Loss of power steering /electric steering while driving vehicle. no codes.no check engine light.

- Egg Harbor Twp, NJ, USA

While driving my car's steering abruptly lost power steering and displayed: Power assist fault" on dash board message center. Although Ford has issued recalls for this problem for Ford Escape vehicles manufactured between Aug.18, 2006 thru Sept. 11, 2010 my vehicle's Vin. does now appear on recall when cross-referenced with Ford's website re: recalls. This is a very dangerous problem. I have tried to contact ford's customer service number 1-800-392-3673, and its impossible to get a human with a pulse to talk to. Ford does not make available any Chat option on line for reporting and resolving this type of complaint or issue. Am I only left with the show up in person at a service center only to get turned away because my VIN #[XXX] does not reflect a recall in there database? INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Bushkill, PA, USA

power steering quit working could hardly make a turn did not take car in yet, i am trying to see if there is some kind of recall. there was no warning lights

- Frankfort, IL, USA

December 2021, while driving, the steering wheels suddenly locked up on my car, and it was perfectly fine the previous day. The car couldn-€™t move, so, I kept trying and let the car warm up a bit while kept turning the key, so it started up and I drove off, but it kept losing power of steering whenever I stopped on a red light!. I also noticed that turning to the right or left was really hard because the wheel was very stiff and kept locking up. So, on my way back, the wheel could not move and I struggled I was able to move it and then it just kept stiffening up while I was driving which was scary, the car almost lost control and I almost hit other vehicles. It-€™s very unsafe, I called and asked Ford if they had a recall on it but they said no. I took it to a Ford in Kirkland and they said they-€™d charge me $2,500 to reprogram the steering and fix the power of steering, and that I-€™ll pay less if they get used parts. This is not right, there-€™s no reason why any vehicle steering wheels should lock up and suddenly stiffen up by itself, on a well maintained vehicle which appears to be in perfect condition, while a driver is driving, and sharing the road with other drivers. This is very unsafe, its a safety issue that Ford needs to look into and fix, it-€™s the right thing to do. I strongly believe that this is a manufacturing issue and a vehicle programming issue, and as a driver and a customer, I do not need to be charged by Ford, for them to fix their error and manufacturing mistake that causes their steering to lock up causing my car-€™s steering wheel to suddenly stiffen up and lock up while I-€™m driving, and causing the vehicle not to move as freely as it should!. This issue puts my life and other drivers life-€™s at risk. After this power of steering issue, I do not feel totally comfortable or safe driving this car as it is right now, and would like to request that it be recalled and checked by the manufacturer, if it wasn-€™t already recalled. Thank you.

- Kirkland , WA, USA

The steering wheel locks up and I am unable to start the car. Sometimes the ignition will turn and the car will start, but the wheel remains locked up. Eventually the car may start and the wheel will unlock, but I'm afraid it could go out while driving. I have discovered over 650 complaints about the same problem with Fords. I took the car to a mechanic (independent) who diagnosed a defective ignition module and steering column. We ordered the parts and 4 weeks later when they still hadn't arrived (there are no 2009 steering columns out there) I had the car towed to the Ford dealer. They replaced the ignition key cylinder, charged me $550 and said the car was fine. We jumped in the car to drive home and the wheel was again locked. The mechanic came out and told me they would further diagnose the problem and would call me later. It has been 6 weeks that the car has been inoperable. It has 54,000 miles on it. Ford has determined it's a power steering failure and the steering column needs to be replaced. $3500.

- Mill Valley, CA, USA

Power steering failure occurred without warning making it difficult to control the vehicle and potentially dangerous for both myself and others on the road.

- Moscow, ID, USA

I brought my 2009 Escape in for a steering recall. When Hopkins Ford checked for codes, they said there were none. They then performed a reset on the electric steering. After they performed the reset, my steering went out. I brought it back to have it checked again then they said now there is a code. They are now claiming they are not responsible for the code repair (Steering column) because in their eyes, they reset the recall. I have been in contact with Ford customer service and they said there is nothing they can do because they closed the case when they reprogrammed the recall. There were no issues prior, or codes prior to them reprogramming the steering. They now are trying to tell me it will cost me $1700 to repair an issue that is part of a recall.

- Elgin, IL, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist failed, and the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer and diagnosed with steering column failure. The steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000.

- Fontana, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon the start of her vehicle, the power steering assist fault warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle which rendered the vehicle inoperable. The contact called an unknown dealer and was informed that her vehicle had been previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) prior to her owning the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.

- Chicago, IL, USA

Power steering electric assist failure, unable to steer or control vehicle in emergency, vehicle not inspected, no warning lights, system failed on December 13,2021

- Bay City, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, she was unable to turn her steering wheel to the left or the right. The contact stated that the power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to safely drive the vehicle slowly back to the residence. The vehicle was parked and had not been driven since. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

The contact's daughter owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel started shuddering inadvertently. The power steering assist warning light illuminated. The contact stated that his daughter continued to drive the vehicle however, the steering wheel continued to shudder while the vehicle was at a complete stop. The contact stated that as his daughter pulled into a gas station, the steering wheel lost power steering and was significantly more difficult to turn. The contact stated that his daughter was able to forcefully turn the steering wheel while driving the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in any recalls. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) because the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 134,921.

