NHTSA Complaint #11156956 — 2017 FORD F-150

THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS STOPPED DUE TO THE AUTO-START-STOP FEATURE. I WAS SITTING IN AN INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC WITH THE ENGINE AUTO-STOPPED. I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND THE STEERING WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO MOVE THE WHEEL. IT CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THIS CONDITION IS VERY REPEATABLE. IF THERE IS ANY PRE-LOAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE AUTO-START RESTARTS THE ENGINE, IT TAKES THE STEERING SEVERAL SECONDS TO BECOME ACTIVE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE I'M GIVING THE TRUCK GAS TO GO INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC AND THE STEERING IS EFFECTIVELY DISABLED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. I'VE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO SAID THEY WOULD ESCALATE THE PROBLEM. I'VE HAD THE TRUCK BACK IN FOR MAINTENANCE SINCE THAT COMPLAINT AND NO CORRECTIVE MEASURE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED OR OFFERED. WITH THIS DEFECT, I'M LEFT TO MANUALLY DEACTIVATE THE AUTO-START-STOP FEATURE EVERY TIME I'M IN A SITUATION WHERE I THINK I'LL NEED STEERING INPUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER I RELEASE THE BRAKE TO MOVE FORWARD. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TRUCK THAT CREATES A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THE STEERING IS NOT AVAILABLE DURING FORWARD MOTION OF THE VEHICLE.