NHTSA Complaint #11123485 — 2014 FORD EXPLORER

2014 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. ON AUGUST 12 AFTER DRIVING @ 1 HOUR, I BRIEFLY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. RESTARTED THE CAR WITHIN 5 MINUTES TO BACK INTO MY GARAGE AND RECEIVED A "STEERING ASSIST FAULT" WARNING AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AGAIN, LET IT COOL A WHILE, THEN WAS ABLE TO BACK IT INTO THE GARAGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,022. THIS WAS THE 2ND TIME THE STEERING FAILED WITH THE FIRST INSTANCE ON AUG 2, 2018. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MARIN FORD AUG 28 (6995 REDWOOD BLVD, NOVATO, CA 94945 (415-914-1118) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING (EPAS) UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH @ COST OF $2500. THE MARIN FORD SERVICE ADVISOR, ROGER, INDICATED HE CONTACTED FORD AND WAS TOLD THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR BY ANY RECALL. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, IT APPEARS IT IS NOT UNCOMMON, CERTAINLY FOR OLDER MODEL EXPLORERS AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES WITH EPAS STEERING. IT SEEMS THERE MAY BE A KNOWN HEATING PROBLEM AFFECTING THE EPAS THERMAL CONNECTORS THAT FORD HAS TAKING SOME EFFORTS TO MITIGATE, BUT NOT CORRECT (HEAT SHIELDING, AIR CHANNELING, ETC). SEE LINKS FOR OTHER INFO. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=SZHMXWCP9FO HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/FORD/EXPLORER/LOSE-POWER-STEERING-PROBLEMS.PHP