NHTSA Complaint #10663348 — 2011 FORD EDGE

CARE STARTED MAKING A WHIRRING NOISE THAT WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT NOT A NORMAL NOISE. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE, FOUND A LEAK IN POWER STEERING. TWO MONTHS LATER (5/9/12) TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP QUIT, COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL AND LOTS OF STEAM/SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR. REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP UNDER WARRANTY (EXT. WARRANTY WAS PURCHASED AT TIME OF SALE). NOVEMBER 12, 2014 TOOK THE CAR BACK IN FOR WHIRRING NOISE, MOSTLY NOTICEABLE WHILE TURNING LEFT AND ONLY WHEN IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE. (TEMPS BELOW 45). POWER STEERING PUMP WAS BAD AGAIN. REPLACED PUMP/BELT FOR $853.45. DROVE TO FLORIDA FOR THANKSGIVING NO PROBLEMS CAME HOME TO COLD WEATHER AND THE WHIRRING NOISE WAS BACK. THIS TIME IT DIDN'T STOP FOR 20-30 MINUTES WHEN CAR WAS SUFFICIENTLY WARM. NOISE MADE WHILE GOING FORWARD/BACKWARDS/TURNING. PARKED CAR FOR THE WEEKEND FRIDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY NIGHT WENT TO MOVE IT AND STEERING DIDN'T WORK. CHECKED FLUID RESERVOIR ALMOST EMPTY. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP, HAD TO WAIT 48 HRS FOR THEM TO FIND THE O-RING AND HOSE WAS BAD, ANOTHER $500. O-RING AND HOSE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH POWER STEERING PUMP, BUT WERE NOT PART OF THE PACKAGE. HOW DO I KNOW THAT THE NEW PUMP DIDN'T SUFFER DAMAGE FROM BEING SO LOW ON FLUID? THERE WAS 3000 MILES DRIVEN BETWEEN NEW PUMP AND HOSE ISSUE. *TR