NHTSA Complaint #10567295 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

LOST STEERING ASSIST DURING TURN INTO DRIVEWAY. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANUALLY STEER THE VEHICLE, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO STOP DUE TO THE LOW SPEED. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS AGAIN VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE WHEN I BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, HOWEVER, AFTER STOPPING AND STARTING THE VEHICLE 2-3 TIMES THE POWER STEERING BEGIN WORKING AGAIN ALLOWING ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FORWARD IN THEIR MAINTENANCE BAY THE STEERING ASSIST FAILED AGAIN, AT WHICH TIME TWO COMPUTER FAILURE CODES WHERE PRESENT, WHICH I READ AND THEN SHOWED TO THEIR MAINTENANCE REPRESENTATIVE. THE CODE LISTED ON THE RECEIPT WAS C200D. THE SECOND ISSUE INVOLVES ERRATIC SHIFTS AND LOSS OF POWER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP UP TO 35 MPH. A FORD DEALERSHIP HAS COMPLETED TWO-THREE COMPUTER SOFTWARE UPGRADES. THE MOST SERIOUS SHIFTING PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN PULLING OUT OR TURNING ONTO A ROADWAY AND THERE IS MINIMAL ACCELERATION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED DOWN, AND THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO ADJUST AS EXPECTED TO THE TRAFFIC FLOW. THIS PROBLEM WAS FIRST REPORTED 02/2013 AND MOST RECENTLY DURING 09/2013.