2008 FORD ESCAPE Steering Problems

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HAS A BAD STEERING SENSOR THAT CAUSED ISSUES WITH STEERING AND HAD PULLING TO THE LEFT. FORD INFORMS ME THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO FIX FAILED SENSOR AND ARE QUOTING $1675. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I SEE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT FORD ESCAPES 2008-2010. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED BY FORD. *TR

NOTICED A VIBRATION IN STEERING ON THE WAY HOME YESTERDAY ON THE HIGHWAY. MADE A LEFT TURN ONTO STREET AND STEERING WHEEL GOT EXTREMELY TIGHT AND HARD TO STAIGHTEN. THIS MORNING STARTED THE 2008 ESCAPE AND HAD NO POWER STEERING. I AM A FAIRLY LARGE MALE AND IT IS TOUGH FOR ME TO STEER IT WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND REALLY DO NOT KNOW HOW A FEMALE COULD. IT WAS LUCKY I WAS DRIVING IT WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT OR ELSE I GUARANTEE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT, IF NOT WITH ANOTHER CAR, INTO A HOUSE OR BUSINESS BUILDING. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS ONLINE OF INSTANCES JUST LIKE MINE AND SOMEBODY WILL EVENTUALLY BE KILLED. LETS HOPE A RECALL HAPPENS BEFORE THIS HAPPENS! *TR

HEY BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2013 I WAS DRIVING HOME AND I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE. IT WASN'T A VIOLENT SHAKE BUT IT WAS NOTICEABLE. NOW I KNEW I NEED MY SWAY BAR LINKS REPLACED SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ISSUE. AS WE ENTERED INTO 2014, (JANUARY) IT WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ON 1/16/2014 (THURSDAY) THAT MORNING BEFORE I WENT TO WORK, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STIFF. SO I HAD TO CUT THE CAR OFF AND CUT IT BACK ON AND IT LOOSENED UP. I KNEW AT THAT POINT THAT IS WASN'T THE SWAY BAR LINKS. SO THAT FRIDAY (1/17/2014) I TOOK IT IN TO A CAR SHOP CLOSE TO MY HOUSE (WASN'T A FORD DEALERSHIP) AND I WAS TOLD THAT MY ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN WAS BAD AND THAT THE SENSOR WAS DYING. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING UNTIL I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW...

MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND STARTED DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, WHEN SHE GOT TO THE STOP SIGN THE POWER STEERING CUT OUT AND STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. I WENT OUT THERE AND TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT AND IT WAS WORKING AGAIN. I'M VERY GLAD IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY. SHE WOULD HAVE CRASHED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED WITH HOW MANY INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEED REPORTED. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE ON JANUARY 15 2013 AT 67,000 MILES IT HAS 78,000 MILES AND IS DOING WHAT SO MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS SAID ARE DOING. WHEN I GO TO TURN LEFT ESPECIALLY MAKES A LOUD BANG CLICK NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN. I DO HAVE A WARRANTY BUT OTHERS DON'T. THERE IS OVER 500 COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON SAFE CAR.GOV. PLEASE DONT LET A DEATH BE A DECIDING FACTOR FOR A RECALL TO BE ISSUED AND TO SAVE A COUPLE BUCKS. EVIDENTLY THERE IS A PROBLEM. LIKE I SAID HAD MY CAR FOR ONE YEAR. *TR

AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN AND BRAKING AT A STOP SIGN, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *TR

THE VEHICLE'S STEERING BEGAN TO SHUTTER. THEN THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY GAVE OUT. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAKE TURNS TO THE RIGHT TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE CONDITION GOES AWAY AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING BUT LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER RESTARTING, THE CONDITION RETURNS. I HAVE YET TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR OF THIS ISSUE. THIS IS DANGEROUS. *TR

JUST AS MANY OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS LOGGED ON THIS SITE ABOUT THE 2008 FORD ESCAPE MY ISSUES STARTED WITH A RATTLING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I WAS IDLING OR BREAKING. THEN A FEW DAYS LATER I TURNED MY CAR ON AND MY POWER STEERING WASN'T WORKING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT WHICH RESULTED IN THE STEERING WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES FOR ABOUT A WEEK. I WAS STARTING TO THINK MAYBE THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AN I SHOULD GET IT CHECKED OUT. THE NEXT TIME I DROVE IT MY POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON ICE. I AM VERY GLAD I WAS BEING CAUTIOUS AND GOING SLOW. IF I HAD BEEN GOING FASTER I COULD HAVE HAD A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. NOW I'VE READ ENDLESS COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM AND AM HEARING IT COULD COST 1-2,000 TO...

ON DEC 27 2013 WE WERE DRIVING ESCAPE . WHEN TRYING GO AROUND CURVE FORD LOST ALL POWER STEERING WHICH CAUSED US TO ALMOST HIT WALL. MY HUSBAND DROVE TO SIDE ROAD. SHUT IT OFF . WAITED FEW MINUTES STARTED IT POWER STEERING WAS BACK. TOOK IT TO GARAGE WAS TOLD POWER STEERING SENSOR WAS GOING OUT . WAS TOLD IT BE 1123.00 COST. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON JANUARY 3RD 2014. WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT FORD KNOWS ITS NOT WORKING RIGHT. NEED A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. OUR ESCAPE IS NOT ONLY ONE DOING IT. THE ONES WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ARE FAILING. I'M SCARED DRIVE IT MUCH. *TR

MY WIFE ENCOUNTERED A STEERING FAILURE ON OUR VEHICLE YESTERDAY. UPON REVIEW BY MY MECHANIC HE REPORTED A FAILURE OF CODE B2278 AND THE REPORTED FIX IS THE REPLACEMENT BY FORD OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. HE ALSO SUGGESTED I LOOK ONLINE BECAUSE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE MID-2000'S FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. THERE ARE DOZENS OF WEBPAGES, EACH WITH DOZENS OF ENTRIES SUCH AS THIS PAGE ( HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2008/FORD/ESCAPE+HYBRID/STEERING ) DETAILING STEERING COLUMN FAILURES WITH NEAR TRAGIC RESULTS. A CLEAR PATTERN OF STEERING FAILURE IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE NHTSA'S EYES AS EVIDENCED IN THIS EMAIL. I AM IMPLORING YOU TO ACT. IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE COLUMN COSTS $2,000 TO REPLACE. DOES MY SON HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THE AGENCY TAKES ACTION? PLEASE TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS AVAILABLE TO THE AGENCY TO ENSURE THE REASONABLE SAFETY OF FORD ESCAPE DRIVERS. I WILL BE...

POWER STEERING WENT OUT, THEN RESET ITSELF. HAS GONE OUT AGAIN, AND HAS NOT RESET. WENT OUT WHEN HIGHWAY DRIVING. SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS ON THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THIS CAR AND THE STEERING WENT OUT, IE: STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN.SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WHEN SHE RE-STARTED, THE STEERING WAS FINE. THIS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IN THE EXACT SAME MANNER. LUCKILY, NEITHER OF US WAS GOING TERRIBLY FAST BUT THIS COULD HAPPEN ANYTIME AND AT ANY SPEED. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS RECALLED, AS I SEE MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I CANNOT ALLOW MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN THIS CONDITION.TAKING IT TO MECHANIC FOR CHECK TODAY, BUT THEY TOLD ME ON THE PHONE THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2008, AND HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN MY MAINTENANCE. THIS REPAIR COULD EXCEED $2000! THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS A DEFECT! *TR

STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE OR SHIMMY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND IDLING. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON... THE BEGAN TO DRIVE, POWER STEERING WAS OUT COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WOULD STEER - BUT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL. PULLED OVER SHUT VEHICLE OFF, POWER STEERING RESUMED, BUT STEERING WHEEL WAS SHAKING AGAIN AT IDLE. VERY DANGEROUS IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN AT AN SPEED. MY DAUGHTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, I AM VERY STRONG AND IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO CONTROL. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED - AS SO FAR I SEE 190+ COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, AND MANY OTHERS ON DIFFERENT SITES, WHILE TRYING TO FIND A DIAGNOSIS FOR THE PROBLEM. FORD SHOULD ADDRESS THIS IMMEDIATELY. *TR

A FEW WEEKS AGO MY 2008 FORD ESCAPES STEERING WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY STARTED VIBRATING AND MAKING CLICKING NOISES WHILE IDLING. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS AN INDICATOR THE POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT AND IT CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AT ANYTIME. PEOPLE ON FREEWAYS OR WHILE TURNING WOULD LOOSE THERE POWER STEERING WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS AND POTENTIAL DEADLY CRASH. I LEARNED THAT AFT FIRST IF YOU LOOSE YOUR POWER STEERING YOU CAN TURN YOUR ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING WILL RETURN. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER REGARDING THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THERE ISN'T ANY RECALL. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHY FORD HASN'T STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THEY SUGGESTED I CALL FORD CORP AND ASK THEM. WHEN I DID, ALL I WAS...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY WHILE MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,800.

