NHTSA Complaint #11665084 — 2016 FORD TAURUS

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts, and the battery was replaced by an independent mechanic. The contact stated that soon after the battery replacement, while attempting to make a U-turn, the steering wheel seized with the “Power Steering Assist" message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact used excessive force to steer the vehicle into a parking lot. The contact stated that a Mobile mechanic arrived at the scene and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be reset after the battery was replaced. The contact stated that five days after the vehicle was reset, the failure recurred. The contact called the same Mobile mechanic who had performed the reset and was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.