NHTSA Complaint #10715039 — 2011 FORD FUSION

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON A TWO LANE LOCAL STREET THE POWER STEERING OF MY 2011 FORD FUSION FAILED ON A CURVE. THE CAR PULLED ABRUPTLY TO THE RIGHT, WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A CURB CAUSING A FLAT AND A DENTED RIM. THE WARNING MESSAGES "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW" AND "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC" ALTERNATELY CAME ON. AFTER CHANGING THE FLAT THE CAR STILL HAD NO POWER STEERING. I PROCEEDED WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY TO DRIVE TO A REPAIR SHOP. AFTER REPEATED EFFORTS TO RESET THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MECHANISM, THE MECHANIC GOT IT WORKING AGAIN. HOWEVER, BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM, HE SAID IT COULD STOP FUNCTIONING AT ANY TIME AGAIN AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. HE TOLD ME THERE WERE AT LEAST A THOUSAND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE POWER STEERING FAILING IN THE 2011 FUSION. SHOULD I PAY OVER $2000.00 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM WITH ANOTHER OF THE SAME FAULTY DESIGN? MY CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 24000 MILES ON IT. HOW MANY WILL I NEED? FURTHERMORE, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING OVER 50 YEARS AND NEVER HAVE MYSELF OR ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY HAD A PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING CUTTING IN AND OUT. I CAN'T RECALL IN MY LIFETIME ANYONE EVER SAYING HIS OR HER POWER STEERING HAD TO BE REPAIRED. AS A MATHEMATICIAN, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THE NUMBER OF FAILURES IN SUCH A SHORT TIME PERIOD IS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT WHEN COMPARED TO THE NORM. *TR