POWER STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT GOING AROUND THE CURVE. DID NOT TURN THE CAR OUT BECAUSE A TEST WAS DONE ON THE BATTERY YESTERDAY AND IT WAS GOOD, BUT LEFT WORK TODAY AND HAD TO HAVE IT JUMPED. BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY. STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND STILL NO POWER STEERING. WILL BE FIXED TOMORROW FOR A TOTAL OF 1200. I COULD HAVE BEEN WITH MY SMALL SON TODAY, BUT LUCKILY I STAYED HOME FROM WORK AND MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR. *TR

IT FIRST HAPPENED WHEN YOU STARTED THE VEHICLE , NO POWER STEERING !!!!! SHUT IT OFF ,, RESTART IT AND YOU HAD POWER STEERING AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 20 MORE TIMES IN THE NEXT MONTH . THEN THE POWER STEERING WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING IT , REGARDLESS OF SPEED . IT WAS WORST THAN HAVING OLD STANDARD STEERING . AS LONG AS YOU WERE ROLLING YOU COULD STEER IT , BUT WHEN YOU STOPPED IT TOOK BOTH HANDS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS . MY WIFE DRIVES THIS VEHICLE TO WORK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY . SHE HAS BEEN SCARED TO DRIVE IT NOT KNOWING WHAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE WHEN THE STEERING GOES COMPLETELY OUT. WELL IT FINALLY WENT OUT TODAY !!!!!!!! DON"T KNOW WHAT IT"S GOING TO COST ? I THINK FORD SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM . IT A...

CAR STALLED WHEN DRIVING ON HWY IN SNOW STORM ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. ALSO, RPM'S CLIMB, JUST HAD THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND THREE YOUNG CHILDREN WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FROM ATLANTA TO MIAMI WHEN THE STEERING INSTANTLY BECAME CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. WITH MY HUSBANDS ASSISTANCE IN PULLING THE WHEEL WITH ME WE WERE ABLE TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER. I IMMEDIATELY ASSUMED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK/OR LOW POWER STEERING FLUID. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET ON MY PHONE, ON THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE, I LEARNED SOON ENOUGH THAT THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY HAD POWER ASSISTED STEERING AND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD RUN INTO THIS ISSUE. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND THE STEERING WAS FIXED, FOR THE MOMENT. APPROXIMATELY EVERY HOUR OR SO THE WHEEL WOULD LOCK AGAIN AND WHILE GOING 70 MPH I WOULD HAVE TO RECRANK THE CAR WHILE IN NEUTRAL TO GAIN BACK CONTROL. THE REPAIR COST ME $1251.17 AND HAD ME UNABLE TO RETURN HOME FOR 5 EXTRA DAYS LONGER...

I WAS COMING TO A STOP AND THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST STEERING LOCKED UP, PROCEEDED TO PULL AWAY FROM STOP SIGN AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION WITHOUT ANY STEERING ASSIST. UPON ARRIVAL, TURNED OFF CAR AND RESTARTED TO GET STEERING ASSIST BACK. I'M GLAD NOTHING HAPPENED THIS TIME!!!!!, CAR IS UNDRIVABLE, AND TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, TOO MANY CORPORATIONS LEAVE THE DEALER AND/OR CONSUMERS WITH PAYING THE BILL FOR THEIR NEGLECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING SENSOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, POWER STEERING WAS UNABLE TO WORK. THERE IS NO POWER STEERING LIQUID IN THIS MODEL, AND INSTEAD USES A COMPUTER TO ASSIST WITH POWER STEERING. AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS, A SECOND ATTEMPT WAS MADE, AND POWER STEERING SUCCESSFULLY RESPONDED. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE REGARDING 2008 MODELS AND SOME FOR THE 2009 MODEL OF THE FORD ESCAPE. IS THERE A RECALL OF ANY FORM GOING ON FOR THESE DANGEROUS ISSUES OR DO WE HAVE TO SHELL OUT A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING THAT WE WERE UNAWARE OF WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE? *TR

THIS PROBLEM ORIGINALLY OCCURRED ON DEC 12TH 2013. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR,THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR,PULLED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTED IT,AND THE WHEEL WAS FINE THEN. AS I WAS DRIVING, MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE SLIGHTLY BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT ME TOUCHING IT. THERE WERE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS LIT UP ON MY DASHBOARD. THEN WHILE DRIVING SOME MORE,I HEARD A FAINT CLICK,AND MY STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AGAIN,IT HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POWER STEERING AND IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THAT HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME I DRIVE NOW,AND RECENTLY IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALWAYS LOCKED WITH NO POWER STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING AND THE WHOLE STEERING COLOUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED...

THE FIRST TIME MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT A RED LIGHT. THEN IT STOPPED AS I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT. I THEN WAS WORRIED BECAUSE I HAD MY LITTLE BOY WITH ME. I RAN INTO THE STORE AND THEN WENT HOME AND IT STOPPED. TODAY, I DROVE 36 MILES PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY, STOPPED WAITING FOR THE GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE. I TRIED TO TAPE IT WITH MY PHONE AND IT STOPPED AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES. WILL HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO DRIVE MY LITTLE ONE AND HAVE THE POWER STEERING GO OUT IN IT. *TR

STARTED VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY WHEN I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING WASN'T WORKING. TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND UPON RE-STARTING, POWER STEERING BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT ON AN INTERSECTING ROAD FROM A STOP SIGN, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO GET OUT OF THE INTERSECTION AND OFF OF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING THE CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES, IT BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $1,300.00 WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS PURCHASED WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW. I COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS AND THIS CAN HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY TIME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT FORD HAS NOT MADE A RECALL ON THIS! I CAN'T...

I HAD BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE STARTING AND THE STEERING WHEEL NOT UNLOCKING. HAD TO TURN IT EXTREMELY HARD OR PUT THE KEY IN AND OUT A FEW TIMES TURNING TO UNLOCK. UPON STARTING THE PRIOR 2 WEEKS IT WOULD HESITATE- LIKE IT HAD TO THINK ABOUT STARTING. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD - NO ISSUES WITH STARTER, ALTERNATOR OR ANYTHING. ON 11/27 VEHICLE WOULDN'T START - ENDED UP WITH A NEW BATTERY. NOW TWO WEEKS AFTER BATTERY INSTALL I HAVE A VERY LOUD CLUNK IN MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AND MY STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE. MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS. OF COURSE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY JUST WAS UP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO MANEUVER IN ANY DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

STARTED CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN WHEEL TO FIND ABSOLUTELY NO POWER STEERING, WAS ABLE TO GET CAR TO REPAIR SHOP. ONCE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, POWER STEERING WORKED PERFECTLY, THEN ONCE DRIVING IT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD STOP WORKING CAUSING SEVERELY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. NO WARNING LIGHTS ON VEHICLE REGARDING POWER STEERING CONTROL ISSUES WERE EVER DISPLAYED. DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE AT FORD DEALERSHIP SHOWS ERROR WITH THE SENSOR IN STEERING COLUMN, WHICH REQUIRES A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF STEERING COLUMN. FORD ONLINE FORUM LIST HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS WITH THAT EXACT SAME ISSUE, SIMILAR MILEAGE ON VEHICLE. CAR IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED BY FORD DEALERSHIP, UNABLE TO DRIVE UNTIL REPAIRED DO TO SPORADIC LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *TR

HELP! I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2008 FORD ESCAPE AND HAVE A PRETTY GOOD RECORD OF MAINTENANCE. A WEEK AGO, I NOTICED MY STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKING. I HAVE TO RESTART SO MANY TIMES BEFORE I CAN MOVE IT. TWO DAYS AGO, I WAS EXITING FROM THE FREEWAY AND AS I TURNED, THE WHEEL LOCKED AND ALMOST CRASHED, STRAIGHT HEAD ON TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THAT WAS FRIGHTENING! I CHECKED ONLINE AND SURPRISED TO FIND THOUSAND OF COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME INCIDENT FOR 2008 MODEL AND UP. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM AND FORD SHOULD HAVE UPDATE THE WAY HOW THEY MAKE THE ELECTRICAL SENSOR/POWER STEERING WHEEL THAT IS CAUSING THIS AND SHOULD NOT BE STUCK TO PAY $2,000 JUST TO HAVE THIS PARTS FIXED. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS REALLY HURT AND CAUSE DEATH. *TR

I STARTED MY ESCAPE ON DAY AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP, I COULD NOT TURN IT, SO I TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND IT WAS WORKING. IT HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES, SOMETIMES IT TAKES QUITE A FEW TIME OF TURNING IT OFF AND ON TO RESET IT. I HAVE NOT HAD ISSUES WITH IT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING, BUT I AM WORRIED ABOUT IT, SO HAVE NOT BEEN DRIVING IT. WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION THE STEERING WHEEL DOES SHIMMY A LITTLE AND MAKES A NOISE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTION WITHOUT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY THE POWER STEERING FAILED, PLACED THE ESCAPE BACK IN THE DRIVEWAY. WILL CALL THE FORD DEALER ON MONDAY. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE AT 71,000 MILES, NOW AT 122,000 MILES MY STEERING APPEARS TO BE LOCKING UP. OR LOSING POWER STEERING. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK IDLING, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON ITS OWN MAKING NOISE THAT SOUNDS AS IF IT IS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, AND STEERING LOCKS UP. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I CALLED FORD AND THEY HAVE YET TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AS MANY COMPLAINTS THEY HAVE OUT THERE WITH THIS ISSUE, YOU THINK THEY WOULD TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION AND THE SAFETY CONCERNS FOR THIS. *TR

IN FEB. 2013, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON OUR 2008 FORD ESCAPE. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE, I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE SUV, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ONLY AN ANOMALY, AND PROBABLY WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. ON NOV. 3RD, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AROUND A TURN WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. SHE NARROWLY MISSED HITTING 2 CARS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE SAME GARAGE, AND ONCE AGAIN THE PROBLEM WAS GONE AFTER RE-STARTING. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN LOCATED, AND IT WAS A SENSOR ATTACHED TO THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH NECESSITATED A $957.14 REPAIR BILL. UNFORTUNATELY, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD NOW EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE EXISTED NO RELIEF AS THERE HADN'T BEEN...

TL* THE CONTACT OWES A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND LOSS POWER STEERING, LUCKILY I WAS ONLY GOING 45 MILES PER HOUR AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. SURPRISED TO SEE SO MANY COMPLAINTS AND FORD NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS WILL BE THE LAST FORD OUR FAMILY WILL OWN. HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THEY SAY THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE IS UNBELIEVABLE. WHAT WILL IT TAKE A FATALITY TO GET FORDS ATTENTION? *TR

WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT IN DETROIT, THE EPAS (STEERING) FAILED. I AM A GROWN MAN AND IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO STEER THE CAR TO SAFETY, HOLDING UP TRAFFIC ALL AROUND ME. ONCE IT WAS TURNED OFF, IT RESET ITSELF AND WORKED AGAIN. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE AND AM TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, ALL AT ZERO OR LOW SPEEDS. IF A WEAKER PERSON WERE TO EXPERIENCE THIS IT COULD RESULT IN A REAL PROBLEM AS IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE ENGAGED IN MANUAL STEERING MODE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

JUST STARTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN FROM A STOP SIGN. STEERING SEEMED TO BE LOCKED UP, VERY HARD TO MOVE WHEEL. CAR ALMOST WENT OFF ROAD AS IT WAS A T INTERSECTION. SPEED ON CROSS ROAD IS 40 MPH AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO BACK UP PRIOR TO BEING HIT. ONCE THE CAR WAS BACK BEHIND STOP SIGN THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED AND STEERING STARTED FUNCTIONING AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE STEERING WENT OUT. THE FIRST TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO, SPEED APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN INTO SCHOOL PARKING LOT TO DROP OFF CHILDREN. I WAS ABLE TO GET CAR TO CURB AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR IDIOT LIGHT PRIOR TO STEERING GOING OUT ON EITHER TIME. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MAKE. I AM SURPRISED NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED...

