NHTSA Complaint #11374830 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE ELECTRICAL STEERING ASSIST DISENGAGED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND A BEEPING ALARM SOUNDED THREE TIMES. THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON ANOTHER OCCASION. AFTER THE SECOND TIME I GOT THE CAR BACK HOME AND PARKED IT UNTIL I COULD DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. FOUND THE SAME HAPPENINGS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND MY ESCAPE WAS ONE OF THE RECALL VINS. IN 2014, I TOOK IT TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID WHATEVER WAS REQUIRED AT THAT TIME. I NEVER HAD AN ISSUE BEFORE THE RECALL, AND THEY APPARENTLY DID THE REPLACEMENT TO KEEP THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST FROM DISENGAGING. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. MY ESCAPE IS AT 191,000 MILES CURRENTLY. FORD SERVICE SAYS THEY CANNOT FIX IT WITHOUT ME COVERING THE COST, AND IF ANOTHER RECALL IS ISSUED, FORD MAY REIMBURSE ME. I BELIEVE ANOTHER RECALL SHOULD BE REQUIRED AS VEHICLES TODAY ARE DRIVEN MORE MILES THAT 150K. IT IS DANGEROUS WHEN THE STEERING ASSIST DISENGAGES AS NO POWER STEERING IS AVAILABLE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN WHEN THE ASSIST GOES OUT. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AS THE STEERING ASSIST REENGAGED WHILE STILL IN MY TURN. IF IT HAD NOT REENGAGED AT THAT EXACT TIME, NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WOULD HAVE HIT THE VEHICLE IN THE OTHER LANE. I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AT THE TIME IT FIRST HAPPENED AND THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED I WAS TURNING INTO SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY.