NHTSA Complaint #10630497 — 2011 FORD FUSION

I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE DRIVING MY 2011 FORD FUSION AWD 3.0L AT 75 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY I LOST POWER STEERING. A WARNING ICON APPEARED ON MY DASH IN ADDITION TO A MESSAGE READING: "SERVICE ADVANCED TRAC & SERVICE POWER STEERING. I HAD THIS OCCUR THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY AT LOW SPEEDS IN PARKING LOTS, BUT NEVER AT SUCH HIGH SPEEDS. I SAFELY EXITED THE INTERSTATE, CAME TO STOP, TURNED MY ENGINE OFF, AND RESTARTED MY CAR. THE WARNING MESSAGE DISAPPEARED AND I REGAINED POWER STEERING. I THEN WENT BACK ONTO THE INTERSTATE UP TO 65 MPH WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO CAREFULLY DRIVE HOME THE REST OF THE WAY WITHOUT POWER STEERING WHICH TOOK A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK THE CAR IT INTO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS AN "INTERNAL MOTOR FAULT IN STEERING RACK". THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND GEAR ASSEMBLY AND DO A WHEEL REALIGNMENT. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $1700. I WAS FORTUNATE TO NOT BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN SUDDENLY LOSING POWER STEERING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. FORD NEEDS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS AND REPAIR IT ACROSS ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR