NHTSA Complaint #11319964 — 2012 FORD FUSION

I RECEIVED A NOTICE INFORMING ME OF A RECALL ON MY POWER STEERING SYSTEM VIA MAIL. I TOOK MY CAR TO FORD AND THEY CLAIMED TO "RESET" THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. A YEAR LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN I SMELLED SOMETHING SIMILAR TO "BURNING RUBBER" COMING THROUGH MY AIR VENTS. SMOKE THEN BEGAN TO COME FROM THE HOOD OF MY CAR AS IT SLOWED DOWN ON ITS OWN. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT AND WALKED A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY AFTER SEEING A TROUBLING AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO FIND THAT THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM HAD SHUT DOWN AND CAUSED MY ALTERNATOR TO FAIL. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO FORD. THEY TOLD ME THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR, FORD WAS REFUSING TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE OF HOW OLD THE CAR WAS. MY CAR IS A 2012 FORD FUSION AND IT IS INCLUDED IN THE RANGE OF CARS ELIGIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THEY ALSO FAILED TO GIVE ME THIS INFORMATION THE YEAR BEFORE.