NHTSA Complaint #11680799 — 2018 JAGUAR F-PACE

2018 Jaguar F-pace power steering rack failure: Driving in heavy rain [XXX] on [XXX] entered a flooded roadway. The entire 4 lane roadway was flooded at the underpass. Thousands of cars in all 4 lanes passed through the flooded roadway at 10 MPH. The highway was backed up for miles. The water did not appear to be too deep (3 to 4 inches deep); however, water entered the steering rack and shorted out the electric steering and power steering failed, and warning came on that said “OK to drive with caution Power steering assistance reduced”, we then pulled off the road to see what had happened. My wife who was driving at the time could barely control the car as we exited the highway. Steering was difficult but I managed to make it home and parked the car. Since then, we brought it to our mechanic and he confirmed that electric power steering rack has failed due to water ingress and he could not do the repair. He provided a picture of the crack in the corroded aluminum casting. The car has not been repair so part is available for inspection at this time. After doing an internet search for similar problems we found that this is a known safety issue on F-Pace and Land Rover Valar since they share the same steering rack. There have been hundreds of these failures in US and Great Briton. There is a facebook page dedicated to this failure with over 1,300 members, all of which have reported this failure. “JLR Power Steering Alliance Group (Jaguar F-Pace & Range Rover Velar)” The car is not safe to drive, I had it towed to dealer. The steering is so heavy it would be very difficult to respond to and emergency with out power steering, which can fail at any moment if it gets wet. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)