NHTSA Complaint #10981186 — 2015 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ON TO A RESIDENTIAL STREET THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IT BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO KEEP FROM RUNNING UP ON THE SIDEWALK. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE, MOST LIKELY RESULTING IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE ALERT APPEARED ON DASH READ OUT. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, RE-STARTED, NO CHANGE. SHUT OFF A SECOND TIME, RESTARTED AND ALERT DISAPPEARED AND THE STEERING WAS FUNCTIONING. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME, CALLED FORD TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY THE NEXT DAY IN ROUTE TO THE DEALERSHIP, A HEAVY CLUNK SOUND WAS HEARD. I WENT THROUGH THE SAME MOTIONS AGAIN BUT COULD NOT REPEAT THE CLUNK NOISE. DROVE THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THEY REMOVED AND REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR WHICH IS THE ENTIRE RACK. I ASKED AN ADVISER IF THEY KNEW THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND OR IF THE NEW PART BEING INSTALLED IS THE SAME AS WHAT WAS REMOVED OR IF THERE WAS AN UPGRADED VERSION. THEY WERE UNABLE TO VERIFY ANY UPGRADES RELATING TO THE FAILURE WHICH HAS ME WORRIED SINCE MY WIFE ALSO DRIVES THE VEHICLE AND THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE FAILURE WON'T OCCUR AGAIN. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERED THE MAJORITY OF THE COSTS.I PAID A $100. DEDUCTIBLE. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE I'M CONVINCED THAT IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT DUE TO OTHER YEAR AND MODEL FORDS DISPLAYING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I ALSO WANT IT DOCUMENTED IN CASE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. COPY OF REPAIR ORDER ATTACHED.