NHTSA Complaint #10473887 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

THIS VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE (20+) POWER STEERING FAILURES. IT TYPICALLY OCCURS WHILE I AM DRIVING ON THE TACONIC STATE PARKWAY, A 55 MPH ROAD IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY. THE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURS QUICKLY WITH LITTLE TIME FOR THE DRIVER TO REACT. YOU SIMPLY GET A SMALL CHIME WITH AN INDICATOR ON THE DASH STATING "POWER ASSIST FAILURE' FOLLOWED BY A MESSAGE STATING 'POWER STEERING FAILURE'. BY THE TIME YOU READ THE MESSAGE, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED AS YOU HAVE NO POWER STEERING THE MOMENT THE CHIME IS HEARD. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED AS I WAS TURNING OFF THE EXIT RAMP FOR THE TACONIC STATE PARKWAY ONTO A LOCAL ROAD TO GO HOME. HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND I ALMOST DROVE MY CAR INTO ANOTHER CAR AT THE INTERSECTION. WITH MY STRENGTH, I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL TO COMPLETE THE TURN. OTHERWISE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HEAD ON COLLISION INTOP A CAR STOPPED IN THE INTERSECTION. HAD THIS BEEN MY PREGNANT WIFE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SCARY RESULT. THIS CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER (PLEASANTVILLE FORD) SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TO HAVE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED. THEY CLAIMED AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS DUE TO A CROSSED WIRE THAT WAS FIXED. THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR, AND THEY PRESENTLY HAVE A NEW RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM ON ORDER FROM FORD TO TRY AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE. BASED ON THE LATEST OCCURRENCE, AS WELL AS A SLEW OF OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE, I AM DROPPING IT AT THE DEALER TODAY AS I NO LONGER DEEM IT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET WITH FORD AND THEIR PRODUCT OVER THIS ISSUE. *TR