NHTSA Complaint #11221629 — 2017 FORD EXPLORER

I WAS STUCK AT A STANDSTILL IN TRAFFIC ON A CITY HIGHWAY WITH MY FAMILY ON FATHER'S DAY WHEN THE DASH LIT UP WITH MULTIPLE WARNINGS SUCH AS "STEERING LOSS STOP SAFELY," "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC," "STABILITY CONTROL OFF," AND "HILL START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE." I WAS NOT MOVING AND COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERHEATING. ROADSIDE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY DEALER. EVENTUALLY, TWO DAYS LATER, THE COMPUTER SAID WE NEEDED A NEW STEERING COLUMN (I THOUGHT A STEERING COLUMN SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE...). THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, NO LEAKS, AND NO STRANGE NOISES. OF COURSE, I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY. PRETTY HEFTY BILL. THERE IS AN NEW RECALL FOR A REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEM THAT WAS ISSUED JUST DAYS EARLIER.