# 2008 FORD ESCAPE — STEERING
> NHTSA complaint `689049` · 2008-09-19 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** ESCAPE
- **Year:** 2008
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** STEERING
- **Miles at failure:** 6,818
- **Speed:** 30 mph
## Narrative
ON MONDAY, 15 SEP 2008, ON MY WAY TO WORK (ABOUT 7AM) MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP.  I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED.  I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SHUT IT OFF.  AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE.  ON TUESDAY, THE SAME THING HAPPENED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES.  I CALLED THE DEALER FIRST THING WEDNESDAY MORNING TO SCHEDULE THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE.  I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN ON THURSDAY.  ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ON WEDNESDAY, I WAS GOING TO DROP IT OFF AT THE DEALER SO THEY COULD START RIGHT AWAY.  AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AGAIN AND THIS TIME I COULD NOT STOP BEFORE DRIVING OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A ROCK WALL.  THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, BUT I STILL HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS.  THE DEALER SAID HE HAS NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING.  I WAS GOING ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUR.  *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*