NHTSA Complaint #11301690 — 2011 FORD FUSION

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT MY POWER STEERING FAILED -WITH NO POWER ASSIST. I SHUT THE CAR OFF BRIEFLY AND RESTARTED IT AND THE STEERING WAS NORMAL. THE NEXT STOP WAS30 MINUTES LATER AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED EXCEPT THIS TIME THE POWER STEERING DID NOT RETURN. WARNING MESSAGES, "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND "SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK" APPEARED. LOOKING UP RECALL INFORMATION, MY VEHICLE'S PROBLEM EXACTLY MATCHED RECALL # 15V340000 ISSUED IN 2015. HOWEVER, MY LOCAL FORD DEALER STATED MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE OF WHERE IT WAS MANUFACTURED. THE RECALL SEEMS TO BE A SCAM WITH AN "EASY OUT" FOR FORD ON THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER THE REAL-WORLD FORD OWNERS WHO ARE STUCK WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE WHILE BEING TOLD THEIR VEHICLE WAS MADE IN THE WRONG FACTORY TO BE COVERED. UNLESS THERE IS AN ACTION TAKEN ON THIS SCAM, WE ARE STUCK WITH AN UNWARRANTED $2000 REPAIR BILL. AND WE HAVE NO CHOICE OTHER THAN TO TRY TO FIND USER-FRIENDLY MANUFACTURERS AND HOPE THAT THE NHTSA DOES ITS JOB.