NHTSA Complaint #11419951 — 2015 FORD EXPLORER

Rack & Pinion failed on 09MAY21; I did not keep the old one, so unfortunately it is not available for inspection. My safety or the safety of others was put at risk; I was turning onto an active roadway from a local store parking lot, when the steering inexplicably locked up on me in the middle of the turn. It freed enough momentarily, by wrenching with all my strength back and forth on the wheel, to get back off of the road onto the shoulder. I narrowly avoided being hit by oncoming traffic in the southbound lane coming down the hill. Yes, the problem was reproduced & confirmed at an independent service center. He placed it on the lift, we both took turns turning the wheel slowly to the right and left; you could both hear and feel the distinct sound of gears clicking & popping after being turned approximately 2/3rds of the way to the right, then back to the left. We took turns standing under the rack and pinion electric steering box, if you placed your hand on the bottom/base, you could feel the hard thump when the wheel was turned as described above. The wheel would intermittently lock up, requiring us to yank hard on it both ways to free it up. No, it was not inspected by anyone aside from myself and the mechanic. No, there weren't any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. It failed suddenly at approximately 93,000 miles.