NHTSA Complaint #10475287 — 2011 FORD FUSION

BEGINNING ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2012 RIGHT UP UNTIL THIS MORNING, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2011 FORD FUSION HAS LOCKED UP SIX TIMES. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED ON MONDAY 9/10/2012 AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN A CORNER AT A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN, BELLS AND WHISTLES WENT OFF, MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND A MESSAGE ON MY DASH BOARD READ "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" AND "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE." THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER - BASICALLY LOCKED UP. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO WHERE I COULD TURN MY CAR OFF, TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND RESTART IT TO UNLOCK THE STEERING. SINCE THEN, (3 DAYS LATER) THIS HAS OCCURRED ANOTHER FIVE TIMES. NOT ALL INSTANCES HAVE BEEN WHILE TURNING A CORNER AND IT HAPPENS AT RANDOM SPEED. THE ONLY WAY I CAN UNLOCK THE STEERING IS BY SHUTTING THE CAR OFF, TAKING THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND TOTALLY RESTARTING IT. I LIVE IN HOUSTON, TX AND SPEND SEVERAL HOURS IN MY CAR EACH DAY JUST COMMUTING BACK AND FORTH FROM WORK ALONE. I AM TRULY TERRIFIED EACH TIME I GET IN MY CAR - ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERSTATES DURING RUSH HOUR. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FEEL LIKE THIS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND IN MY OPINION, FORD NEEDS TO ADMINISTER A RECALL! I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED TO TAKE MY CAR IN BUT FROM EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE READ ONLINE, THE PARTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM ARE ALL ON BACK ORDER. PLEASE HELP! I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS OUT THERE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE. DON'T LET IT GET TO THE POINT OF SOMEONE LOSING THEIR LIFE OR SOMEONE TAKING ANOTHER'S LIFE. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!!! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR