NHTSA Complaint #11051246 — 2012 FORD EXPLORER

OUR POWER STEERING SYSTEM FINALLY WENT OUT ON OUR 2012 XLT. IN FACT, THE WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH OUR TWO TODDLERS AT 75MPH WHEN IT WENT OUT. SHE PULLED OVER AND I HAD TO MEET UP WITH HER AND DRIVE IT HOME (NOT EASY). WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL IF THIS HAPPENED 8K MILES AGO, BUT SINCE WE ARE OVER THE 150,000 LIMIT, I GET TO PAY $1940.00 TO GET IT REPAIRED(GETTING REPAIRED AS THIS IS TYPED). ITS SAD REALLY, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS AT 120K, I WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING AND WAS HOPING TO GET IT REPLACED AT THE DEALER, HOWEVER AT THE TIME, THEY WERE "UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE" SO NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. I AM DISAPPOINTED, BECAUSE IT TAKES A COMPLETE FAILURE (AND ENDANGERMENT TO LIVES) FOR THE RECALL TO BE INITIATED. I WONDER IF GM'S IGNITION RECALL IS THE SAME WAY? I COULD REPAIR IT MYSELF AS ITS NOT TOO BAD OF A JOB, BUT DUE TO BEING BUSY, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A WEEK OR TWO FOR ME TO DO ALONE AND THIS IS OUR PRIMARY FAMILY VEHICLE. MY SERVICE ADVISER HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT HELPFUL BUT HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM DISAPPOINTED IN FORDS APPROACH TO THE FAILURE OF A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE.