While slowing down to make a turn, luckily with no traffic present, the steering wheel locked up and became almost impossible to maneuver. As I was making my turn into my work's parking lot the steering failed, mid turn, and I was unfortunate enough to slam into a snow bank that was piled up on the edge of the corner. This was hardly a crash, but a crash none the less. Little cosmetic or body damage was incurred but the fact that my vehicle, which touts strong safety ratings, was in an instant unsafe for the road due to a design flaw in the eps system makes this reviewing hundreds of posts about this same issue, nationwide, it seems that I am not alone in my frustrations that Ford should do something to make this right. Steering is undeniably an essential function of operating a vehicle and being in possession of such a vehicle, that I still am making payments on while struggling through school makes the neglect from Ford highly offensive. It seems that a nationwide back order for a part that is so essential to a vehicle's operation would be appropriate for some sort of recall / compensation for the part needed. Something needs to be done.

- Holt, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the power steering assist suddenly failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000. The VIN was not available.

- Riverton, UT, USA

Safety issue: My 2009 Ford Escape's steering wheel began to shudder/vibrate at idle. In addition, when the vehicle is started, the steering wheel cannot be moved left or right. It locks up. I have to shut the vehicle off and re-start it in order to get the steering wheel to move. Today, I was driving down the road at approximately 45 mph and the steering wheel completely locked up. I could hardly control the vehicle, but was fortunate enough to get it to the side of the road. This could have been disastrous. I had to shut the vehicle off again and turn it back on in order to proceed. This vehicle only has 57,000 miles on it. It has had the regularly scheduled maintenance on it since I purchased it new in Jan 2009. I am extremely concerned about this being a safety issue. I have researched online and have read other complaints on this issue, and would like NHTSA to investigate this based on safety issues. The situation that I experienced today could have resulted in serious injury or fatalities. The consumer had to pay for a new steering column, at 56,000 miles. Updated 02/24/14

- Las Cruces, NM, USA

Driving down the road, I was trying to det over when all of a sudden the steering acted like it was locked up and very difficult to turn. I pulled over to the side of the road and turned the car off and then turned it back on. The problem quit. This is the 4th time that this has happened and is very scary.

- Shawnee, KS, USA

I was driving down the freeway from albuquerque to las cruces when my steering became almost impossible to turn the wheel. I quickly pulled off the freeway and called my boyfriend to ask him what to do. He said restart your car see if that resets it. It did work. Then later I parked and the steering wheel just started shaking vigorously. This has happened six more times since then ranging from speeds of 20 to 75 miles and hour. I have read online about this problem and it seems to me to be a very unsafe thing to have happen while driving at high speeds on the freeway. Very scary when all of a sudden you can't steer or its very hard to steer. I also don't understand why Ford would replace the whole steering column versus just the sensor. If I would have been in a big turn and it had stopped working it could have been a horrible wreck. If there is anyway possible that this could be a recall to replace the sensor or column it would make everyone driving feel that much more safer on the roads. Thank you for help with this matter.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

I purchased a 2009 Escape new. The vehicle now has 142,00 miles and is having an issue. My wife called me on December 24 2013 and said that the car was hard to steer. She said that earlier in the day she was turning into an entrance to a gas station and misjudged where the ramp was and the curb and hoped the curb with drivers side front tire. She said she heard a loud noise and continued to drive into the station to get gas. I told her the noise was most likely the strut bottoming out. I asked her how was the steering after that she said it was fine. This took place in the am. She called me around 5 pm. And said the car was hard to steer again I told her to turn the car off take out the key and open the door and then close the door and restart the car as this would rest all the electronics. She did this and everything was fine. I told her I would look at it when I came home. She called me again around 6 pm and said the same thing happened. I told her to turn it off and restart it again. This cleared up the problem. After getting off work I came home and crawled under the vehicle to see if there was any damage. I found no damage. December 26, 27 she called me and said it was having the same problem.on Dec 27 we where going to take the family out to eat and the steering became hard for me to steer. I turned the car off and reset, issue cleared up. As I was driving I could feel the steering wheel pulsating. I went to dealership, pulled into the service lane and noticed that while in park with the vehicle running the steering wheel pulsated back and forth by it self. The mechanic said that sometimes low battery voltage can cause the problem. I said I was aware of that and did a load test on battery and it is fine as well as the charging system. I went out today Dec 28 and stared the vehicle and there is no power steering. I tried it twice both times the same result.

- Savoy, TX, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. While driving 65 mph, the contact stated that the vehicle began to shake. The contact also stated that the steering wheel became more difficult to turn. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the incident. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 129,000.

- Fort Worth , TX, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the power steering suddenly malfunctioned as the steering wheel became very difficult to turn. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was not informed what caused the malfunction. The manufacturer was notified and no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 140,000. The VIN was not available.

- West Covina, CA, USA

I was traveling on the turnpike when all at once my car jerked then lost power, I was unable to steer the car so I coasted on the median till the car allowed me to turn onto an exit ramp. My husband came and checked the truck, it started and seemed to be okay. The entire month of November the truck starts however the steering wheel is locked. I have to cut the car off and on at least 6 times while trying to turn the wheel before it unlocks and allows me to move the steering wheel. My husband called the Ford dealer and was advised that the entire steering column would need to be replaced, and I would have to bear the cost. I don't feel this is fair because I researched this matter and found there are a lot of complaints about this matter. I am not able to drive the truck because I'm afraid there could be a catastrophe. I think something should be done to fix this matter. Thanks

- Miami, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the steering wheel became hard to turn without warning. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic re repairs performed. The failure and current mileage was 130,000.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

Our 2009 Ford Escape has lost it's power steering, while I was driving, twice this week. It was nearly impossible to control the vehicle, yet it was still running. It is electric power steering so there is nothing that can be done to prevent it (I initially thought my power steering fluid must be low). The first time it happened, on Friday, I had it towed to my mechanic. Nothing showed up on the dashboard at the time and nothing showed up on his scanners. When the truck was started again the steering worked fine. We decided it must be a fluke. We only have 85,505 miles on the vehicle. It just happened to me again, while I was driving. My husband was supposed to drive to our friend's house North of boston (we are South of boston). He cancelled. It terrifies me to think of what might have happened to him at high speed on those highways. We got on the internet and discovered this is a very common problem in 2008 & 2009 Ford Escapes. It turns out the entire steering column needs to be replaced to fix the problem, average cost is $1500. Ford is aware of this dangerous life safety problem yet has not issued a recall. Do people really need to die first?

- South Weymouth , MA, USA

Was driving at slow speeds on residential roads and power steering stopped without any warning and could not turn the will without hard force and it still wouldn't turn fully only turned about maybe 20 degrees left or right, very dangerous the epas is terrible turned it off and back on and it started working until my wife drove it and got stuck in the middle of the road... took it to a mechanic and they could not figure out the problem im taking it to a Ford dealer today and will pay an arm and a leg to protect my wife and 8 month old son for something that shouldn't be faulty in the first place very unnerving to know Ford would allow no remedy for something so dangerous.

- Rhome, TX, USA

While making a slow right turn the power steering quit working. I got off the road, checked under the hood & found nothing. Got out the manual, it says power steering is all electric and there is nothing to check. I restarted the Escape and power steering was fine. After 80miles on the road a sudden power steering failure with no warning is dangerous.

- Tacoma, WA, USA

Started car and wouldn't steer correctly hard to turn wheel.

- Lowell, OH, USA

I am trying to park my car and steering became so hard that I could not turn the car into the parking spot. This is happening for 3 rd time and I am really scared to drive the car now.

- Northville, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the steering column was replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Walnut Creek, CA, USA

Electric power steering repeatedly fails; usually when first starting vehicle, but once while driving at approximately 30mph. Local Ford dealer was finally able to determine that the steering column assembly had to be replaced to solve the problem with the electrical power steering system; approximately a $1500 repair bill.

- The Villages, FL, USA

My wife was driving in our neighbor at 25 mph when the steering went out. She was able to get home and park since she was close by. The steering was very hard to turn left or right. This morning when we started the car to take it to the dealer the steering was working. The car is currently at the dealer for testing. The temperature was 80 degrees so clearly cold was not a factor. Thank goodness this did not happen on the freeway in traffic.

- Stafford, VA, USA

After backing out of a parking space without incident, then putting vehicle into drive, the vehicle lost power steering. The wheel was extremely difficult to turn, almost to the point of feeling locked up. After pulling over and checking the engine, the vehicle was shut off, then turned back on in a moment and the wheel freed up and normal turning resumed. The vehicle was driven home, a few miles away, without further incident. This problem has been reported about the 2008 and 2009 Escape on the following website with each report having almost the exact same symptoms and "solution", of turning the vehicle off and then back on again. See website: www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2008/Ford/Escape/steering www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2009/Ford/Escape/steering this problem could easily cause an accident, and according to the statements of a few on that site, accidents have occurred. Numerous posts state the dealer indicated the solution is to replace entire steering column at a cost of $1200-$1800.

- Orlando, FL, USA

At highway speed, powersteering locked up. After shutting vehicle off and restarting, pump re-engaged. This has happened frequently since, and causes the vehicle to be uncontrollable. Steering becomes so tight that any adjustment is nearly impossible and driver is at the mercy of speed until able to stop. Dealership reports this to be "common" but a major repair, and not the result of excessive use or abuse. Clearly, this is a design and safety issue.

- Gowen, MI, USA