NHTSA Complaint #10470610 — 2012 FORD EXPLORER

I HAD A CUSTOMER WHOSE 2012 EXPLORER HAD POWER STEERING FAILURE (JULY 15, 2012). THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT HE COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I CONTACTED FORD MTR CO AND ASK IF THEY WERE HAVING ISSUES LIKE THIS. THEY SAID NO. I TOLD THEM THEY MAY WANT TO SEE ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PROBLEM ON LINE AND THEY SAID AGAIN THEY DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM. I CALLED OTHER DEALERS AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THEM HAD BEEN HAVING THE PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD HOW TO CORRECT IT. I CONTACTED FORD AGAIN AND RECEIVED AUTHORIZATION TO MAKE THE REPAIRS, ORDERED THE PARTS AND FOUND OUT THEY WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. AFTER WAITING 31 DAYS I CALLED FORD AGAIN AND WAS TOLD MY PARTS ORDER HAD EXPIRED (I PERSONALLY FOLLOWED UP ON THE ORDER EVERYDAY) AND I WOULD HAVE TO REORDER. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY FORD DID NOT ADVISE ME OF THE PROBLEM WHEN I FIRST ASK....CAN YOU SPELL COVER UP? I HAVE SUPPLIED MY CUSTOMER A VEHICLE AND FORD HAS AUTHORIZED UP TO $2000 FOR RENTAL. FROM LOOKING AT THE BACK ORDER STATUS, I WOULD GUESS IT WILL BE ANOTHER 30 DAYS BEFORE WE RECEIVE THE PARTS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT FORD ISSUE A RECALL AS IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS (IT HAPPENED TWICE TO MY CUSTOMER) AND SOME ONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED. GOOD LUCK FINDING THE PARTS. PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND HAVE FORD TOW IT IN. INITIALLY MY CUSTOMER THOUGHT THAT HIS VEHICLE HAD GONE DEAD BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE HE JUST COULD NOT STEER IT. IF IT HAPPENS TO YOU...PARK THE VEHICLE....LEARN ABOUT YOUR STATE'S LEMON LAW. MY CUSTOMER WILL BE WITH OUT THEIR VEHICLE FOR OVER 2 MONTHS BUT SINCE IT DID NOT FAIL DURING THE FIRST WARRANTY YEAR, HE IS NOT COVERED BY THE LEMON LAW IN OUR STATE. *TR