NHTSA Complaint #10583774 — 2011 FORD F-150

ON THE NIGHT OF DEC 20, 2013, I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON I81 NORTH OF SYRACUSE NY. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT VERY GOOD. A BLOCK OF ICE FELL OFF A TRUCK AHEAD OF ME, EVASIVE ACTION WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO ICE AND TRAFFIC VOLUME. THE ICE STRUCK THE ALTERNATOR WHICH IS CLEVERLY POSITIONED ABOUT 10" OFF THE GROUND ON THE LOWER LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM BY SYSTEM. I CANT RECALL THE EXACT SEQUENCE, AS IT WAS ALL HAPPENING PRETTY FAST. EVENTUALLY, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM LOST POWER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON THIS VEHICLE, YOU LOSE ALL STEERING CAPABILITY. ITS NOT LIKE ITS JUST MANUAL STEERING, THERE IS NO STEERING OTHER THAN THE ABILITY TO SLIGHTLY ALTER COURSE BY PULLING EXTREMELY HARD ON THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NO LIGHTS, THE SHOULDERS WERE UNPLOWED, STOPPING WASN'T A GOOD IDEA. AS GOOD FORTUNE WOULD HAVE IT, THE CICERO NY EXIT PRESENTED ITSELF AT THAT MOMENT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL EXTREMELY HARD ON THE WHEEL AND WAS ABLE TO STEER THE SLIGHT CURVE. AT THE BOTTOM, I DISCOVERED I HAD NO BREAKS. I SHOT ACROSS THE USUALLY BUSY NY 31 AND INTO A KWIKSTOP, WHERE I STOMPED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND CAME TO A STOP. WE SHORTLY DISCOVERED A FIRE UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE AND WERE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH IT WITH SNOW. I CANNOT BELIEVE A STEERING SYSTEM LIKE THIS IS PERMITTED. HAD I KNOWN IT HAD THIS SYSTEM AND ITS LIMITATIONS, ID NEVER HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR. IF MY SON AND I HAD BEEN KILLED THAT NIGHT, IT WOULD HAVE ALL BEEN CHALKED UP TO ROAD CONDITIONS. IN FURIOUS ABOUT THIS SYSTEM. IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.....NOW. *TR