NHTSA Complaint #11233030 — 2015 FORD FOCUS

AT 56,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN HEAVY AND INACCURATE STEERING INPUTS WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. FORD IS QUOTING A REPAIR BILL IN EXCESS OF $2,400. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE RECALL IN 2018 AFFECTING 1/2 MILLION FORDS AND THE RECALL FROM 2014 AFFECTING OVER 1 MILLION FORDS FOR SIMILAR STEERING RELATED ISSUES AND PREMATURE FAILURE. I HAVE NEVER HAD STEERING FAIL AND HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES OVER 200K MILES INCLUDING MY 1989 F250. THE TECHNICIAN SAID UPON INSPECTION THAT THE STEERING GEAR WAS FULL OF WATER AND DIRT CAUSING CORROSION. I'M A NORMAL COMMUTER ON EVERYDAY ROADS. HE SPECIFICALLY SAID IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT I COULD HAVE DONE THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. HE SAID THE BOOTS WERE COMPLETELY IN TACT AND HE COULDN'T COMMENT ON HOW THE CONTAMINANTS ENTERED THE STEERING GEAR. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT IS FAULTY DESIGN. IF IT WERE ANYTHING OTHER THAN STEERING OR BRAKES, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE VOICING MY CONCERNS IN THIS FORUM BECAUSE THIS REPRESENTS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. FORD MUST CAST A WIDER NET WITH REGARD TO EXISTING RECALLS AND THE 2015 FOCUS SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED. AS OF THIS WRITING THERE ARE 47 OTHER REPORTS TO NHTSA FOR THIS CAR AND PROBLEM.