NHTSA Complaint #11426015 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

While shifting my Explorer (which I had just purchased used 3 days prior) from Reverse into Drive after backing out of a driveway, a prompt appeared on the left side of dash instrument panel saying ‘Power Steering Assist Fault,’ and then the power steering failed completely. After struggling to steer the car off the road, I parked and turned the ignition off and back on again and the problem went away (power steering resumed as normal). Then, after backing up again, the same thing happened in the same sequence. Again, I parked, turned the car off and on again and once again, the power steering worked. After this happened twice (in about 15 minutes), the next time I started the car, the power steering assist fault prompt came up again and the power steering never resumed working. I was about an hour away from my home and had to drive the car on the interstate and back home with no power steering and a traction management issue as well (steering became very jerky while adjusting wheel left or right to stay in lane, causing car to swerve back and forth). I notified my salesperson right away, but since it was Saturday, he said to bring it in first thing Monday. I took the car to the dealership I bought it from the following Monday and it was diagnosed and the part was ordered, but apparently is on a national backorder due to the chip shortage. Other prompts that came up (that never came up before) were ‘Service Advance Trac’ and another about the Terrain Management system. The blinker also stopped working automatically- meaning it would not stay on when engaged all the way. I had to hold it down to keep the blinker on, whereas before, it would stay on by itself if blinker arm was depressed all the way. This became difficult when trying to turn the vehicle with no power steering. The car is currently at Phil Long Ford Motor City dealership in Colorado Springs awaiting the backordered part.