The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A MIS-ASSEMBLED OR INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED NUT THAT ATTACHES THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO THE STEERING COLUMN. THE NUT COULD BE UPSIDE DOWN IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY, WHICH COULD OVERSTRESS THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT WHEN THE NUT IS TIGHTENED. IN ADDITION, SOME OF THE NUTS MAY HAVE BEEN CRACKED DURING MANUFACTURE RESULTING IN THE NUT FRACTURING WHEN IT IS TIGHTENED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY.
The risk
EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS CAN LEAD TO THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMING LOOSE OR SEPARATING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL RETENTION ARMATURE AND, IF NECESSARY, THE STEERING COLUMN TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape | 2001 |
Components: STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Escape | 2001 | 996 | 13 |
Other steering recalls in 2000
45 of the 541 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2000 concerned the steering; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 00V428000 29 Dec 2000 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 00V414000 6 Dec 2000 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
| 00V246111 28 Nov 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V391000 21 Nov 2000 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 01V139001 20 Nov 2000 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 00V246310 8 Nov 2000 | FORETRAVEL, INC. |
| 00V246309 2 Nov 2000 | ATHEY PRODUCTS CORP. |
| 00V246108 31 Oct 2000 | E-ONE, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2000