NHTSA Complaint #10641722 — 2011 FORD FUSION

AFTER CRANKING MY CAR AND BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND SAT FOR A MINUTE. TURNED IT BACK ON AND WAS FINE. TWO DAYS LATER, I WAS LEAVING MY HOME AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. HOWEVER INSTEAD OF IT WORKING AFTER A RESTART, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE MESSAGE CAME ON EACH TIME. I COULD BARELY MUSCLE IT BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY. MYSELF BEING 5'3" 130LBS FOUND IT VERY SCARY TO TRY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST. IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET BACK IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE DRIVER OF THE TOW TRUCK HAD TO MOVE IT BACK BEFORE HE COULD LOAD IT. I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM FORD AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED CAR WITH 63,000 MILES ON IT IN JUNE. I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE ALREADY HAD A $1000 REPAIR ON THIS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED. HUGELY DISAPPOINTED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING, I AM SCARED TO THINK OF WHAT THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN. NO WAY I COULD HAVE CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE IF IT WERE IN MOTION AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND I WOULD LIKE FOR FORD TO REIMBURSE THOSE INCLUDING MYSELF DEALING WITH THEIR FAULTY PARTS. *TR