- Waupaca, WI, USA

i received a warning this morning from my car that i had a "power steering assist failure". I took it to the Capital City Ford (Joe Machens) dealer in Jefferson City, MO. I pulled in the garage and turned off the car. They checked a couple of things, turned the car back on and the wheel would not turn (this has never happend before). She said she would have to keep it and have it checked. They never called me so, about 5 hours later i checked in and they said i would get an email about what needed to be fixed. I never received one. They could see were some "torque" thing and maybe the "steering column" and it would be in the neighborhood of $900 plus labor. Until this morning their was never any problems other than the warning light coming on. This is the 3rd very expensive fix in the last 3 months. Upon further investigation i see that there was a recall on this very thing. I asked at Ford about it but they said since nothing comes up in the computer there is nothing they can do about it. This is a very dangerous thing and after reading some of the other complaints i am thankful i wasn't going down the highway and had my steering locked up like thousands of others have had happen to them. I think FORD should be held responsible for this because this is not something in anyway that a consumer can touch, alter or in anyway fix.

- Holts Summit, MO, USA

The electric power steering stopped working and the car is now in manual steering which is very hard for me to steer around corners or when there is need for quick reaction needed to avoid an accident. Called dealer and they said their was a recall in 2014, (recall# 14V284000) and Ford called it recall# 14S05, for Ford Escapes 2008-2011 models. Ford says my VIN is not in recall. My car has same symptoms and is dangerous to drive. There are no warning lights that power steering is out.

- Troutdale, VA, USA

Steering is hard to control at times, happens intermittently without warning. No check engine light codes appear. Previous recall information listed for this item but all manufacturer did was flash software so codes for this never appear. Manufacturer never replaced bad or faulty components. When bringing it to the attention of the dealership service department they don't acknowledge the issues as a recall but rather insist it's the obligation of the vehicle owner to replace the entire steering column and all sub components.

- Santa Maria, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while in stop and go traffic, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the power steering returned and operated as needed. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) which he linked to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The contact then reached out to the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was not under recall. The contact was also informed that there was a warranty placed on the vehicle for the power steering; however, the warranty had expired. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

- Morgantown, WV, USA

Subject vehicle is a 2009 Ford Escape with 74,123 miles. Driving the vehicle the lower control arm separated from the front frame otherwise known as the engine cradle or subframe. The failure is identical to the subframe failures on the 2001 - 2004 Ford Escapes currently under recall. The failure was immediate with no prior warning. The vehicle exhibited loss of steering control, wheel lock up from the front tire contacting the back of the wheel opening, and loss of transmission engagement from cv joint separation. In my opinion, whatever PCA actions or quality root cause was identified by Ford Motor Company during the prior recall investigation isolating the condition to 2001 - 2004 Escapes was either incomplete or inaccurate. This is supported by the same failure occurring in Escapes outside of that model year window. No mechanism was added after the 2004 Escapes were produced to prevent this failure from occurring. Images attached show the failure that was experienced. I was unable to obtain a good used frame locally that did not exhibit signs of corrosion with perforation present or starting. This further supports the failure mode is beyond the scope of the initial recall. The recall should be expanded to prevent future accidents that could have the potential for injury or death.

- Flat Rock, MI, USA

Subject vehicle was a 2009 Ford Escape with 74,123 miles. Driving the vehicle the front passenger lower control arm separated from the k-frame/cradle causing the vehicle to lose control. Loss of steering was experienced as well as tire lock up from the front tire lodging against the back of the fender. The CV shaft also separated during the failure resulting in loss of transmission engagement. There was no warning prior to the event, the failure was sudden and immediate. The loss of vehicle control was extreme. Failure is identical to RCRIT-14V165-9596 for the 01-04 Escapes. The reason the recall was only isolated to the 01-04 Escapes is unknown. In my opinion, whatever PCA actions or supplier related issues identified by Ford Motor Company during the prior recall investigation to support the recall only affecting 01-04 model years was either incomplete or inaccurate. The frame rust through condition extends beyond the model years listed in the recall and was not resolved as shown by subsequent failures on vehicles outside of the recall model year window. No mechanism was put in place to prevent the control arm separation in the later model year Escapes to prevent the same safety issue from occurring. I was unable to obtain a front cradle from a local salvage yard that did not exhibit perforation present or starting supporting this condition is occurring on all model year Escapes from 2001 to 2012 in corrosion prone areas. The recall should be extended to all model years involved to prevent potential accidents.

- Brownstown, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving approximately 60 MPH, the power steering suddenly failed, and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALER ADVISED THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.

- Aberdeen, WA, USA

The contact's mother owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact-€™s mother informed him that while driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The driver pulled over and restarted the vehicle which restored functionality temporarily. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by a local mechanic but was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,337.

- Lakeland, FL, USA