NHTSA Complaint #10671752 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

HAD UNIT BACK IN DEALER NOVEMBER 2014 FOR THE RECALL14S06 AND WAS TOLD THEY DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE. JANUARY 7TH 2015 WENT TO LEAVE WORK, STARTED UNIT TO WARM UP. GOT IN IT 15 MINUTES LATER AND NO POWER STEERING. LIGHT ON DASH SAID :STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" TOOK BACK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO SPEND $1600 BECAUSE IT NEEDED THE STEERING GEAR REPLACED. PLEASE NOTE THIS UNIT WAS BUILT IN MARCH 2011 IN THE CHICAGO ASSEMBLY PLANT AND FALLS UNDER THE SUSPECTED TIME FRAME OF THE FAILED COMPONENT. ALSO IT IS 10 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT ONLY HAS 26000 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO CONTACT FORD AND EXPLAIN TO THEM I FELT IT SHOULD BE COVER 100% BUT WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT UP WITH MY DEALER AFTER THEY RAN MY CASE NUMBER. WAS CONTACTED BY MY DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME OUT OF POCKET $800 PLUS IT COULD TAKE 3/5 WORKING DAYS TO GET COMPONENT. I FIND THIS AS A GOOD FAITH GESTURE BUT COME ON FORD YOU KNEW BACK IN THE LAB THAT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS ONLY A BANDAID AND THE REALLY PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.YOU NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND REPAIR ALL FAILED UNITS WITH A NEW STEERING GEAR AT 100% YOUR COST! *TR