NHTSA Complaint #10575449 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR STREET DURING HEAVY AFTERNOON TRAFFIC. THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND I COULD BARELY TURN THE WHEEL. THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR ADVANCED TRACTION FAILURE AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT CAME ON. I ALSO NOTICED THE TERRAIN MANAGEMENT CONTROL WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE ROAD INTO THE DRIVEWAY BUT IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I AM A REASONABLY STRONG ADULT WOMAN AND HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL EVEN SLIGHTLY WHILE SLOWLY MOVING. WHEN I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR INTO A SAFE PLACE I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED AGAIN, IT RETURNED TO NORMAL AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT. THREE DAYS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH ANOTHER DRIVER WHILE I WAS A PASSENGER. THE OLDER MALE DRIVER HAD SIMILAR DIFFICULTY STEERING AND TURNING THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THEY REPAIRED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING FOR AN ESTIMATED COST OF OVER $2000. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,400 MILES SO ABOUT 400 MILES PAST THE WARRANTY. WE WERE ABLE TO GET FORD TO REDUCE THE COST TO APPROXIMATELY $750, SOME OF WHICH WAS FOR THE ALIGNMENT THAT WAS NECESSARY FOLLOWING THE REPAIR. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE WITH DEVASTATING RESULTS. I AM A MOM AND GIRL SCOUT LEADER AND TRANSPORT CHILDREN FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I HAD 4 CHILDREN IN MY VEHICLE. *TR