NHTSA Complaint #11163492 — 2011 FORD FLEX

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER CONFIRMED THE SAME EXACT TROUBLE CODES, SYMPTOMS, AND ISSUE AS THE EXISTING RECALL. MY FLEX IS THE SAME MODEL (ECOBOOST) AND MANUFACTURED AT THE SAME LOCATION AS THE RECALL. MY VIN IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL, HOWEVER, AS IT WAS MANUFACTURED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL DATE. THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR A DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND FOLKS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED AND GET THEIR UNSAFE CARS FIXED BEFORE THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS TO THEM. MY FLEX HAD UNDER 60,000 MILES AT THE TIME AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AT THE DEALER. LOCAL DEALER WHERE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED SINCE NEW, REGIONAL FORD REPRESENTATIVE, AND FORD CORPORATE IN DETROIT HAVE ALL NOT BEEN HELPFUL. FORD IN DETROIT REQUIRED THAT I GO THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF MAILING WRITTEN INFORMATION, FOLLOWING UP REPEATEDLY WITH SUPERVISORS, AND THEN DECLINED TO DO ANYTHING. THE REGIONAL FORD FOLKS ALSO ASKED THE LOCAL DEALER TO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT DETAILS REGARDING THE FAULTY PART AND THEN ALSO DID NOTHING TO HELP COVER THE COST. THIS RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED. FORD HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT EVEN WHEN FACED WITH OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE, THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THIS ISSUE PUT MY FAMILY AT SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK AND COST ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. NHTSA, PLEASE TAKE NOTICE OF THIS.