NHTSA Complaint #10928285 — 2011 FORD F-150

STEERING LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING. WHILE MAKING A SHARP LEFT TURN IN A PARKING LOT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP MOMENTARILY THEN BECAME HARD TO TURN. AT THE SAME TIME I HEARD A LOUD GRINDING OR BUZZING SOUND AND THE 'SERVICE ADVANCE TRAK' LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED 150 MILES TO MY MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC CONFERRED WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACE. TRUCK HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT. MY MECHANIC EXPECTED THE PART TO TAKE UP TO A WEEK TO ARRIVE BUT IT WAS DELIVERED THE SAME DAY. DEALER HAD SEVERAL UNITS IN STOCK. SEEMS STRANGE TO HAVE THAT MANY OF THIS P[ART IN STOCK UNLESS THERE IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING FLAW THAT FORD HAS NOT DECLARED. I CHECKED THE F150 ONLINE FORUMS AND THERE ARE MANY REFERENCES TO THIS PROBLEM. NOT SURE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A RECALL HAPPEN BUT GIVEN THE SEEMINGLY HIGH NUMBER OF OWNERS AFFECTED BY THIS FORD SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP. THIS COST $1745 TO FIX (INCLUDING TOW) AND CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR