NHTSA Complaint #10423170 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

IN THE EVENING, I WAS ABOUT HALF AN HOUR FROM HOME WHEN I PULLED UP TO A GAS PUMP AT A STATION AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. I DID NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL. THE STEERING GEAR SHIFT BROKE OFF INTO MY HAND. IT WAS ATTACHED BY A WIRE. I COULD NOT TELL WHAT HAPPENED EXCEPT THAT IT WAS BROKEN OFF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED BUT THE RECEPTIONIST SAID THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE LEFT AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT LOT OVERNIGHT AND THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT THE NEXT DAY. I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP HOLDING THE PIECE IN MY RIGHT HAND AS I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT BECAME UNATTACHED FROM THAT WIRE. I FELT SCARED THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN SUCH AS A FIRE, TURN COMPLETELY OFF IN TRAFFIC, ETC. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP, SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. I COULDN'T GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE MY VEHICLE THERE WITH KEY IN THE IGNITION. I EMPTIED AS MUCH OF MY STUFF FROM THE CAR AS I COULD AS I WAS WORRIED THAT THERE COULD BE SOME TYPE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OVERNIGHT. THANKFULLY, IT WAS THERE THE NEXT MORNING BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE COST OF REPAIR IS OVER $1,500. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. THIS IS ALL OUT OF POCKET COSTS. I AM THANKFUL THAT THE DEALERSHIP DOES PROVIDE FREE LOANERS AND THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A PLACE WHERE I COULD EXIT THE LOCATION AND MAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE COST TO REPAIR, THE STRESS THAT THIS CAUSED, THE FACT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN ARE ALL NOT GOOD. *TR