NHTSA Complaint #10969234 — 2013 FORD FOCUS

I PURCHASED A FORD FOCUS IN 2013 AND CURRENTLY HAVE 28,300 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS DRIVEN SOLELY BY ME. HOWEVER, RECENTLY I HAD A MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT COULD VERY EASILY BE FATAL FOR ANY DRIVER. THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED AND LOCKED UP THE STEERING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LUCKILY FOR ME I WAS WITHIN 10 FEET OF MY DRIVEWAY GOING ABOUT THREE MILES PER HOUR. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE FORD DEALER WHERE THEY WANTED OVER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR THE POWER STEERING. IF ANYONE IS DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURS, I BELIEVE THE PROBABILITY OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR FATALITY WOULD BE VERY HIGH. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THE POWER STEERING IS ELECTRONIC SO WHEN IT GOES, IT BECOMES UNSTEERABLE. ALARMINGLY, WHEN SPEAKING WITH DEALERSHIP AND THE FORD AREA REGIONAL MANAGER THEY DID NOT REGARD THIS AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. IN FACT, THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THIS WAS A DEFECT AS IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE. I ASKED IF THIS WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, HOW COULD THIS OCCUR AT 28,300 MILES? THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THIS COULD HAPPEN IF IT WAS HIT BUT ADMITTED THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF THIS. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS CAR HAS NOT EVEN RUN OVER A POT HOLE. SINCE NO ONE IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, I NEED TO DOCUMENT THIS PROBLEM AS ONE THAT CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF NOT RECALLED OR CORRECTED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THIS IS A MUCH MORE SEVERE PROBLEM THAN THE AUTO PROBLEM A FEW YEARS BACK WHERE CARS WERE ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING PEOPLE OVER WHEN STARTING . THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IMAGINE YOUR FAMILY DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT SIXTY MILES AN HOUR AND THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS, I BELIEVE MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY BEFORE THEY PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE. I FOR ONE WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED MINE!