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP AND WILL NOT TURN. DEALERSHIP HAS CONFIRMED MANY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES HAVE OCCURRED YET WILL NOT FIX THE KNOW PROBLEM AS A RECALL. ONE DAY SOON THIS WILL BE MAJOR ACCIDENT WHICH COULD HAVE FATAL OUTCOME. MY DAUGHTER IS A MOTHER OF ONE AND ANOTHER DUE EARLY NEXT YEAR, SUCH AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE MAJOR INJURIES OR WORTH. THIS NEEDS ATTENTION EVEN MORE THAN THE HEALTH CARE PLAN WHICH WOULD HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE INJURIES WHICH COULD OCCUR. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO SHAKE AND I LOST ALL POWER STEERING. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THIS HAS CAUSED WEAR ON MY TIE RODS AND THEY ARE NOW IN NEED OF REPLACING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. I REGISTERED THE COMPLAINT WITH ABOUTAUTOMBILE,.COM ON THAT VERY SAME DAY. THE # IS 10489579. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN LAST YEAR AND NO ONE COULD FIND A PROBLEM AS IT IS INTERMITTENT. 3 DAYS AGO, MY 16 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL AND AS HE WAS TURNING RIGHT AT A CORNER (20MPG), THE WHEEL LOCKED. SINCE I WAS NOT WITH HIM, WE SAID WE WOULD KEEP AN EYE ON IT. TODAY, AGAIN HE WAS TURNING (THIS TIME LEFT AT 20 MPG) THE WHEEL LOCKED AGAIN. HE WAS ABLE TO GET IT ACROSS THE ROAD AND PARK IT IN A PLAZA. I PICKED HIM UP AND DROVE HIM TO SCHOOL. I HAVE BEEN WAITING ON SERVICE TO CALL ME TO GET THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT. AT THIS POINT, EVEN THOUGH HIS...

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS OR EPAS) FAILED. THE CAR INSTANTLY LOST ALL ABILITY FOR POWER STEERING, WITHOUT ALERTING THE DRIVER. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND MAY FAIL AT ANY TIME. THE EPAS CAN SOMETIMES BE RE-INSTITUTED BY STOPPING THE CAR (IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AT TIMES, OR FREEWAY), TURNING OFF THE CAR COMPLETELY ... WAITING 10 SECONDS, AND RESTARTING THE CAR. BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PROBLEM WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN AT ANY TIME WITHIN THE SAME DRIVING INCIDENT. THE EPAS CONTINUES TO FAIL AT INOPPORTUNE TIMES, WITHOUT ALERTING THE DRIVER UNTIL FAILURE HAS OCCURED. *TR

WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2008 FORD ESCAPE THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. LUCKILY, SHE WAS NOT GOING THAT FAST SO SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP. SHE SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING. THE SAME THING HAPPENED A SECOND TIME ABOUT TWO TO THREE WEEKS LATER. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO OUR MECHANIC AND HE DID SOME RESEARCH AND WAS ABLE TO LOCATE HUNDREDS OF 08 ESCAPE OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR WOULD ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING POWER ASSIST UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I PLACED A MESSAGE ON THE NHTSA DATABASE ON 11/04/13 CONCERNING THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE. I CALLED THE FORD CORPORATE CENTER AT 800/392-3673 - THE FORD CENTER STATED THAT BY CALLING THEIR NUMBER THEY WILL HAVE A RECORD OF THE PROBLEM AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT CALL THE CENTER IS HOW THE RECALLS ARE INITIATED AND NOT BY SIMPLY USING THE NHTSA DATABASE. IF YOU ARE HAVING POWER STEERING ISSUES WITH YOUR FORD ESCAPE, PLEASE CALL THE FORD CORPORATE CENTER AND GET YOU NAME ON THE LIST AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THIS VEHICLE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS TERRIBLY HURT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE FAILURES WERE INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED MECHANIC WHO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,600.

MY DAUGHTER HAS HER CAR ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS AND DRIVING AROUND THE DRILL FIELD AT 20 MPH THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART. THE DATE LISTED WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE STEERING LOCKED UP BUT HAS DONE IT A SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. I MYSELF WAS IN A KROGER PARKING LOT AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND IT LOCKED UP. IN THE PAST 3 WEEKS THE POWER STEERING HAS LOCKED UP ON MY DAUGHTER 3 TIMES WHILE ON CAMPUS - NEARLY CAUSING A 10 CAR PILEUP BEHIND HER. AS A COLLEGE STUDENT, ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR US. I HAVE READ MANY MANY MANY COMPLAINTS TO FORD ON THE POWER STEERING ISSUE AND CAN NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE CONTINUING TO PUT PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER BY NOT RECALLING AND FIXING THIS POWER...