NHTSA Complaint #10466468 — 2012 FORD EXPLORER

WE HAD JUST DRIVEN 1 1/2 HOURS (ABOUT 100 MILES) FROM HOME TO A CAMPGROUND, PULLING OUR FLEETWOOD POP-UP CAMPER. DROVE HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON (AS IT WAS HOT OUTSIDE), SOMETIMES USING THE "TOW" MODE OTHER TIMES NOT. VEHICLE ACTED FINE DURING OUR TRIP. PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT TO REGISTER AT THE OFFICE AND SHUT OFF THE MOTOR FOR ABOUT 15 MIN. STARTED IT AGAIN TO PULL INTO OUR SITE AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. GOT A WARNING ON THE DASH THAT SAID "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT". NOTE: THIS HAD HAPPENED A COUPLE WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTING, PROBLEM CLEARED ITSELF. NOT SO LUCKY THIS TIME. POWER STEERING DID NOT COME BACK. IT WAS 4:30 PM THE DAY BEFORE A NATIONAL HOLIDAY (JULY 4TH) AND I KNEW IT WAS NOT GOING TO GET LOOKED AT UNTIL AT LEAST 2 DAYS LATER. FORD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE COULD ONLY OFFER TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER 21 MILES AWAY. I DECIDED TO HAVE IT TOWED ON JULY 5TH. ON JULY 4TH, AFTER LETTING IT SIT ALL NIGHT AND COMPLETELY COOL DOWN, I STARTED IT UP. SAME PROBLEM PLUS TWO ADDITIONAL WARNING MESSAGES: "SERVICE ADVANCETRACK" AND "TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FAULT". VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING THE STEERING GEAR (PART OF THE ELECTRONIC RACK AND PINION STEERING). PART #BB5Z-3504-HE. I WAS TOLD THERE WERE OVER 500 ON BACK ORDER AND NO ESTIMATED DATE AS TO WHEN THEY WILL BE IN STOCK. HAD I KNOWN THERE WAS THIS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLORERS I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT ONE. WHY WASN'T THERE A RECALL? THERE ARE NOW ALMOST 600 OF THESE PARTS ON BACK ORDER WHICH TELLS ME THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSUMERS AFFECTED AND POTENTIALLY MANY MORE TO COME. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THE DESIGN OF THE PART WAS CHANGED AFTER MY FORD WAS BUILT. *TR