NHTSA Complaint #10090658 — 2003 FORD EXPLORER

2003 FORD EXPLORER...DURING YIELD TO TURN LEFT AND THEN MAKING LEFT TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS IF SOMEONE HAD PULLED KEY OUT OF IGNITION CAUSING VEHICLE TO STEER LEFT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS MOVING BETWEEN 5-15 MPH AT TIME OF FAILURE. TURNING OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTING WE FOUND THAT STEERING AGAIN RELEASED AND WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE HOME. I TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER NEXT DAY AND THEY SAID THEY "COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN" OF COURSE IT HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME AT 27,000 MILES,,,VERY UNLIKELY TO GET IT TO HAPPEN THE DAY THEY LOOK AT IT. THEY DID HOWEVER REPLACE THE COMPLETE STEERING COLUMN TO REMEDY AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM WHERE THE SHIFT SELECTOR WOULD POP INTO DRIVE(AFTER ACCELLERATING)EVEN THOUGH IT INDICATED THE SELECTOR WAS IN DRIVE ALREADY. I NEED IMMEDIATE REMEDY TO THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE SINCE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY HOPING FOR HELP. CONSEQUENTLY NOT RELATED TO THE STEERING LOCKING PROBLEM THE REAR WINDOW ON THE LEFT REAR HAS HAD 3 REPAIR ATTEMPTS TO FIX A INTERMITT INOP PROBLEM,,,AND THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT MAKES NOISE...I HAVE 4 FORDS IN MY FAMILY(F150 AND F250) THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH HOWEVER WE HAVE NOW LOST COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE...SEEMS THE DEALER JUST DOESNT KNOW OR WANT TO DO ANYTHING ADDITIONAL!*AK