NHTSA Complaint #11366608 — 2013 FORD TAURUS

WHEN YOU START THE CAR, OCCASIONALLY A CODE COMES UP POWER STEERING ASSIST DEFAULT AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. THERE IS A RECALL 15S18 FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR MY EXACT CAR, MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. HOWEVER WHEN I HAVE THE VIN NUMBER CHECKED, MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP ( LITHIA SPRINGS,GA) SAY MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. MY CAR IS HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEM THE RECALL IDENTIFIES, BUT FORD WILL NOT PAY FOR IT BECAUSE MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT IN THE RECALL. MY MECHANIC IDENTIFIED THE RECALL AND THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A LETTER AND I WENT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AFTER CHECKING MY VIN NUMBER AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY FOR THIS PROBLEM. I AM FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I AM HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEM THE RECALL DESCRIBES AND I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE RECENTLY THE CAR STOPPED IN MY SUBDIVISION WHEN I WAS TURNING ON TO THE MAIN ROAD. THAT IS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED IN THE PAST WHEN I INITIALLY STARTED THE CAR-IN MY DRIVEWAY. MY MECHANIC HAS SAID IT IS 'THE STEERING CONTROL MOGEAL FAULT & THE STEERING ANGEL FAULT' AND THE RECALL SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBES 'THE AFFECTED VEHICLES HAVE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM THAT MAY SHUT DOWN AS RESULT OF A STEERING MOTOR SENSOR FAILURE. CONSEQUENCE: IF THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, EXTRA STEERING EFFORT WILL BE REQUIRED AT LOWER SPEEDS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH'.THIS ALSO CAN HAPPEN ON THE ROAD AND CAUSE A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WE CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR NOW BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID WE WILL BE KILLED OR MAIMED IF IT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF OUR SUBDIVISION. PLEASE HELP.