NHTSA Complaint #10712628 — 2012 FORD FUSION

I PULLED INTO A STORE AFTER EXITING I40, WHEN I GOT BACK IN THE VEHICLE I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND BELLS STARTED GOING OFF AND AN ERROR MESSAGE POPPED UP ON THE MILEAGE SCREEN THAT READ "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND MY POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY GONE. I STILL HAD ABOUT 25 MILES TO DRIVE TO MY HOME. I NURSED THE CAR A FEW MILES AND CALLED MY BOYFRIEND ([XXX] ) WHO GOOGLED THE ISSUE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THE EXACT SAME CAR. MANY PEOPLE WERE SAYING THAT THEY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT HAD TEMPORARILY RESOLVED THE ISSUE. I PULLED INTO ANOTHER PARKING LOT TO TRY - ALMOST HITTING A POLE BECAUSE IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL AND TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF DISTANCE TO TURN. I SHUT THE CAR OFF FOR A COUPLE MINUTES, TURNED IT BACK ON, THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. THE INCIDENT THEN HAPPENED AGAIN THE FOLLOWING DAY (4/24/2015) 3 TIMES -AND THEN AGAIN ON 4/25/2015 WITHOUT PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND AT WHICH TIME THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT COME BACK NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR