NHTSA Complaint #10703447 — 2012 FORD FUSION

I WAS DRIVING ON THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN I FELT MY STEERING WHEEL PULL VERY SLIGHTLY, AND THEN I NOTICED THE "POWER ASSIST FAIL" MESSAGE CAME UP ON THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD I DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE ANY MAJOR DIFFERENCE UNTIL I GOT TO WHERE I WAS GOING TO TURN OFF, AND THEN IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. AFTER PARKING, I LOOKED IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL, AND READ THAT I NEEDED TO WAIT FOR A BIT AND THEN RESTART. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR IT DROVE FINE. AFTER RETURNING HOME, I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, AND ASKED IF I SHOULD COME IN. I WAS ADVISED TO COME IN. THEY CHARGED ME ABOUT $130.00 TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, AND THEY ESTIMATED THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT $1800.00 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE NOT DECIDED WHETHER TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED (WE BOTH HAVE READ ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING THE PART REPLACED ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN) OR TO JUST REPLACING THE CAR ALTOGETHER. EITHER WAY, WE ARE NOT PLEASED AT FORD'S FAILURE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN ISSUE THAT IS THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE PART THEY USED TO MANUFACTURE THE FUSION. FURTHERMORE, HAD THIS HAPPENED WHEN I HAD BEEN ON A CURVY ROAD OR IN A HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATION, I COULD HAVE WRECKED AND POSSIBLY BEEN KILLED OR COULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY COULD HAVE BEEN EITHER SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. FORD NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, CONSIDERING BOTH THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES AND THAT MY EXPERIENCE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENCE (AS EVIDENCED BY READING ABOUT A LOT OF OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED OR WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS). *TR