NHTSA Complaint #11627424 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced a loss of power steering functionality intermittently. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as needed; however, the failure progressively worsened. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH with her child in the rear seat, the vehicle made an abnormal beeping sound, the messages "Power Steering Failed" and "Service Advancetrac" were displayed, and the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact called an independent mechanic who instructed the contact to temporarily disconnect the battery. The contact followed the instructions; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where it remained. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) and the steering rack assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software was previously updated under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.