2003 Ford Escape steering problems

“DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE COMING FROM GEORGIA, IT WOULD DOWNSHIFT SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT IN ABOUT 4 MONTHS.I THOUGHT I HAD EVERYTHING REPAIRED, THEN MY TRUCK STOPPED PULLING IN DRIVE AT A RED LIGHT. MY SAFETY NEUTRAL SWITCH IS BRAND NEW AND THE POSITION SENSOR. 10/12/2020 WHEN PROBLEM AROSE AFTER REPLACING SENSORS 02/09/2021 ANY IDEAS WHY IT IS DOING THIS?”

“LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM SUB FRAME. HIGH CORROSION AREA. SEPARATED AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 65 MPH GOING OVER HIGHWAY BRIDGE. RIGHT FRONT TIRE TIPPED OUT AND SENT VEHICLE INTO A UNCONTROLLED SWERVE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. FORD'S RECALL 14S02 CROSS BRACE PATCH WAS INSTALLED BUT STILL ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR CRASH. I DON'T BELIEVE THE INSPECTION BY FORD WAS DONE PROPERLY WHEN THEY INSTALLED THE BRACE. IF THEY HAD THEY WOULD BE REPLACING THE SUB-FRAME ALSO.”

“MY VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE FORD RECALL # 14S02 AND A CROSS BRACE WAS INSTALLED. THE RECALL WAS DUE TO A SUBFRAME CORRODING AWAY IN SOME PARTS OF THE US INCLUDING MY REGION. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT FORD DID NOT CORRECTLY FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR CROSS BRACE. THEY SIMPLY BOLTED A CROSS BRACE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE FRAME TO THE OTHER AND IT DOES NOTHING WHEN THE SUBFRAME ACTUALLY CORRODES AWAY. I WAS LUCKY TO NOT GET IN AN ACCIDENT A WEEK AGO WHEN MY FRAME THAT HAS THE CROSS BAR INSTALLED FINALLY GAVE WAY AND MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE CROSS BRACE AND SUBFRAME THAT HAS CORRODED TO NOTHING. FORD HAS CLAIMED THAT SINCE THE RECALL WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE THERE IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO. I THINK THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND MAKE FORD ACTUALLY FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT. IT WAS ONE OF THE SCARIEST MOMENTS DRIVING THAT I HAVE EVER HAD. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY 7 YR OLD SON IN THE CAR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOSE STEERING ALMOST ALL TOGETHER. THANKFULLY I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES THAT DAY. IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED THEN I'M AFRAID MANY PEOPLE WILL BE HURT.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE ONLY FUNCTIONING WARNING INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS EMAILED, BUT DID NOT REPLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,871.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING FAILED AND THE SUBFRAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 17653427. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,907.... .UPDATED 11/16/17 *BF UPDATED 11/28/2017*JS”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS UNSTABLE AND THERE WAS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (ARLINGTON HEIGHTS FORD LOCATED AT 801 W DUNDEE RD ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL 60004, 888 481-8607) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH A BRACE. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (FOX FORD LINCOLN LOCATED AT 2501 N ELSTON AVE CHICAGO, IL 60647 773-687-7800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBERS: CASDASH12577845 AND CAS12593478. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.”