NHTSA Complaint #11170344 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 80 NEAR DONNER PASS IN CALIFORNIA THE "TRACTION CONTROL UNAVAILABLE" LIGHT CAME ON WITH "CHECK POWER STEERING" LIGHT. STEERING WHEEL RESISTANCE INCREASED AS IF POWER STEERING WAS BEGINNING TO FAIL. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER WHILE DRIVING IN A SNOWSTORM THE RED "SERVICE POWER STEERING IMMEDIATELY" LIGHT CAME ON AND THE POWER STEERING TOTALLY FAILED MAKING CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. THE FACT THAT THIS FAILURE COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND IN MY CASE DURING WHITE OUT WINTER CONDITIONS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND I FELT LUCKY TO NOT TO HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT. I HAVE READ SO MANY REPORTS OF THIS SAME POWER STEERING FAILURE AND AM SURPRISED THAT NO RECALL ACTION ON THIS VIN HAS BEEN INITIATED. CONTACTED FORD DEALERSHIPS WHO SAY THAT SINCE NO "ERROR" CODE IS PRESENT THEY WILL NOT CORRECT OR REPAIR THE ISSUE. HOPEFULLY THE NHSTA WILL FINALLY INITIATE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE DIES FROM THIS PROBLEM.