NHTSA Complaint #11342032 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

07/28/2020 2013 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED AWD WITH A LITTLE OVER 58,000 MILES HAD A POWER STEERING LIGHT COME ON WHILE MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF OUR GARAGE AND THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. IT HAD LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST AND MADE THE VEHICLE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. SHE STOPPED AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AND THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. PER THE NHTSA WEBSITE, 2011-2013 FORD EXPLORERS HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. HOWEVER, UPON ENTERING MY VIN NUMBER, IT APPEARS TO BE "OUTSIDE" THE RECALL. I CHATTED WITH A FORD REPRESENTATIVE ON 7/29/2020 (JESSICA) AND SHE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT MY VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH WITHIN THE YEARS DESIGNATED BY THE RECALL, MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. SUGGESTED I GO TO MY NEAREST FORD DEALER AND "WORK" WITH THEM ON THE REPAIR AND SEE IF THEY CAN HELP GETTING MY VEHICLE ADDED TO THE RECALL. I HAVE RESEARCHED NUMEROUS COMPLAINT FOR MY EXPLORER AND FOUND THAT NUMEROUS OWNERS ARE GETTING THE SAME RESPONSE AS I DID. THEIR VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE MODEL YEARS IDENTIFIED. I FEEL THAT FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR IS A PROBLEM AND NEED TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL FOR THE RECALL. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MORE VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED THAN THE ORIGINAL RECALL INCLUDED. I FEAR THAT HAD MY WIFE BEEN TRAVELING IN TOWN WHERE WE LIVE AND THIS OCCURRED, SHE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE AND COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND EVEN BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE INJURED HERSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE.