2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000. VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

ABRUPT LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. ELECTRIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING SYSTEM FAILED. DOES GIVES MESSAGE "SERVICE PWR STEERING" ON DASHBOARD, BUT PROVIDES NO USEFUL FUNCTION. CAR DID NOT CRASH AT TIME OF FAILURE, BUT CONTROLLING IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT, REQUIRING HIGH PHYSICAL EFFORT TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL. THOUGH MANUFACTURER HAS RECALLED 2008 MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM, 2006 IS NOT ON THE RECALL AND MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO PROVIDE REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND MAKING RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE SERVICE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,872.

TRAVELING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 70MPH AND THE MOTOR SHUT OFF, GIVING ME A 'STOP SAFELY NOW' WITH THE RED TRIANGLE LIGHT ON. I STOPPED, WAITED A FEW MINUTES ON THE ROADSIDE AND IT STARTED AGAIN. HEADED HOME AGAIN, WHEN ABOUT A MILE AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WAITED A FEW MINUTES BY THE ROAD, THEN TOOK OFF. THIS TIME I TURNED OFF THE A/C AND MADE A FEW MILES TO THE HOUSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE TORQUE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURERS RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

MY 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID SPORATICALLY LOOSES POWER STEERING WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR CLEAR INDICATION OF ROOT CAUSE. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE MAKING TURNS ON RESIDENT STREETS AND WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH VELOCITY ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS REPLACED PARTS AT A COMBINED COST OF ~3500 AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE FORD DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM NOR HAVE THEY ADEQUATELY EVALUATED THE RISK OF THE ISSUE. I WOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER LETTING MY WIFE DRIVE THIS CAR DUE TO THE AMOUT OF FORCE IT TAKES TO CONTROL THE CAR ONCE THE STEERING GOES OUT. *TT

ELECTRIC ASSISTED POWER STEERING NOT FUNCTIONAL. DEALER TROUBLESHOOTING CONSISTED OF READING CODES, THEN INDICATING THAT THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACED ($2200). REPLACED THE ASSEMBLY, STILL DOESN'T WORK. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED, STILL DOESN'T WORK. THE REPAIR SHOPS AND THE DEALERS HAVE INADEQUATE INFORMATION AND TRAINING TO REPAIR THESE ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEMS. THERE SHOULD BE ADEQUATE INFORMATION AND TRAINING TO IDENTIFY THE FAILED COMPONENT, AS OPPOSED TO SWAPPING OUT LARGE ASSEMBLIES, AND STILL NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM. THESE SYSTEMS APPEAR TO HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE, AND PRESENT A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THEY FAIL WHILE DRIVING! PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ASAP! *TR

1) WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING A YELLOW WRENCH LIGHT INDICATING MAINTENANCE NEEDED OFF AND ON FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS EVEN THOUGH WE WERE WELL WITHIN THE MAINTENANCE PERIOD. THIS TURNS OUT TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE BLEND DOOR FOR ALLOWING AIR COOLING OF THE HYBRID BATTERIES. 2) THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT COMPLETELY FOR THE CAR. WE HAVE HAD NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING, AND THE SYSTEM CHECK SHOWED NO PROBLEM (I BELIEVE IT CHECKS FLUID LEVELS) SO THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE ELECTRICAL. *TR