NHTSA Complaint #10644126 — 2012 FORD FUSION

WHILE TRAVELING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY SPOUSE AND CHILD, THE CAR WARNING SYSTEM SUDDENLY FLASHED "POWER STEERING FAILURE" AND "AUTO TRACTION FAILURE" AND I LOST POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE. IN THIS FRIGHTENING MOMENT, THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AS WE SLOWED TO A SAFE SPEED AND RETURNED TO OUR HOME. ON OCTOBER 1, 2014 MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE CAR BUT WAS PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO BACK THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DRIVE AS THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I CONTACTED OUR DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE A VERY EXPENSIVE PART (THE RACK) COSTING $1800.00 AS ANOTHER FUSION WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP AT THAT TIME WITH 73,000 MILES HAVING THAT PART REPLACE. I WAS ASTOUNDED. ON OCTOBER 2ND, I CAREFULLY WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY NAVIGATED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, HERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IN CONVERSATION WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG AND THAT THERE WAS NO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PERFORMED, BUT THAT THE PART SIMPLY FAILED. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT THE PART WAS NOT MADE PROPERLY AND THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE CALLED FORD TWICE ON 10/02 AND 10/10 AND HAVE RECEIVED ABSOLUTELY NO HELP OR SATISFACTION. I HAVE CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED SATISFACTION TO THIS POINT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH A DEFECTIVE PART THAT FORD HAS PRODUCED, BUT IS UNWILLING TO REPLACE. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA INTERVENE IMMEDIATELY AND ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION BEFORE LIFE IS LOST. *TR