NHTSA Complaint #10533125 — 2011 FORD FUSION

MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE SHE WORKS AND THE POWER STEERING QUIT. ON THE READOUT IT SAID POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC. ALSO THE ADVANCE TRAC LIGHT CAME ON. WITH DIFFICULTY SHE FINISHED PARKING THE CAR AND CALLED ME. SHE THEN SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WENT IN TO WORK. I DROVE TO WHERE SHE PARKED AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD FOR THE POWER STEERING. COULD NOT FIND IT SO LOOKED IN MANUAL AND FOUND THAT POWER STEERING ASSIST IS ELECTRONIC AND NOT HYDRAULIC. I STARTED CAR AND EVERYTHING WORKED NORMAL INCLUDING STEERING. LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SAME PROBLEM ON 2011 FUSIONS. PLUGGED A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL IN UNDER THE DASH AND IT SHOWED NO FAULT CODES STORED. TOOK TO A FORD DEALER THE FOLLOWING WEEK AFTER DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM WITH THEM. THEY KEPT IT 4 DAYS AND COULD NOT GET THE PROBLEM TO COME UP AGAIN. WAS TOLD TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT CAME UP AGAIN. PICKED UP THE CAR ON FRIDAY THE 26TH AND DROVE IT. THE STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN ON SUNDAY THE 28TH OF JULY WHEN I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND SHUT OFF. RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL AGAIN. TALKED TO 2 OTHER FORD DEALERS AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN WITHOUT SHUTTING OFF SO THEY CAN CHECK IT WHEN IT IS HAPPENING. (BUT OF COURSE IT HAS TO BE A DAY AND TIME THEY ARE OPEN) I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS TO WORK DAILY AND HAS TO TRAVEL OVER ROADS WHERE THERE IS NO PLACE TO PULL OFF TO RESET. ALSO IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR HER TO KEEP STEERING WHILE SHE IS CONTINUING TO DRIVE. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FILED A COMPLAINT BUT WITH NO IMMEDIATE RESOLVE. *TR