTED FORD AND KUNES AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THE ESCAPE, ALTHOUGH OTHER OWNERS OF THE ESCAPE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. KUNES TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER ESCAPES THAT THEY REPAIRED AS THEY DID MINE, AND CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY FORD HAS NOT RECALLED THESE VEHICLES FOR THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED. I RESEARCHED FURTHER AND THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE 2013 F150, FOCUS AND TAURUS. THIS EXPENSE WAS A HARDSHIP FOR ME AND MY HUSBAND. WE ARE RETIRED AND ON A FIXED INCOME. I CALLED AND SENT A LETTER TO FORD AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. I FORTUNATELY WAS NOT INJURED BUT AM CONCERNED THAT THEY DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND WARN OTHER OWNERS.