2017 Ford Escape

WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON A CITY STREET THE POWER STEERING WAS STIFFED AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAKE THE TURN. I NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED INTO PARKING LOT THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, CORRECTED THE ISSUE. A WEEK LATER SAME ISSUE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. HAPPENED FIRST TIME ON 04/26/2020 & AGAIN 05/08/2020. *TR

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS AM AND A SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON:STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM. SECONDS AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON, I FELT MY STEERING WHEEL LOSE POWER AND WHEN I HAD TO TURN I CAME CLOSE TO STEERING INTO THE OTHER LANE WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT THE STOPLIGHT ON A CITY STREET. I HAD TO TURN TWO MORE TIMES TO GET TO MY DESTINATION. WHEN I PARKED THE CAR I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE POWER WAS BACK ON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE NOT TRIED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS I AM AT WORK. VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. I AM NOT ABLE TO SEE A MECHANIC AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP UNTIL MONDAY AND AM NERVOUS TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THEN.

THE STEERING WHEEL GETS STIFF (NO POSSIBLE TO MOVE) WHEN PRACTICING PARKING FOR A WHILE. I CAN HEARD THAT FAN SPEED GOES UP, SO I AM ASSUMING THE ENGINES BAY IS GETTING HOT. AFTER MOVED IT A LITTLE BIT THE WHEEL CAN GO ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT/LEFT. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THE STEERING MODULE IS DISABLING BECAUSE TEMP (TOO HOT). HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT FELT HARD AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SQUEALING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUMPED, THE VEHICLE DROVE AS DESIGNED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALLAN VIGIL FORD (6790 MT ZION BLVD, MORROW, GA 30260, (678) 364-3673) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS RUST ON THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

ISSUE REVOLVES AROUND EXPOSED STEERING COLUMN NEAR PEDALS. COLUMN WILL MOVE AS YOU TURN THE WHEEL. MY FLOOR MAT GOT TANGLED IN THE COLUMN SIMPLY BY SHIFTING CAUSING ME TO LOSE STEERING. THIS IS AN EXTREME HAZARD, AS ANYTHING THAT FALLS IN THE PEDAL WELL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CUT THE STEERING (INCLUDING SHOE LACES, ETC). A SHROUD OR COVER SHOULD BE PLACED AS IT IS ON OTHER VEHICLES INCLUDING OLDER ESCAPES. THE ATTACHED IMAGE IS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE PEDALS. THIS METAL SHAFT WILL ROTATE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH ( THE SPEED LIMIT IS 75) I WANTED TO PASS A TRUCK WHEN THE STEERING GOT REALLY TIGHT, AT THAT SPEED THEIR IS NO TIME FOR PLAN B. I CLIPPED THE BACK LEFT OF THE TRUCK WITH MY RIGHT FRONT, WHICH PUT ME IN A SPIN AND THE CAR ROLLED A COUPLE TIMES. WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS RUSHED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAD ALL KINDS OF TESTS AND RELEASED THE NEXT DAY. MY INSURANCE CO DOES NOT BELIEVE ME BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. I READ MANY ARTICLES ABOUT FORD HAVING PROBLEMS WITH PRIOR YEARS OF THERE ELECTRONIC STEERING. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IF IT WAS NOT FOR FORD SEATBELT AND AIRBAG SYSTEM I WOULD NOT BE HERE TO WRITE THIS ARTICLE.

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING, TWICE!! FIRST TIME MY 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD AND THE WHEEL JUST LOCKED UP AND SHE COULDN'T STEER THE CAR. MY SON WHO WAS WITH HER TOLD HER TO PUT HER HAZARDS ON AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND RESTART THE CAR, THAT WORKED BUT HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AS NONE OF US WERE TAKING A CHANCE IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THE DEALER SAID SOMETHING CRACKED IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEY FIXED IT. THIS SECOND TIME, I HAD THE CAR, THANK GOD, AND WHILE TRYING TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, THE WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY FROZEN, AGAIN!!! THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND I PUT MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER AT RISK EVERY TIME WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL!!!

MY CAR WAS RUNNING, BUT PLACED IN PARK, AND I WAS RUNNING TO GRAB SOMETHING FROM MY HOME. AFTER I EXITED THE CAR, I NOTICED MY CAR WAS ROLLING DOWN MY SLANTED DRIVEWAY, AND I RAN TO STOP IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAR HIT ME AND RAN ME OVER RESULTING IN A BROKEN ANKLE. I BELIEVE THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE IT WAS RUNNING, AND REVERSED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.