NHTSA Complaint #11533082 — 2019 FORD RANGER

Owner, who had bought the truck new approx. 3 1/2 years earlier, had driven about three miles on dry, paved, residential, hilly, roads and was returning to where he was staying when he came upon a waiting line of cars. He turned around to go a different way. Coming to a slight curve the power steering (EPAS) went out. Struggling to make the curve, the power assist kicked in and jolted him off the right side of the road. Had the curve been to the left, the truck may have been thrust into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Owner then slowly soldiered on, with the truck making an intermittent noise as if trying to activate the power steering, which it sometimes did, causing the truck to swerve side to side. Owner did not mention any warning sign or alarm or message occurring during this episode. At his destination he called for help and the truck was towed to the dealer. The repair order (RO) indicates diagnostics first being done on 6-8-23, which verified the lack of power steering, and showed DTCs C1B00, U0415, and U3003. My research showed the first pertains to a steering angle sensor in the steering column, and the next two having to do with the ABS. The tech notes indicate he did pinpoint test BC1 (NO), BC2 (YES), and BC3 (YES). Next, the tech reported that the steering gear assembly had a malfunction and needed to be replaced. He added that he retrieved RVC code RA5VUMN131GXQ. Not having the steering gear assembly KB3Z3504A in stock, the replacement was not made until July. The RO said nothing about the battery, but it was learned that it had also been replaced under separate RO, which dealer has yet to provide. The dealer service rep said that even after they charged the old battery, it did not have enough power to activate an essential component; probably the new part, but I can't recall for sure. With the new battery, the DTCs, none of which I believe went to the steering gear, disappeared and the power steering apparently works. Truck is still with dealer.