NHTSA Complaint #11101762 — 2011 FORD FUSION

DRIVING 8 HOURS, 70 MPH, ON 92 OUTSIDE TEMP DAY THE CAR STARTED MAKING A THUMPING SOUND WHEN BREAKING/STEERING SIMULTANEOUSLY. STEERING BECAME SOMEWHAT STIFFER. THE SOUND GOT LOUDER AS TIME WENT ON, POSSIBLY DUE TO EXTREME HEAT. WIFE WAS WITH ME AND WE BOTH BECAME VERY WORRIED BECAUSE WE WERE IN ATLANTA 5 PM TRAFFIC. WE MADE IT HOME AND I BEGAN AN INFORMATION SEARCH. I FOUND THAT OUR 2011 FORD FUSION WAS INCLUDED IN A FIELD SERVICE ACTION 15N01. I SPOKE WITH THE LOCAL FORD SERVICE MANAGER AND WAS TOLD THAT DID NOT APPLY TO THE SYMPTOMS I DESCRIBED BECAUSE THERE IS NO ADVANCE INDICATION THAT THE ELECTRIC CONTROLLED STEERING IS GOING OUT - IT JUST GOES OUT. FORD'S OWN REPORT MENTIONS THIS BEING POSSIBLY DANGEROUS BUT DOWNPLAYS THE CONCERN BY SAYING STEERING IS STILL POSSIBLE, JUST MORE DIFFICULT. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR SOME SUPPORT BUT OTHER THAN RECOMMENDING A DIAGNOSES AND SAYING SHE IS NOT A TECH, OFFERED NO MEANINGFUL INFORMATION. SHE DID ADMIT SHE WOULD NOT WANT TO DRIVE A CAR WITH THIS CONDITION EXISTING. LAST, I TRIED TO GET INFORMATION VIA LIVE CHAT AND WHEN I SENT THE FSA NUMBER, I WAS ACTUALLY BLOCKED OF MY ABILITY TO QUESTION HIM AND HE ENDED THE CHAT. FRANKLY, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE RESPONSE OF A FORD MANAGEMENT PERSON TO THE QUESTION "WOULD YOU ALLOW YOUR DEAREST FAMILY MEMBERS RIDE IN A VEHICLE THAT SHOW FRIGHTENING SYMPTOMS OF A STEERING ISSUE KNOWING THE EXISTENCE OF THE 'FIELD SERVICE ACTION' WHICH IS ABOUT THE STEERING GOING OUT.