NHTSA Complaint #10608446 — 2012 FORD FUSION

I PURCHASED MY 2012 FORD FUSION ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO FROM A FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SINCE OWNING IT NEW. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD AN ALERT COME ON WHEN I AM DRIVING THAT READS "POWER STEERING FAILURE" AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES REALLY HARD TO TURN. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE AND MY WIFE ONCE. WHEN I STOP THE CAR AND TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF AND THEN START THE CAR BACK UP THE SYSTEM IS RESET AND THE WARNING IS NOT DISPLAYED ANY LONGER AND THE POWER STEERING WORKS ONCE AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS MY WIFE HAD A VERY HARD TIME TURNING THE WHEEL TO GET THE CAR OFF THE INTERSTATE WHEN IT HAPPENED TO HER. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MY REGULAR MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM (HE DROVE IT AROUND A LONG TIME) AND HE RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE IT IN TO THE FORD DEALER. THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION AND THAT IT WOULD COST $1700 TO GET IT REPLACED. I REFUSED THE REPAIR BECAUSE I READ ON THIS BOARD THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 FUSIONS AND THAT OTHERS THAT HAVE TAKEN THEIR CAR IN TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED, PAID THE MONEY FOR THE REPAIR, BUT STILL HAD THE SAME ALERT COME ON AFTER THE "REPAIR." IT SOUNDS LIKE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM TO ME THAT IS RESET WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED BACK ON. I EXPECT THERE TO BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AS THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 81,000 MILES ON IT. *JS