NHTSA Complaint #10694985 — 2011 FORD FUSION

I HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF LOSING POWER STEERING BOTH WHILE STATIONARY AND DRIVING. THE CAR GENERATES A "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW" ERROR MESSAGE. OFTEN AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING (SOMETIMES TAKING SEVERAL TIMES), THE FAULT WILL CLEAR AND THE CAR OPERATES AGAIN NORMALLY; HOWEVER, THIS HAS RECURRED AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES IN THE FOUR YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHILE DRIVING, WHICH WOULD PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD FOR SOMEONE UNLIKE MYSELF WHO DOES NOT HAVE PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH MANUAL STEERING VEHICLES THAT CAN ADJUST ON THE FLY. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS/ASSISTANCE SEVERAL TIMES, I AM TOLD THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE IT UNLESS IT IS ACTIVELY SHOWING THE ERROR CODE (WHICH IS NOT FEASIBLE AS THE CODES CLEAR AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, AND TYPICALLY WOULD REQUIRE EITHER A TOW TO A DEALERSHIP OR THE ABILITY TO DRIVE STRAIGHT TO A FORD FACILITY AT THE PRECISE TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURS, WITHOUT TURNING THE CAR OFF AT ANY POINT) AND THUS IT DOES NOT GET ADDRESSED OR FIXED. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER REVIEWS OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS SAME MAKE AND MODEL, AND MANY HAVE RESULTED IN HIGHLY COSTLY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPAIR WHICH DO NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I SEE THAT NHTSA CURRENTLY HAS AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE, AND AS SUCH WANTED TO ENSURE I DID MY PART BY FORMALLY DOCUMENTING ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS I FELT FORD'S REPORT THAT IT IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT ONLY AFFECTING 3 IN 1000 CARS SEEMS HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE GIVEN THE EXTENT OF OTHERS REPORTING THE SAME FAILURES IN A LIMITED NUMBER OF THESE CARS OF THE SAME MODEL YEAR SOLD, AND THOSE BEING LIMITED ONLY TO THOSE (UNLIKE MYSELF, UP UNTIL THIS JUNCTURE) WHO ELECTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO ENTER AN INTERNET COMPLAINT. *TR