NHTSA Complaint #11396361 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

MY FORD ESCAPE HYBRID STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO EXHIBIT ODD BEHAVIOR AS WE WERE DRIVING TO HIKE A TRAIL IN MILL VALLEY. THE WHEEL WOULD PULSE/TURN TO THE RIGHT A LITTLE BIT REAL QUICK AND THEN GO BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND ALL WAS NORMAL AGAIN AS WE DROVE ANOTHER 5 MILES TO OUR DESTINATION. WE GOT OUT OF THE CARD AND HIKED FOR ABOUT 90 MINUTES BEFORE RETURNING TO THE CAR. ONCE I STARTED THE CAD, I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. I HAD TO DRIVE 2 HOURS HOME FROM THE HIKE LOCATION WITH ABSOLUTELY NO POWER STEERING ASSIST. I TOOK THE CAD INTO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS FORMED THERE ARE NO ACTIVE RECALLS FOR OUR VIN AND IT WILL COST OVER $2000 TO REPLACE THE FAULTY ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN. ALSO WORTH NOTING, WE PURCHASED THIS 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID BRAND NEW AT 300 MILES. AT JUST 4,000 MILES, YES 3,700 MILES LATER, THE STEERING COLUMN WENT OUT AND FORD REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY (OF COURSE). SO NOW, HERE WE ARE AGAIN, ABOUT 100K MILES LATER, AND THE STEERING COLUMN THEY PUT IN IS AGAIN FAULTY, AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, WANTING ME TO PAY THE FULL $2K+ TO REPLACE IT AND FOR LABOR.