NHTSA Complaint #11209089 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

MY CAR EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING. THE POWER STEERING MODULE DID NOT ALLOW MANUAL INPUT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED IN PLACE AND WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. THE PROBLEM STARTED GRADUALLY MAKING A POPPING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. IT THEN CHANGED TO A GRINDING SOUND AND THE STEERING WOULD GET STUCK AND THEN POP LOOSE. I EXPERIENCED THIS ON A TRIP OUT OF TOWN WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DRIVING BACK HOME. I STOPPED FOR GAS AND WHEN I GOT BACK IN THE CAR IT SAID "SERVICE POWER STEERING" THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER SAID "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW". BEFORE ALL OF THIS HAPPENED THERE WERE NO ERROR MESSAGES OR SERVICE MESSAGES DISPLAYED. THE FORD DEALER IN TOPEKA, KS IDENTIFIED THE RACK AND PINION AND WORM GEAR AS THE FAULT AND NONE OF THE TECHNICIANS KNOW WHY NO MANUAL INPUT WAS BEING ACCEPTED BY THE CAR TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL EVEN A LITTLE BIT. I FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE RECALL 14S06 FROM 2014 BUT APPARENTLY MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED A FEW DAYS AFTER THE DATES THAT FORD DEFINED IN THAT RECALL. I AM OUT OVER $3000.00 FOR THE REPAIR, TOWING, RIDE TO GET TO THE RENTAL CAR 100 MILES AWAY, RENTAL CAR, AND SHIPPING OF MY TRUCK AFTER REPAIR TO MY HOME. ALL I WANT FORD TO DO IS ADMIT THAT THE DATES THAT THEY PUT ON THE RECALL WERE NOT INCLUSIVE OF ALL VEHICLES THAT WERE AFFECTED.