NHTSA Complaint #10629243 — 2011 FORD FUSION

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON INTERSTATE-87 NORTH IN NEW YORK WITH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS WHEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ON MY 2011 FORD FUSION CAME ON THE DASH INFORMING ME OF A POWER STEERING FAILURE. AT THE TIME, I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT HAND LANE OF THE THREE-LANE HIGHWAY AND WAS HAD TO NAVIGATE MY WAY ACROSS TWO LANES OF BUSY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER. WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON, I HAD TO FIGHT THE STIFF STEERING WHEEL TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. I PUT MY CAR IN PARK, TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND TURNED THE CAR BACK ON. THE ISSUE WENT AWAY AND I DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY TO WORK. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS AND HAD NOT HAD AN INCIDENT UNTIL JULY 2014. TWO TIMES PRIOR TO THIS STEERING FAILURE, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO REVERSE TO PULL OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THIS TRIP COULD HAVE EASILY TURNED INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT FOR MYSELF AND THOSE DRIVING AROUND ME. *TR