NHTSA Complaint #10481492 — 2012 FORD FUSION

WHEN EXITING ONTO THE ACCESS ROAD OF A MAJOR FREEWAY, MY 2012 FORD FUSION'S POWER STEERING LOCKED UP AND I COULD NOT MANEUVER THE WHEEL (THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING OF THE IMPENDING FAILURE)... IMMEDIATELY, I TURNED ON HAZARD LIGHTS AND REDUCED SPEED, THEN WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DASHBOARD SHOWED AN ERROR STATING "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT." I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND UPON RESTART OF THE ENGINE, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. TODAY, OCT. 22, 2012, THIS SAME POWER STEERING FAILURE HAS NOW OCCURRED FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN LESS THAN A MONTH. EACH OCCURRENCE WAS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 25 MPH, HOWEVER ON TWO OF THESE OCCASIONS, I NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH VEHICLES NEARBY BECAUSE I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND COULD NOT MANEUVER OUT OF THE WAY OF THE NEIGHBORING VEHICLES... THANKFULLY, THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE ABLE TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING MY VEHICLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT MY VEHICLE WILL BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE DUE TO THIS VERY SERIOUS MALFUNCTION OF THE FORD FUSION'S POWER STEERING! THE NHTSA NEEDS TO ORDER A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF THE EXACT SAME POWER STEERING FAILURE ON THE FORD FUSION, FORD FOCUS, FORD EXPLORER AND FORD ESCAPE. I AM HIGHLY UPSET WITH FORD FOR NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE AND CONTINUING TO SELL NEW VEHICLES, SUCH AS MINE, TO UNWITTING AND TRUSTING CUSTOMERS... ALL THE WHILE KNOWING THEY WERE MANUFACTURING THE SAME DAMAGED PART AND PLACING IT INTO THEIR NEW VEHICLES. PLEASE HOLD THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DISHONEST AND MISLEADING PRACTICES.... MAKE THEM ISSUE A RECALL OF ALL THEIR VEHICLES WITH MALFUNCTIONING POWER STEERING AND AVOID AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS CONDITION ON ROADS ALL ACROSS AMERICA. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT FOR AN INNOCENT PERSON TO DIE BECAUSE OF FORD'S FAILURE TO ACT!! *TR