NHTSA Complaint #11470431 — 2014 FORD EXPLORER

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked with the Service Advance Trac and Steering Fault - Service Now messages displayed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. Upon taking the vehicle to an unknown dealer for an oil change, the dealer was notified of the failure. The dealer diagnosed that no issues were found; however, the contact stated that the steering felt sticky while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no early availability to inspect the vehicle. The contact stated while driving 45-60 MPH while taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic, the steering wheel seized inadvertently. The Service Advance Trac and Steering Fault - Service Now messages were displayed. The contact stated that he shook the steering wheel several times and the steering wheel loosened. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the electric power steering assist unit had failed and needed to be replaced; however, neither the OEM parts nor aftermarket parts were available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as there was no open recalls associated with the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer. A case was opened. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.