NHTSA Complaint #11375372 — 2014 FORD EXPLORER

ON NOVEMBER 8, 2020 I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY TO LEAVE MY HOUSE AND NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END, IT WAS VERY LOUD, AND CAUSED ME TO HAVE LOSS OF CONTROL OVER THE CARS STEERING; ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT AT LOWER SPEEDS AND ON SHARP TURNS. (THE WHEELS DO NOT STRAIGHTEN OUT OR RETURN TO CENTER WHEN EXITING A TURN AND WILL THEN OVER COMPENSATE AND VEER TO THE RIGHT AFTER HAVING TO MANUALLY TURN THE WHEEL BACK.) WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER. AFTER REVIEWING MY EXPLORER THEY STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS BAD AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ASAP DUE TO THIS BEING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND WE SHOULDN'T WAIT TO GET IT REPLACED TOTAL COST FOR THE JOB WOULD BE $4,284.59. I CALLED FORD COOPERATE AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT CAME ON SUDDENLY WITH OUT WARNING. I WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE PREVIOUS YEARS 2011-2013 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE 2014 AND 2015 HAVING THE SAME ISSUE BUT WITH ONLY A "WARNING" BEING PLACED ON THEM, NOT A RECALL FOR THE 2014 OR 2015. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY YEAR DOESN'T HAVE A RECALL AND STATED I COULD OPEN A CASE AND FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA AND THAT WAS ALL I COULD DO, BUT IF A RECALL WAS OFFERED IN THE FUTURE I COULD POSSIBLE GET REIMBURSED. WHEN WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE TOE LINK THAT CAN AFFECT THE STEERING BUT NOT A RECALL ON THE RACK. THIS STEERING RACK ISSUE POSES A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. PLEASE CONSIDER WORKING WITH FORD TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL WHO DRIVE THE 2014 EXPLORER AND PLACE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM ASAP. I AM VERY FORTUNATE NO ONE WAS PHYSICALLY HURT WHEN MY STEERING WENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER OF MAJOR SAFETY. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.