I own a 2009 Mercury Mainer and I had received a recall for a electric power steering problem in October 2014 and at this time my car wasn't showing any kind of problem. I have a busy work schedule so I was unable to take it in right away and I wasn't having any problems with my power steering.

On December 15, 2014 I went to start my car to warm up before work and I noticed my steering wheel twitch side to side and a vibration. I called dealership to get an appointment for December 29th, 2014 and at this time my steering wheel was still twitching and vibrating. They hooked their computer up to my piece of sh*t car and said it did not give them any codes so all they needed to do was update my software under the recall. My steering wheel continues to twitch and vibrate so I took it to a local mechanic and he sat down in my front seat and started my car and saw and listened to my complaint and he said, with out a computer telling him, that my power steering is going out and the twitching is do to the power steering switch trying to compute to torque sensor. Which, if the Ford Dealership's computer would have given the code for the torque sensor or steering column it would had been fixed at their cost under recall. But since it didn't give the code, guess who they want to pay for it!! ME.

The software update was just done to give us drivers warning that our power steering had gone out while we are driving and try to turn we don't wreck because our power steering has failed and we weren't aware that it wasn't working. For all I know Ford dealerships were told just to update software as long as customer isn't smart enough to insist there is something else wrong with Steering column. So when we go back because our power steering finally quits working all together we get to foot the bill, not FORD.

I have called the NHTSA and made a complaint and Federal Trade Commission along with Ford customer relations. I recommend everyone do this the numbers are NHTSA (888-327-4236) Federal Trade Commission (877-382-4357) Ford customer Relation (800-392-3673), please call and complain. Thanks Jodi King

power steering keeps failing and when working shakes

A few weeks ago we started noticing a "shaking" in our wheel while driving, worse when idling or driving slowly and the power steering would fail when we turned the car on. We have to turn the car on and off 1-3 times to get the power steering to kick-in. And when it does work it shakes very bad, it is hard to control the wheel. We were just told that it is due to a failure of the electronic power steering and will require a new steering column that with labor will cost $1,400. I did very little digging online before being inundated with other complaints of the same problem in '08-'09 Mariners and Escapes. I drive my 3 year old and 5 month old children in that car! I don't have $1,400, but also cannot risk my kids lives. I have read about this issue causing other's power steering to go out while driving. That hasn't happened to us yet, thank goodness. I am appalled that Ford hasn't recalled this defect. I filed a complaint with the NHTSA today, as well. Shame on you, Ford. And you know this happened 2 months after I paid the stupid car off.