NHTSA Complaint #11614149 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the transmission shifted hard from third and fourth gear, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion, the contact stated that while pulling out of a gas station, the steering wheel became stiff. The vehicle was shifted into reverse and steered out of the spot by a gentleman passing by. He steering wheel was adjusted and placed in the vehicle was shifted into drive(D). The contact also stated that the "Steering Assist Fault - Service Required" message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.