NHTSA Complaint #11595975 — 2014 FORD TAURUS

Power steering system failed. Internal electrical motor and / or steering angle sensor failed as diagnosed using scanning software. Failure results in requiring extreme effort to turn the steering wheel causing an unsafe situation. At low speeds, steering is nearly impossible and the steering wheel itself stresses to a point which causes concern of additional mechanical failure. Vehicle has less than 100,000 miles of use. All heat generated by the engine, transmission, turbocharger and catalytic converter are transferred to air which flows over the power steering assembly which is located directly behind all of these components in the engine bay. Ford has recalls on this steering assemble on previous year vehicles. The solution for preceding vehicles was adding a heat shield to the power steering assembly. The heat shield helps block radiative heat from the catalytic converter but is insufficient in preventing convective heat transfer to the power steering assembly’s electronics. The result is internal electrical failure of the power steering assembly. A smaller person may not be able to control the vehicle upon failure.