NHTSA Complaint #11267724 — 2015 FORD EXPLORER

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FROM A MINI VACATION AT 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN OUR 2015 FORD EXPLORER WHICH ONLY HAD 45,000 MILES LOGGED BEGAN TO LOSE STEERING POWER. WE ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE NEXT TO US ON I-94 GOING AT A VERY RAPID SPEED OF 70 MILES PER HOUR. IMMEDIATELY MY HUSBAND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND TRIED TO MOVE TO THE FURTHEST RIGHT LANE. HE WAS HAVING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DIFFICULTY AS OUR CAR WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO STEER. HE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE EXIT LANE. AT THIS TIME WE NEEDED TO PULL OFF OF THE HWY AND GET A FRIEND TO TOW US HOME. WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED IT AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY NEEDED TO RECALCULATE OUR COMPUTER AT THE FEE OF $100. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE SAME PROBLEM BEGAN TO HAPPEN AGAIN. WE TOOK OUR EXPLORER BACK TO THE DEALER TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. WE WERE NOW TOLD THAT IT IS A RACK AND PINION PROBLEM AND IT COULD BE UPWARDS OF $2,000 TO REPAIR. IT IS NOT COVERED IN OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE UPCOMING RECALL THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED TO REPAIR WHICH IRONICALLY IS A REAR SUSPENSION REPAIR WHICH IF NOT FIXED WILL CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH STEERING. IN MY OPINION THIS PROBLEM WILL SERIOUSLY HARM OR EVEN KILL THE OWNER AND FAMILY OF A VEHICLE THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN TO AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL YOUR VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURS. I HOPE THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED BY FORD AS THIS VEHICLE IS VERY POPULAR FOR FAMILIES DUE TO ITS SIZE AND THIS COULD BE A FATAL MISTAKE TO DRIVE THIS CAR IF THIS ISSUE HAPPENS.