2016 Ford Escape

2016 FORD ESCAPE W/ONLY 64K MILES. I DROVE TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER IN CHICAGO ABOUT 2.5 HOURS AWAY FROM HOME WITH ABSOLUTELY NO SIGNS OF PROBLEMS. ON THE WAY BACK, I STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION, ON THE OASIS, AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP (JUST A FEW MINUTES LATER) THE WARNING POPPED UP ON THE DASH AND IT BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE... DROVE STRAIGHT (LITERALLY) TO THE FORD SERVICE DEPT & $2030 LATER (CUZ OF COURSE WARRANTY IS DEPLETED), I CAN STEER AGAIN. I SERIOUSLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE TO PAY SUCH A HEFTY CHARGE JUST BECAUSE FORD MOTOR DIDN'T LEARN FROM THEIR 'POWER STEERING ASSIST' RECALL BACK IN 2014 AND ACTUALLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

CAR STARTED NORMALLY WHEN LEAVING THE HOME WITH AUTOSTARTER. DROVE TO A GAS STATION, PARKED, WENT INSIDE, CAME BACK OUT AND THE CAR PROMPTED WITH A "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" ERROR. ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE, NO POWER STEERING. TURNED OFF CAR, RESTARTED AND ISSUE REMAINED. UPON GETTING THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, REPORTED FULL POWER STEERING FAILURE REQUIRING FULL REPLACEMENT OF POWER STEERING RACK AND PIN.

DIFFICULTY WITH TURNING STEERING WHEEL. CLANKY NOISE WHEN TURNING. CHECKED AND SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO DRIVE 2016 FORD ESCAPES ARE HAVING OR HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM EVEN WORSE. SOME PEOPLE COMPLETELY NOT ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE WITH THIS ESCAPE AND HAD ISSUE REPAIRED BUT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AND IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY

POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. ON JULY 25, I STARTED MY 2016 FORD ESCAPE TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO MANUEVER OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I TURNED OFF IGNITION, PLACED IN PARK TO EXIT VEHICLE TO INSPECT TIRES, AS I THOUGHT I PERHAPS HAD A FLAT TIRE, AFFECTING THE STEERING. I THEN RESTARTED THE CAR AND ON THE DASH INFORMATION RECEIVED A MESSAGE TO THE EFFECT OF "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT". I CHECKED THE OWNER MANUAL AND IT SAID THIS WAS A FAULT OF THE STEERING AND TO TAKE CAR FOR SERVICE. SINCE THE CAR WAS UNMANEUVERABLE AND UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN, I CALLED FOR TOW SERVICE TO TAKE CAR TO DEALER. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND INFORMED ME IT WOULD BE A $2200 REPAIR, BUT THAT THEY WOULD CALL FORD TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE. THEY THEN CAME BACK WITH A $1200 QUOTE FOR REPAIR. SINCE I NEEDED VEHICLE, I AGREED AND THE FINAL INVOICE WAS $1000. I ASKED SERVICE MANAGER IF THIS WAS INVOLVING A SAFETY RECALL WITH FORD AND SHE SAID AT THIS TIME IT WAS NOT, BUT TO HOLD ON TO MY RECEIPTS IN CASE FORD MADE ONE. FORD/LINCOLN HAS HAD RECALLS ON OTHER VEHICLES IN THEIR FLEET FROM OTHER YEARS, SO THEY SHOULD BE AWARE THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH IN MY 2016 FORD ESCAPE. SUDDENLY THE CAR FLASHED "STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER STEERING. THE STEERIMG WHEEL FELT LIKE IT LOCKED, AND BECAME SUPER DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. WE CAME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A MAJOR ACCIDENT, AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RESPONDING NORMALLY. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVING COMPLETELY WELL BEFORE THIS. IT HAS JUST 60,000 MILES ON IT. WE ARE WAITING ON THE MECHANIC'S CALL, BUT HE INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR AS THE VISUAL INSPECTION DIDN'T TURN UP ANY PROBLEMS. WHAT A DANGEROUS THING TO HAPPEN WITH NO WARNING IN A 2 AND A HALF YEAR OLD CAR.