NHTSA Complaint #11387714 — 2011 FORD FUSION

WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLES POWERED STEERING GAVE OUT - WITH THE FAILURE OF 'SERVICE ADVANCED TRACK'. TURNING THE WHEEL BECOMES NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE - IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. OFTEN, BEFORE THE 'SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK' FAILURE, WHEN STARTING UP THE CAR, IF I STARTED TURNING IT WOULD FLASH A WARNING RELATED TO THE STEERING - I HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT 5 SECONDS BEFORE TURNING. I'VE TOLD VARIOUS MECHANIC SHOPS ABOUT THIS ISSUE (WHEN INTERMITTENT) AND THEY WERE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE YEARS AGO, I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING LEANS SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. THE 'SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK' FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ONCE IN THE PAST AND THE RESOLUTION WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE / UNWIELDY ($2K) - IT INVOLVED REPLACING THE AXLE, AMONGST OTHER COMPONENTS, THAT WERE DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE STEERING ISSUES. THIS OCCURRING TWICE, IN BOTH CASES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE (POSSIBLY UNDER HIGHWAY CONDITIONS), HAS BEEN EXCEEDINGLY WORRISOME & STRESSFUL. IN AN INSTANT, TURNING REQUIRES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT - I AM CERTAIN, IN SOME SITUATIONS, THIS SUDDEN STEERING FAILURE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN HORRENDOUS ACCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME THE 'SERVICE ADVANCED TRACK' FAILURE OCCURRED: RESTARTING THE VEHICLE ALLOWED IT TO BECOME DRIVABLE - ENOUGH THAT I COULD BRING IT TO VARIOUS MECHANICS. I BELIEVE I WAS TOLD I COULD REPLACE BASICALLY THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM, FOR AN EXORBITANT PRICE, BUT, THE MECHANICS COULD NOT EVEN GUARANTEE IT WOULD FIX ANYTHING. THIS TIME, IT WAS WHOLLY UNDRIVABLE.. NOW THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED A SECOND TIME, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE ELECTRIC STEERING IN THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE - IT GENUINELY WORRIES ME THAT THIS VEHICLE IS ON THE ROAD. UNLESS FORD CAN WHOLLY DIAGNOSE, RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE, I WILL BE SELLING THE VEHICLE AND BUYING A NEW ONE - FOR MY SAFETY, MY PASSENGERS SAFETY & THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.