NHTSA Complaint #10626821 — 2012 FORD FUSION

BACKED OUT OF GARAGE, AND UPON HITTING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, POWER STEERING STOPPED SUDDENLY AND COULD NOT STEER. THERE WERE SEVERAL ALERT SOUNDS, AND DASH LIGHT CAME ON INDICATED "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT." TURNED OFF AND BACK ON - TOOK 3 ATTEMPTS TO GET POWER STEERING TO COME BACK. HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE ON THE EXACT SAME MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE, AND WHEN I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT, EVEN THOUGH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED. THE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS THAT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE ALL STATE THAT POWER STEERING EITHER GOES AWAY COMPLETELY OR COMES AND GOES NEARLY DAILY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE!!! WHAT IF YOU ARE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPS WHEN ROUNDING A CURVE??? MY CAR HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS NOT A WEAR ISSUE, THIS IS A DESIGN OR PART DEFECT!!! *TR