NHTSA Complaint #10945503 — 2014 FORD FOCUS

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 10 MINUTES, I THOUGHT I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AFTER STOPPING AT A STOPLIGHT ON A MAJOR FOUR LANE ROAD IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. WHEN I STARTED TURNING LEFT ONTO A WINDY TWO LANE HIGHWAY, I INITIALLY DIDN'T HEAR A GRINDING NOISE, AND THEN DISTINCTLY HEARD IT AS I COMPLETED THE TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY LOOSE, THEN SUDDENLY EXTREMELY TIGHT AND VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT ON THE ROAD PLACING ME IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP BY MY HOUSE AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH THEM. AFTER CALLING THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHO LAST SERVICED MY VEHICLE, I WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE CAR IN IMMEDIATELY AND BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING. HE STATED THERE MAY BE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERING REPAIR. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BY MY HOUSE WHO INFORMED ME OF THE DOOR LATCH RECALL AS WELL. AFTER BEING TOLD THE NEXT DAY THE POWER STEERING RACK/GEARBOX WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT WOULD BE $1800 TO REPAIR, I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO WAS OF NO SERVICE. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A FORD REGIONAL MANAGER OFFERING FOR ME TO PAY A PORTION OF THE COST. I DECLINED AND REQUESTED SPEAKING WITH THEIR SUPERVISOR BASED ON THIS BEING A PROBLEM FORD IS AWARE OF AND HAS YET TO RECONCILE. FURTHERMORE, FORD PLACED RESPONSIBILITY ON THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE AN OFFER FOR REPAIR WHEN THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN THE ONLY REASONABLE AND UNDERSTANDING ENTITY TO DATE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW TO GET ME TO AND FROM WORK, AND EVENTUALLY GIVE TO MY 17 DAUGHTER. I'M ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY AND APPALLED FORD HAS THE AUDACITY TO NOT REPAIR A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. ALTHOUGH I HAVE THE STRENGTH TO STEER THE VEHICLE ON A TWO LANE, WINDING ROAD, MY DAUGHTER WOULD NOT! *TR