NHTSA Complaint #754884 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH WHEN SUDDENLY I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. I NOTICED THE OIL LIGHT ON FIRST AND MANAGED TO PULL OVER. ALL THE DASH LIGHTS WERE THEN ON, THE CAR HAD DIED WHILE I WAS MOVING. I WAS ABLE TO START IT BACK UP. IN REVIEWING EDMUNDS AUTO SITE I THEN DISCOVERED THAT OTHERS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ESCAPE AND TRIBUTE. I PRINTED OFF SOME OF THE RESPONSES, TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO LONG FORD IN EUREKA, MO ON 9-11-01. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEM AND ALSO TALKED WITH THE FORD ENGINEERS. THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS STATING THAT FORD WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE IT UNLESS THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I THEN CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY SO THERE WOULD BE A RECORD, BUT WAS NOT ADVISED OF ANY "FIX" FOR THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING THE NUMBER OF MILES I DRIVE EACH DAY ON VERY BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. I AM NERVOUS EVEN MOVING OUT OF THE RIGHT LANE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO BE CLOSE TO THE SHOULDER IN THE EVENT THIS OCCURS AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD YOU CAN SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART AND HOPEFULLY IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT BEFORE THE VEHICLE SLOWS AND I HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I AM ESPECIALLY CONCERNED WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS AS WELL. SURELY WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS HAVE COMPLAINED, THEY MUST HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT IS WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT. *AK