NHTSA Complaint #10639500 — 2011 FORD FUSION

I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND HAD JUST STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW AND MERGE INTO A TURNING LANE WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS AND SOUNDS STARTED, AND STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT, AS IF POWER STEERING WAS GONE. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR THROUGH THE TURN AND PULL OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME THAT NEEDED TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY. ONCE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I TURNED THE CAR OFF. ONCE I RESTARTED THE CAR, THE WARNING LIGHTS CLEARED AND I HAD NORMAL STEERING. A MONTH PRIOR, THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. TURNING THE CAR OFF AN ON CLEARED THE PROBLEM THEN, TOO. WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION, WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY ADVISED THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, FOR A COST OF $1,700. THIS CAR WAS 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. WE LIVE IN AN AREA WITH MANY WINDING ROADS, SO THIS PROBLEM IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE OR ON A WINDING ROAD, I DON'T THINK I COULD CONTROL THE CAR TO KEEP FROM RUNNING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD ENTIRELY. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR, AND AM SURPRISED TO NOW SEE LOTS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR