NHTSA Complaint #10469733 — 2011 FORD FUSION

AS EARLY AS JANUARY THIS YEAR I TURNED A CORNER AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I PARKED THE CAR AS I HAD ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT THE STEERING WAS WORKING FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST THREE TIMES SINCE THEN WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I WOULD TURN OFF THE IGNITION FOR A FEW SECONDS AND TURN IT BACK ON WITHOUT STOPPING AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD RETURN. MONDAY I PARKED THE CAR AT MY OFFICE AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT I GOT TWO ALERTS ONE WAS FOR A STEERING FAULT AND THE OTHER WAS FOR ADVANCE TRACK NEEDS SERVICE. I GOT THE CAR TO A DEALER TODAY AND THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE REPAIRED. THE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE CAR AS THE DEALER IS NOT ALLOWED TO REPAIR THE ELECTRONICS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A MINOR PROBLEM WITH A SENSOR RECEIVING THE WRONG SIGNAL BUT FORD HAS TURNED IT INTO A MAJOR REPAIR JOB. IF THIS PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO ANY FUSION IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AS THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO STEER. THE COMPUTER SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SWITCH OFF THE POWER STEERING WHILE THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE ACTUAL POWER STEERING MECHANISM. *TR