NHTSA Complaint #10905063 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

SEP 3, 2016 3RD INCIDENT OF POWER STEERING GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING. FIRST TIME WAS ONE YEAR AGO. THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. I HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO "UN-JAM" IT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR. 6 MONTHS AGO STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING WITH MY HUSBAND AND 3 CHILDREN ON VACATION. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALER WHO "FOUND NOTHING WRONG" WITH THE CAR AND SENT US ON OUR WAY WITHOUT PAPERWORK EVEN DOCUMENTING OUR COMPLAINT. 3RD TIME WAS A WEEK AGO WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY HUSBAND AND SON. MY HUSBAND, THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND THE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING. DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE STEERING GEAR AGAIN. "SAME FIX AS LAST TIME, BUT BETTER PARTS SINCE A YEAR AGO" IS WHAT I'M TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE NO FAITH IN THIS CAR AND CANNOT PUT MY FAMILY OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AT RISK. STEERING LOCKING UP WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING IS EXTREMELY TERRIFYING AND FORD IS TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO BECAUSE IT IS NOT UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY ANYMORE. BASICALLY, IF YOU BUY A FORD YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO RISK YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THEIR RECALL FIXES DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM.