NHTSA Complaint #10959996 — 2013 FORD FOCUS

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD APPROACHING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND WOULD NOT MOVE EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. FORTUNATELY I WAS STOPPED FOR THE SIGNAL. I HAD TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO ABOUT HOLDING UP TRAFFIC. FINALLY I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I WAITED APPROX 10 TO 15 SECONDS. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND WHEN I STARTED I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. I THEN PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO MY MECHANIC VERY CAREFULLY. HE TOLD ME WHAT HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MECHANISM. I THEN WENT DIRECTLY TO THE FORD DEALER, EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM AND LEFT THE CAR. HE CONTACTED ME LATER , SAID HE HAD TO ORDER THE PART AND WOULD LET ME KNOW WHEN THE CAR WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. THE COST? WOW. THE NAME OF THE PART WAS STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY, REPROGRAM SYSTEM WITH THE COMPUTER. SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE TOTAL COST WAS $1,972.19.