NHTSA Complaint #11388201 — 2015 FORD FUSION

MY VEHICLE'S BATTERY DRAINED OUT BECAUSE WE HADN'T BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE MUCH DUE TO COVID STAY-HOME ORDERS IN MICHIGAN AND STAYING AT HOME OVER THE HOLIDAYS. WE ROLLED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE AND JUMP STARTED IT IN THE DRIVEWAY, THEN LET IT RUN FOR AN HOUR TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY RATHER THAN DRIVING IT BECAUSE OUR POWER STEERING AND ADVANCE TRAC WERE SHOWING FAULT MESSAGES AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE MESSAGES DIDN'T GO AWAY AFTER WE TURNED IT OFF AND RESTARTED IT. WE EVEN LEFT IT OVERNIGHT AND TRIED THE NEXT MORNING. THE MESSAGES ARE AS FOLLOWS: LOW BATTERY FEATURES TEMPORARILY TURNED OFF STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC THERE ARE ALSO TWO WARNING LIGHTS SHOWING A CAR SKIDDING, ONE WITH THE TEXT "OFF" UNDER IT. I BELIEVE THESE ARE THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, I SEE THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS FOR STEERING PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST SYSTEMS HTTPS://WWW.CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG/CAR-RECALLS-DEFECTS/FORD-RECALLS-SEDANS-AND-SUVS-STEERING-PROBLEM/ HTTP://WWW.FORDPROBLEMS.COM/EPAS/ I CONTACTED FORD TO SEE IF THEY COULD PROVIDE SOME ADVICE OR ASSISTANCE. THERE DON'T SEEM TO BE ANY RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ISSUE FOR MY VEHICLE'S VIN. THEY SUGGESTED I TRY TURNING IT OFF AND TURNING IT ON AGAIN (A "KEY CYCLE") TO SEE IF IT WOULD RESET, WHICH I HAVE DONE A FEW TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. THEY THEN SUGGESTED TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL BEING SO DIFFICULT TO TURN, SO WILL NEED TO HAVE IT TOWED. I ALSO I FEAR I COULD BE EXPENSIVE TO GET THIS FIXED IF FORD DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS A SERVICE ISSUE. I THOUGHT I SHOULD DOCUMENT THIS IN CASE OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THIS IS IN FACT A SYSTEMATIC ISSUE, NOT AN ISOLATED CASE.