NHTSA Complaint #10515093 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. A LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE SYSTEM MADE A SOUND TO LET ME KNOW THERE WAS A MESSAGE. IT LET ME KNOW THAT I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY POWER STEERING. I WAS TURNING INTO AN ISLE, AND HAD TO PUT MY BODY INTO TURNING THE SUV. I PULLED INTO A WIDE OPEN PARKING SPACE, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. THE ISSUE RESOLVED ITSELF. TWO DAYS LATER I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK DOING ABOUT 30MPH AND THE SAME MESSAGE CAME ON AND THE POWER WENT OUT. I HAD TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET MY CAR IN THE NEXT AVAILABLE TIME, WHICH WAS FOUR DAYS LATER. THAT EVENING I WAS TAKING A CAR LOAD OF LITTLE BOYS TO A BASEBALL GAME. THE STEERING WENT OUT ON A CURVY COUNTRY ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER. I HAD A FEW CHOICE THOUGHTS ABOUT MY FORD EXPLORER FAILING MY FAMILY!! I HAVE SINCE BEEN TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER THAT CHARGED ME $1,800 TO REPLACE MY STEERING GEAR PART, LABOR, ALIGNMENT AND TAXES. MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND FORD IS SOMEHOW ABLE TO SEE THIS DEFECT IN THOUSANDS OF CARS AND PUNISH IT'S CUSTOMERS FOR CHOOSING TO SUPPORT FORD. I DIDN'T WANT TO PURCHASE A CAR THAT HAD BEEN PRODUCED BY A COMPANY THAT USED BAIL-OUT MONEY, BUT NEXT TIME I WILL! *TR