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.

- Mint Hill, NC, USA

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.

- Laplace , LA, USA

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.

- Covington, LA, USA

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.

- Lynn, MA, USA

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.

- Romulus, MI, USA

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 school is lose to home there is no was I want my son to drive this Ford product. I work at henry Ford hospital and I am bewildered as to why this has not been recalled as it is an obvious safety issue. Looking on-line, there have been a large number of customers with the same complaint.

- Clinton Township, MI, USA

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.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

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.

- Georgetown, CA, USA

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.

- Lexington , KY, USA

While sitting in the parking lot I went to drive and I had no power steering. Nothing seemed to be wrong but I turned off the ignition and restarted then power steering worked fine. This has since happened again on 11/4/2013 with my wife driving. She was able to pull over and shut off the vehicle then restart and everything began to work again. Investigating this problem there are many others with the same problem and Ford doesn't seem to be doing anything about this problem. It's a huge safety issue because if your driving down the highway you cannot turn the steering wheel.

- Garland, TX, USA

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 steering problem.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

Sunday October 20th, 2013. While driving my 2008 Ford Escape the electric power steering failed. This was like trying to drive a tank. When I got to a safe place to pull off the road I turned off the engine and restarted the car. The steering worked ok at that time. I took my car to a repair shop to have the steering checked and was told the only pace to get this fixed was at a Ford dealer and that this type failure on the 2008 Escape was a common occurrence. Looking on line I confirmed that this problem was very frequent with the 2008 Ford Escape and could happen at any time. Fortunately it happened to me on a quite Sunday morning when there was little traffic and I was able to pull off the road without endangering myself or other drivers. I feel this is a major safety issue that could result in a serious accident with potential personal injury and/or a loss of life accident. I feel Ford should be required to recall the 2008 Ford Escapes equipped with this type steering and make the necessary repairs to protect the lives of both the Ford drivers and others that might be encountered on the road should the steering fail.

- Asheville, NC, USA

My steering column would shake while I was at a stop and within a few days I have lost the electrical steering (power steering). I now have no electrical assist for the steering and have been informed that they have to replace the entire steering column in order to fix the problem.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

While setting at a handicap space after eating. I started my car and the steering was hard to steer going into reverse or forward. It still hasn't come back to me yet after setting for a whole day. The only thing that I did before parking was go over a speed bump with one side of the car and making one turn after 50 yards of straight driving to the space.

- Midland, TX, USA

The incident reported is only one of many similar -in 2012 reported to Ford-dealership where purchased car did work on their own to fix-(no-charge-and only have the parts numbers used to repair-do not know the fix for the problem then) in 2013 the steering electronic assist has failed both my wife and I on more than multiple times! all except one time at low mph in parking lots-malls-and back yard. The one exception time was on a highway at normal 45 to 50 mph -cologne ave, mays landing NJ only solution to get power steering back to normal is to stop -shut engine down-restart engine-and the electronic assist is back and ok again. All except one time -had to restart and run around the back yard -shut down and restart again. These incidences of actual times and events reported to Ford customer relations--no action except to advise return to dealership for diagnosis. At our cost>we know and Ford knows -why should we pay another $100 for another diagnosis as in 2012" this is a life threatening situation if it happens on highway-not only to driver of subject vehicle, but to others on the highway. Our Escape a 2008 -but actually bought in March 2007; also we understand thru so many other complaints similar to ours that the 'electronic assist power steering first put on the Escape model in the 2008 year. Possible that Ford found out the problems and later corrected--but they are not acknowledging even that a problem ever existed! with so many complaints of exactly same as ours on so many forums as Ford forums, car complaints, edmunds, and two or three other places that can not recall as write this--how can it just be passed off as a rare incident to just a few"

- Mays Landing , NJ, USA

While driving the steering just lost all power, this vehicle has electric steering control, was able to pull over and shut down. Restarted and steering came back. Upon research online, there seems to be quite a few of these steering incidents and Ford is not doing any recall.

- Salem , MA, USA

This occurred in 2012 also. Loss of powersteering -when pulling into our yard. Had son check the belts-fluid levels-all ok;restarted and it was ok. Took around back yard and it immediately loss the power assist again. Actually steered it as was for about 400 yards around the large back field of our farm as it was-it never became normal again during that approximate 400 yards --until I shut off engine-restarted again and til today September 19, no re occurrence. Have been on many forums and seen so many others with same problems. A steering assist electric module or something similar seems to be the problem. This has happened to my wife two times -one in the back yard and one in mall parking lot area. We know what to do now-shut down engine and restart; however, if this happens while on highway in traffic while attempting to either pass or get back in you lane --it could be life threatening to not only us but the others on highway. Please, there have been enough complaints for a remedy -or at least an acknowledgement by Ford -not as our E-mail to Ford customer relations and a reply by a representative, [xxx], who stated they have done what they feel necessary and as to their responsibility of this problem, by telling us to take to Ford dealership for an analysis test by their professional mechanics and technicians. We as do so many Ford owners know the problem-cause-and why must we pay a large analysis problem for same. Thank you NHTSA-we are fortunate to have some one that is concerned. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Mayslanding, NJ, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the power steering failed without warning. The contact merged shut off and restarted the engine, and the vehicle resumed normal function. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000.

- Richmond , VA, USA

The vehicle's power steering system suddenly failed without warning. This occurred while the vehicle was stopped so there was no risk of accident at the time. This issue has never occurred before. I turned off and restarted the vehicle and the power steering returned. I did an on online search and discovered this is far from an isolated problem. I found literally hundreds of other 2008 Escape owners reporting sudden steering loss problems with characteristics matching precisely what I experienced. These complaints seemed to begin to surface within the last 2 years. It appears the electronic control unit (ECU) mounted in the steering column is to blame for the failures. I believe 2008 was the first year Ford introduced the ECU to replace conventional power steering pumps. Well it looks like they have a problem which Ford has apparently ignored so far. I am submitting this complaint in the hopes that the NHTSA will compel Ford to issue a recall. This is not an inconvenience, this a life threatening defect. If power steering fails at highway speeds someone is going to get hurt and quite possibly die. Please investigate this. And please do it soon.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

The car has randomly started loosing power steering.

- Palmyra, VA, USA