NHTSA Complaint #11098837 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

I PICKED UP MY CAR FROM THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHO HAD JUST REPLACED BRAKES AND ROTORS, DONE A ALIGNMENT, AND REPLACED A CIRCUIT BREAKER ON 5/16/2018. I THEN TOOK SAID CAR ON A ROAD TRIP DOWN THE EAST COAST. WHEN I FIRST GOT ONTO THE HIGHWAY, I FELT MY CAR PULLING EVER SO SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. I ASSUMED THE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF AND DIDN'T THINK ANYMORE OF IT UNTIL I TRIED TO GO ACROSS THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE, WHERE MY CAR BEGAN TO BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER AND HANDLE. SEVERAL WARNINGS CAME ACROSS THE DASHBOARD, INCLUDING 'SERVICE POWER STEERING', ALONG WITH TWO TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. I PULLED OFF INTO THE NEAREST SERVICE STATION ON THE NJ TURNPIKE, WHERE I COULD NO LONGER STEER THE CAR (AS I WAS DECREASING SPEED), AND THE RED WARNING FLASHING 'SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW' APPEARED. I PUT MY VEHICLE IN PARK, AND COULD NOT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO BE SERVICED, RENT A CAR, AND DRIVE BACK HOME. IT IS ABSURD THAT 196,000 OTHER EXPLORERS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT MINE WAS NOT (ALONG WITH ABOUT 150+ OTHER CASES I RESEARCHED BEFORE REPORTING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE 77,000 MILES ON MY CAR, EXTENDED AND POWERTRAIN WARRANTIES, AND HAD TO PAY $2000 PLUS NJ STATE TAXES OUT OF POCKET FOR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. THIS IS MY FIRST FORD, AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT THEY AREN'T INCLUDING THESE OTHER AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUE IN A RECALL.