NHTSA Complaint #11351347 — 2010 FORD FUSION

I WAS DRIVING MY 2010 FORD FUSION SE ON A HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO TURN INTO A LOCAL SHOPPING MALL. AN ALERT POPPED UP IN THE DASH THAT SAID SERVICE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD SERVICE COMPANY AND THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ON THE RACK AND PINION/ STEERING GEAR FOR MY CAR MODEL. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS WAS A RECALL AND UNFORTUNATELY A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE I HAD. HOWEVER, I FOUND OUT THAT MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL, AND WAS INFORMED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS MYSELF. I CALLED THE FORD COMPANY AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THE ISSUE THINKING THAT THEY WOULD SIMPLY ADD MY VEHICLE AND I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN WASN'T INCLUDED. I EXPLAINED TO THEM HOW THEY COULD CALL MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS BEING REPAIRED TO CONFIRM WHAT I SAID WAS TRUE, HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR AND THE SUPERVISOR CALLED A DAY LATER. SHE TOLD ME THAT AT THIS TIME MY CAR WOULD NOT BE ADDED TO THE RECALL. I ASKED HER HOW AND WHY THEY CAME TO THIS CONCLUSION AND SHE INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS PROTOCOL. I ASKED HER IF THEY DID ANY RESEARCH INTO WHY MY VIN WAS NOT ADDED THE FIRST TIME, OR DOUBLE CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS AN OVERSIGHT AS TO WHY MY VIN WAS NOT ADDED AND SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT LOOK INTO MY ISSUE OR CLAIM, SHE JUST LISTENED TO THE CALL, AND CALLED ME BACK TO INFORM ME THAT AT THIS TIME THE WOULD NOT ADD MY CAR TO THE RECALL LIST. I ASKED HER WHO DECIDED TO ADD THE VEHICLES WAS IT FORD OR NHTSA AND SHE INFORMED ME SHE DID NOT KNOW. I AGAIN ASK HER HOW I CAN GET SOMEONE TO REVIEW THIS ISSUE AS THIS IS A SERIOUS RECALL AND MATTER. I EXPLAINED TO HER THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. SHE TOLD ME TO CONTACT NHTSA.