NHTSA Complaint #11298626 — 2013 FORD F-150

AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN THE EPAS UNIT HAS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN MY 2013 FORD F-150. VEHICLE HAS 63,000 MILES AND HAS NO ACCIDENTS AND HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECT TO ABNORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE PROBLEM PRESENTED ITSELF WHEN THE WEATHER BECAME COLD DURING THE FALL OF 2019. WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES DROPPED BELOW 65 DEGREES AND I STARTED MY VEHICLE I RECEIVED A "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" WARNING AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE POWER STEERING. TESTING OVER A 4 WEEK PERIOD AS THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 40-80 DEGREES ALLOWED ME TO SEE THE CONNECTION TO THE POWER STEERING FAILURE AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS CLOSE TO, BUT DID NOT EXCEED 65 DEGREES. I COULD START MY VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT AROUND, THE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE WOULD WARM THE UNIT ENOUGH TO ALLOW IT TO WORK. ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD WORK. AFTER READING ABOUT ALL THE RECALLS FORD HAS ISSUED RELATED TO THEIR EPAS UNIT I BELIEVE THERE IS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE PART. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PART CANNOT BE SERVICED AND REQUIRES A FULL REPLACEMENT. PART COST IS $1500 PLUS 2-3 HOURS OF LABOR. PUTTING THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR AT $1800 - $1900 IN MY AREA.