NHTSA Complaint #11383237 — 2018 FORD FLEX

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE (IT WAS IN MOTION), ON HWY 290 (NEAR MANOR, TX), THE STEERING ON OUR 2018 FORD FLEX SEIZED UP AND THE CAR WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. DUE TO COMPLETE LACK OF STEERING, THE CAR WAS AN IMMEDIATE DANGER TO DRIVE AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET SAFELY OFF THE ROAD, BUT MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DO SO. HE WAS LUCKY TO AVOID A MAJOR COLLISION. THE NEXT DAY WE CALLED FOR THE CAR TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR WITHOUT ANY ISSUE. WITH EXTREME MANUAL FORCE APPLIED, THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN THE CAR ENOUGH IN ORDER TO GET IT ONTO THE TOW TRUCK. ONCE THE CAR WAS RECEIVED BY THE DEALER, THE SERVICE ASSOCIATE CONFIRMED THIS 'STEERING FAILURE' WAS A PROBLEM THEY HAD SEEN COME UP A FEW TIMES IN THE PRIOR WEEKS WITH OTHER FORD MAKES AND MODELS. THEY SAID IT WAS A COSTLY REPAIR AND I SHOULD BE LUCKY BECAUSE WE BOUGHT THE EXTENDED FORD WARRANTY PROGRAM AND THEY WOULD CALL ME LATER TO CONFIRM AFTER A DIAGNOSTIC WAS COMPLETED. LATER THAT DAY THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THEIR DIAGNOSTICS CONFIRMED THE STEERING FAILURE, THAT IT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY AND MAY TAKE A FEW DAYS AS A MAJOR REPAIR FOR THE STEERING SYSTEM. 3 DAYS LATER, THEY DENIED ANY STEERING FAILURE, AND CLAIMED IT WAS A FAILED BATTERY INSTEAD. DESPITE OUR COMPLAINT, THEY CHARGED US $500 FOR A NEW ONE. AS A RESULT OF THIS SITUATION, WE SOLD THE CAR (AS A DEATH TRAP), CANCELLED OUR FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY AND SOLD ALL OF OUR FORD STOCK. I HOPE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS BEFORE THEIR STEERING FAILURES KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE. IF I SEE A FORD ON THE ROAD, I WILL BE GIVING THEM A WIDE BERTH.