NHTSA Complaint #11253785 — 2017 FORD EXPLORER

INTERMITTENT STEERING BINDING CONDITION AT SLOW TURNS MAINLY DURING HOT WEATHER. THIS BINDING ISSUE WAS DIFFICULT TO RECREATE AND EVENTUALLY THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO CREATE THIS AFTER A LENGTHY (30 MINUTE) ROAD TEST IN 80+ DEGREE WEATHER. THE BINDING ISSUE WAS A RESULT OF AN INTERNAL STEERING GEAR FAILURE. THE PART # HB5Z-3504-Z WAS FINALLY REPLACED THIS YEAR AFTER WE HAD THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE LATE 2017 WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES ON IT. VEHICLE NOW HAS 67,000 MILES. THE BINDING ISSUE OCCURRED AT SPEEDS RANGING MAINLY BETWEEN 40 MPH TO 75 MPH WITH AND WITHOUT DRIVING ASSISTANCE FEATURES ENABLED. BINDING ISSUE OCCURRED BOTH TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT DIRECTIONS ON GRADUAL TURNS OR WHEN CHANGING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD STICK IN THE TURNED POSITION AND NOT RETURN TO THE CENTER ON ITS OWN UNLESS TUGGED OUT OF WHAT FELT LIKE A DETENT (NOTCH). THIS TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET IT FIXED BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT WORK ON THE CAR SINCE THEY COULD NOT RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM ON SHORT TEST DRIVES. THE INTERMITTENT NATURE OF THE STEERING ISSUE AND NEED FOR LONGER DRIVES AND HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO RECREATE.