NHTSA Complaint #11302512 — 2013 FORD FLEX

WHILE DRIVING MY 2013 FORD FLEX THE POWER STEERING DISAPPEARED AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED IT OFF, WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP THE POWER STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. I STOPPED AT MY DESTINATION BUT WHEN I RETURNED TO LEAVE I FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT RESPONDING. I DROVE IT HOME WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. THIS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, FUNCTIONING AT THE START OF THE DAY BUT FAILING AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE POWER STEERING FINALLY GAVE OUT ALTOGETHER. I CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT WAS ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 02 OF 2015 FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE COVERING FORD FLEXES FROM 2010 TO 2013. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY FORD DEALERSHIP TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED. I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL DATE, WHICH COVERED VEHICLES MANUFACTURED UP UNTIL FEB 28TH OF 2012. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND ONE, HOW DOES A RECALL COVER THE YEARS 2010 TO 2013 BUT HAS AN END DATE FOR ELIGIBILITY OF 2012?, THE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 02 OF 2015 AND MY VEHICLE SUFFERED THE EXACT SAME ISSUE OF THOSE THAT THE RECALL EXTEND TO. AS WELL AS WHAT WAS DONE TO REMEDY THE PART FAILURE AFTER THE JUNE 02, 2012 DATE THAT MY VEHICLE (SUFFERING THE SAME MALFUNCTION/FAILURE AND MANUFACTURED JUST OUTSIDE OF THE END DATE OF THE RECALL) WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL? I HAVE FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS WITHIN THE SEALED STEERING ASSIST ASSEMBLY ITSELF WITCH SUFFERS HEAT DAMAGE DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF OTHER COMPONENTS. HEAT SHIELDING WITHIN THE UNIT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BREAK DOWN, RESULTING IN THE INTERIOR COMPONENTS TO FAIL DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT EXPOSURE. *JS *JS