NHTSA Complaint #10715146 — 2012 FORD EXPLORER

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE A WHILE AGO AND TOOK MY CAR IN RIGHT AWAY FOR THE SOFTWARE FIX. NOT LONG AFTER THAT, I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHERE THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY DIDN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING. 2 WEEKS AGO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED. THEY SAID THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM. 7 DAYS LATER I GOT IN MY CAR AND IMMEDIATELY GOT A POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT ERROR ON THE DASHBOARD AND COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT ONCE IT WAS THERE, THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING FINE. NOW, 5 DAYS LATER, MY CAR IS STILL THERE AND THE ONLY THING THEY KEEP TELLING ME IS THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING. I SENT THE SERVICE REP A LINK TO MULTIPLE WEBSITES WHERE MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WHICH CAN ONLY BE REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY BUT THEY MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WON'T FIX IT UNTIL THEY SEE IT HAPPEN FOR THEMSELVES EVEN THOUGH THEY RETRIEVED THE ERROR CODE FROM THE DIAGNOSTICS IN THE CAR. I CONTACTED A FORD REP DIRECTLY AND GOT AN EMAIL MESSAGE FROM THE REGIONAL REP WHO ALSO SAID THAT IF THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM THERE IS NO REPAIR. SO, UNLESS IT HAPPENS AGAIN WHILE THEY HAVE IT I'LL HAVE TO JUST DRIVE IT AND HOPE THAT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN IT ISN'T IN A SITUATION THAT INJURES ME OR A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY. ALSO, IF IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN WHILE I'M DRIVING BUT DOESN'T GO OUT PERMANENTLY IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THEY'LL ONLY FIX IT IF IT HAPPENS TO THEM NO MATTER WHAT CODES ARE PRESENT IN THE SYSTEM. SO IT APPEARS THAT INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING IS OK FOR FORD SINCE THEY'LL ONLY REPAIR IT IF THEY EXPERIENCE IT NO MATTER WHAT THE CAR DIAGNOSTICS SAY! HOW MANY FORD OWNERS ARE ON THE ROAD NOW JUST WAITING FOR THEIR POWER STEERING TO GO COMPLETELY OUT? HOW IS THIS A SAFE POLICY? I SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR!!! *TR