NHTSA Complaint #11091146 — 2011 MERCURY MARINER

REGARDING: NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 14V-284, FORD RECALL NUMBER 14S05 ELECTRIC POWER STEERING THE RECALL INSTRUCTIONS TO DEALERS CALL FOR A SIGNAL TEST AND EITHER REPROGRAMMING A SENSOR OR REPLACING THE TORQUE SENSOR BASED ON THE RESULTS. IT ALSO CALLS FOR REPLACING THE TORQUE SENSOR UPON FAILURE IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE HAD THE RECALL SENSOR PERFORMED. THE RECALL INSTRUCTIONS TO DEALERS ALSO TELLS THEM THAT A TORQUE SENSOR THAT FAILS AFTER THE REPROGRAMMING WAS DONE IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. THE PURPOSE OF THE SENSOR REPROGRAMMING WAS TO INITIATE A WARNING IN THE DRIVER CONTROL CENTER UPON IMMINENT SENSOR FAILURE, BUT DOES NOTHING TO FIX, REPAIR OR REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. I HAD THE DEALER PERFORM THE TEST AND SOFTWARE UPGRADE AND WAS UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT THE RECALL WAS TO ACTUALLY REPLACE THE STATISTICALLY FAULTY PART , AND NOT JUST A POTENTIAL WARNING. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ON MY VEHICLE FAILED ON 4-12-2018 AND, INCIDENTALLY, I DID NOT GET A WARNING ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER BEFORE THE FAILURE; SO THE REPROGRAMMING DID NOTHING FOR MY VEHICLE. MY QUESTION IS WHY IS FORD/MERCURY NOT REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE FAILED SENSORS THAT ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE RECALL? I UNDERSTAND FORD NOT BEING REQUIRED TO REPLACE SENSORS THAT MIGHT FAIL BUT GIVING DRIVERS NOTICE OF IMMINENT FAILURE, BUT FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE SENSORS THAT DO FAIL EVEN AFTER THE REPROGRAMMING BECAUSE THE REPROGRAMMING IS NOT INTENDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM JUST WARN DRIVERS. THE SENSOR REPLACEMENT IS NEARLY A $2000 REPAIR THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL. CAN THE NHTSA EXPLAIN THE RATIONAL FOR NOT REQUIRING FORD TO ACTUALLY FIX THE DEFECT THAT CAUSES A SERIOUS HAZARD?