NHTSA Complaint #10559234 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAPPENED WHILE RAINING. THE FIRST TIME,ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SCREEN AND MYFORDTOUCH SCREENS BOTH WENT BLACK AND LOST POWER STEERING SUDDENLY,BUT ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. BUT, ALL OF SUDDEN, THEN POWER STEERING RE-ENERGIZED AND MADE STEERING WHEEL JERK CAUSING VEHICLE TO SKID MOMENTARILY, BUT I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND PULL OVER. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SCREEN THEN HAD A MESSAGE "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM." I TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. FEW DAYS LATER, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE CHECKED OUT AS BEING FINE. TODAY, VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP TO TURN INTO DRIVEWAY AND FELT LIKE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. HAD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL WITH GREAT FORCE TO TURN INTO DRIVEWAY HOME AND THE DROVE ABOUT 200FT TO CARPORT AND POWER STEERING NEVER RETURNED AND HAD SAME CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND POWER STEERING RETURNED AND NO LONGER HAD CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING MESSAGE. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN RAINING AND UNABLE TO REPRODUCE FOR SERVICE TECH BECAUSE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY WON'T TEST VEHICLE WHEN IT IS RAINING. *TR