What 1,026 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Escape

Electric power steering intermittently loses communication with module. It's very dangerous. Just driving straight down the road or making a turn it cuts out and it's like a ghost grabs the wheels and jerks you off the road or into oncoming traffic. I've hit guardrails and many curbs, luckily no oncoming traffic. This should be a serious recall if I've ever seen one. One of the most dangerous malfunctions I've ever experienced and I'm a technician.

NHTSA ODI 11544234

SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A CURB. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO LOWER CONTROL ARM AND OTHER SUSPENSION PARTS AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION. I DROVE CAR HOME 4 MILES, ALTHOUGH I SHOULDN'T HAVE. I EXPERIENCED MOMENTARY LOSS OF STEERING 5 MORE TIME IN THOSE 4 MILES. FORTUNATELY ALL WERE AT LOW SPEED. I WAS NOT INJURED. THE CAR HAS 68,XXX MILES AND IS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAD THE ESCAPE TOWED IN FOR REPAIRS. THE COLLISION DAMAGE WAS COVERED BY INSURANCE. THE SERVICE DEPT. AT FORD SAID THE FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH STEERING. THE CAR WAS HANDED DOWN TO ME BY PARENTS. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE STEERING LOSS. THEY SAID WITH THE SAME VEHICLE THEY LOST STEERING MOMENTARILY ONE TIME BEFORE ALSO. THEY DROVE IT TO THE SAME SERVICE DEPT. MY PARENTS SAID SOMEONE FROM THE SERVICE DEPT REPAIRED IT, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NOT GIVEN ANY PAPERWORK. I ASKED ABOUT THIS ON THE PHONE AND THE SAME SERVICE DEPT HAS NO RECORD OF THIS SERVICE. I DO NOT HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS TO UPLOAD OTHER THAN A REPAIR FORM FOR THE DAMAGE AS A RESULT. THE SERVICE DEPT IS HERTRICH'S FREDERICK FORD IN SEAFORD, DE

NHTSA ODI 11063171

I WAS DRIVING IN MAINE. I'M NOT SURE IF I HIT A PATCH OF ICE OR IF THE STEERING FROZE UP. I WAS TRAVELING 35 IN A 40 MPH ZONE AND ON A CURVE, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD INTO A BOG. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SINK AND I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR A FEW MINUTES. THEN I NOTICED A FLAME COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH BUT I PUSHED THE DOOR OPEN AND BEGAN SWIMMING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS ABOUT 20 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE, IT EXPLODED. I WAS IN THE WATER AND ICE FOR APPROX. 10 MINUTES. THE FIRE DEPT, POLICE, AND EMT'S ARRIVED AND PULLED ME FROM THE WATER AND TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL. I HAVE 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON MY ARM AND LEGS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE SALVAGED WAS 1/2 OF MY LICENSE PLATE. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THAT PERHAPS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND WATER MIXED WITH THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. ALTHOUGH HE DID STATE THAT HE WAS SPECULATING AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE IS SITTING AND I HAVE ASKED THAT IT NOT BE DESTROYED (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT) UNTIL THE CAUSE CAN BE DETERMINED. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. I BELIEVE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD BEEN IN THE VEHICLE, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TIME TO ESCAPE. THERE WAS NO SMOKE - ONLY FIRE AND THEN THE EXPLOSION. THE SHOCK IS STARTING TO WEAR OFF AND I KEEP ASKING MYSELF HOW IN THE WORLD A CAR COULD "JUST EXPLODE". PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS OR IF ANYONE CAN SUGGEST WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10839645

I WAS DRIVING AND I'M NOT SURE IF I HIT A PATCH OF ICE OR STEERING FROZE UP. I WAS TRAVELING 35 IN A 40 MPH ZONE AND ON A CURVE, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD INTO A BOG. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SINK AND I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR A FEW MINUTES. I TRIED PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO GET OUT OF THE WATER AND ICE. THEN I NOTICED A FLAME COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. I PUSHED THE DOOR OPEN AND BEGAN SWIMMING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE, IT EXPLODED. I WAS IN THE WATER AND ICE FOR APPROX. 10 MINUTES. THE FIRE DEPT, POLICE, AND EMT'S ARRIVED AND PULLED ME FROM THE WATER AND TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL. I HAVE 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON MY ARM AND LEGS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE SALVAGED WAS 1/2 OF MY LICENSE PLATE. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THAT PERHAPS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND WATER MIXED WITH THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. HE DID STATE THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE IS SITTING AND I HAVE ASKED THAT IT NOT BE DESTROYED (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT) UNTIL THE CAUSE CAN BE DETERMINED. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THE SHOCK IS STARTING TO WEAR OFF AND I KEEP ASKING MYSELF HOW IN THE WORLD A CAR COULD "JUST EXPLODE". PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS OR IF ANYONE CAN SUGGEST WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10839049

WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AND AUDIBLE WARNINGS SOUNDED. THE CAR STARTED SHAKING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP OR STEER MY CAR. I HAD A LOW SPEED COLLISION WITH A PROPERLY PARKED CAR. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS INJURED. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON AN OPEN ROAD THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. I HAD REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY DEALER PREVIOUSLY. THEY APPLIED AN EXISTING RECALL SAYING THAT IT FIXED THE ISSUE. THAT WAS ON THE 20TH OF OCTOBER 2015. THE CAR IS BEING TOWED TO MY DEALER'S BODY SHOP FOR INSPECTION BY USAA. I NEVER WANT TO DRIVE IT AGAIN. I AM TOLD TO TRADE IT IN . HOW IN GOOD CONSCIENCE CAN I DO THAT??

NHTSA ODI 10794691