NHTSA Complaint #11389659 — 2013 FORD FLEX

ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:05 P.M. WHILE DRIVING THE INTERCHANGE FROM THE SOUTHBOUND 55 FWY TO THE NORTHBOUND 405 FWY (IN COSTA MESA, CA) AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH MY 2013 FORD FLEX SEL BEGAN FISHTAILING ERRATICALLY ' SWERVING AND JERKING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN LANES. AFTER A FRIGHTENING 10-20 SECONDS, I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE INTERCHANGE WITHOUT ROLLING THE CAR OR HITTING ANYTHING OR ANYONE. (AT THE TIME THERE WAS AN AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD ALL GOING ABOUT 50-60 MPH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY, 65). MY INITIAL STOPPING POINT WAS NOT IN A SAFE LOCATION SO WHEN I PROCEEDED TO GO FORWARD ABOUT 300 FEET TO A SLIGHTLY SAFER LOCATION, I COULD AGAIN FEEL THE CAR START TO FISHTAIL WHILE GOING ONLY 5-10 MPH AND MY STEERING WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY OFF BALANCE AND NOT CENTERED. I INSPECTED THE CAR AND COULD SEE NO VISIBLE PROBLEM BESIDES MY STEERING WHEEL BEING OFF CENTER. THE CAR WAS TOWED VIA FLAT BED TOW TRUCK 13 MILES TO VILLA FORD IN ORANGE, CA WHERE IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DETERMINED TO BE A FAILED TOE LINK SUSPENSION ASSOCIATED WITH FORD RECALL 20S04. I WANTED TO REPORT MY EXPERIENCE AND REITERATE THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE!! I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED HAD I HIT SOMETHING LIKE THE FREEWAY CONCRETE BARRIER OR OVER-CORRECTED TOO FAST WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO FISHTAIL AND SWERVE AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO DECELERATE QUICK ENOUGH (AND THANK GOODNESS MY THREE KIDS WEREN'T IN THE CAR WITH ME!) I URGE YOU TO START PUSHING FORD TO TAKE THIS RECALL MORE SERIOUSLY!! I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND ONLY LEARNED OF THIS ISSUE AFTER GOOGLING TO SEE IF ANY OTHERS HAVE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT HAD SCARED ME SO MUCH. I WAS SHOCKED AT READING ALL THE STORIES OF SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO PUSH FORD TO COMMUNICATE THIS ISSUE OUT TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE CARS THAT ARE AFFECTED!!