NHTSA Complaint #11287407 — 2011 FORD FUSION

ONE NIGHT I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY TO RUN SOME ERRANDS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 35 MILES PER HOUR IN A MAIN STREET WHEN I SUDDENLY HEAR A SOUND COMING FROM MY VEHICLE ALERTING ME THAT THE WRENCH LIGHT DETECTED A MALFUNCTION. AT THE MOMENT I WAS ALERT AND VIEWING MY DASH REGARDING THE ILLUMINATION IT THREW UNTIL I SUDDENLY FELT MY STEERING GEAR BECOME REALLY STIFF AND PULLING ME TO THE SIDE NEAR THE CURB REALLY FAST. I HAD LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE TO STEER THAT RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE JUMPING UP THE CURB AND COLLIDING WITH A LIGHT POLE DAMAGING THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY FRONT BUMPER AND PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR DOOR. THE MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE HAPPEN TO MY VEHICLE WHICH LEFT SCRATCHES, DENTS, AND PAINT AND BODY DAMAGE TO PRETTY MUCH THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. THE LIGHT POLE CONSIDERING THE IMPACT FROM JUMPING UP THE CURB ASSISTED IN NOT CAUSING ANY STREET DAMAGE TOWARD THE STREET LIGHT. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT IMMEDIATELY TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO FILE A CLAIM. EVENTUALLY I WAS INFORMED BY A FEW OF MY COWORKERS THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED ABOUT THE STEERING GEAR ON THE 2011 FORD FUSIONS. I TOOK IT TO MY FORD DEALER IN WHICH WAS A REALLY HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE SINCE THEY AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED THERE DOOR IN MY FACE WHEN I INFORMED THEM ABOUT THE STEERING GEAR ISSUE AND RECALL. THERE EXCUSE WAS MY VIN DID NOT MATCH THE RECALL ISSUED SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. FORD THEN QUOTED ME OVER $2000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR AND PROGRAMMING. I WAS SO PISSED AND LEFT EMPTY HANDED SINCE DOWN THE ROAD I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PURCHASE THE STEERING GEAR AND YET TO STILL SELL ME A DEFECTIVE ONE THAT I HAD AN OUTSIDE SHOP PERFORM THE WORK TWICE. AFTER MY REPAIRS I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR A REIMBURSEMENT IN WHICH TILL THIS DAY, THEY DO NOT WANT TO ISSUE ME ONE.