NHTSA Complaint #10717790 — 2012 FORD FUSION

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 45MPH THEN THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM ICON TURNED ON ON MY DASH. I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AND NOTICED THAT IT TOOK A LOT MORE EFFORT TO STEER THE CAR. I STARTED TO SLOW TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THERE WERE CARS BEHIND ME THAT HAD TO COME TO AND UNEXPECTED SLOW AS I TRIED TO GET OFF OF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN SOMEONES YARD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. DURING THIS TIME THE MESSAGES "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" WERE DISPLAYING ON MY DASH. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND THE SAME MESSAGES WOULD SHOW. I TURNED THE CAR BACK OFF AND CALL AAA TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED ON A FLATBED TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER, ATHENS FORD. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE WHEELS REALINNED. I ASKED HOW THIS HAPPENED AND JOHNATHAN TOLD ME THAT THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THERE WAS NO WAS FOR ME TO PREVENT IT. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS ESTIMATED AT $1800 AND I HAD TO GET A RENTAL FOR 2 DAYS.