2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no reservoir cap to check for power steering fluid. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Mileage: 72,000

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. While the contact’s daughter was operating the vehicle, the steering wheel was very difficult to turn in either direction, with the message "Power Steering Malfunction" displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 68,000.

Mileage: 68,000

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated a message that the “Advance-trac System Failure - Service Required” message was displayed. The contact drove the vehicle home, turned off the vehicle, and noticed that the steering wheel was locked. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure occurred on two prior occasions and was diagnosed as an Advance-trac system failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 207,000.

Mileage: 207,000

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact stopped at a local gas station and inflated the driver's side front tire. The contact stated that after inflating the tire, the Advancetrac error and power system failure warning lights were illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and proceeded to drive the vehicle to his destination; however, the power steering seized and became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed steering gearbox. The contact was informed that the steering gearbox needed to be replaced, and the tires needed to be rotated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ADVANCE AUTO TRAC AND POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE WHEEL, BUT IT FAILED TO STEER PROPERLY. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, AND THEN DRIVE; HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. AAA WAS CONTACTED AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO HERITAGE FORD (2075 EDSEL LN NW, CORYDON, IN 47112, (812) 738-3284) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 166,000.

Mileage: 166,000

I WAS DRIVING AND MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER THERE WAS A RED ALERT ON THE DASH STATING SERVICE POWER STEERING. THEN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER ANOTHER ALERT CAME ON AND IT WAS YELLOW THAT SAID SERVICE ADVANCETRAC. AFTER THAT HAPPENED I DROVE HOME AND THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I GOT IN MY VEHICLE TO LEAVE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED. EVEN THOUGH IT IS 2019 I UNDERSTAND THE CAR HAS YEARS ON IT BUT AFTER ONLY HAVING IT FOR THREE MONTHS FROM THE DEALERSHIP I AM EXTREMELY UPSET.

Mileage: 94,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT WAS UNABLE TO BECAUSE IT WAS STIFF. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MATTHEWS CURRIE FORD (LOCATED AT 130 N TAMIAMI TRAIL, NOKOMIS, FL 34275, (877) 405-7194) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. *BF *AS

Mileage: 120,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING FAILED AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. SHEEHY FORD OF MARLOW HEIGHTS (5000 AUTH RD, MARLOW HEIGHTS, MD 20746, (301) 298-0793) DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING SENSOR SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. *BF. CONSUMER STATED DIAGNOSED COMMUNICATION HAD A PROBLEM AND STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN. DEALER HAD CAR FOR 23 DAYS MONTH LATER SAME ISSUE. VEHICLE WAS NEVER LOOKED AT. RECALL WAS MENTIONED BY THE CONSUMER BY DEALER DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*JB

Mileage: 150,000

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V001000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO PROVIDE THE PART WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN WAITING TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LORENZO FORD (30725 S FEDERAL HWY, HOMESTEAD, FL 33030, 1-(305) 307-8039) FOR OVER TWO YEARS. A LOANER VEHICLE OPTION WAS NOT OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN FIELD SERVICE ACTION NUMBER: 15N01 (EPAS STEERING EFFORTS), BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION VIA MAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO ADDRESS PART AVAILABILITY AND THE MANUFACTURER FIELD SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, AND IT COST OVER $1,600 TO REPAIR. FORD MOTOR COMPANY CLAIMS THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 15V34

Mileage: 43,473

VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING ONE YEAR AGO AND DEALER REPAIRED. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN. WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AS SOON AS I TURNED THE WHEEL ON THE FIRST CORNER THAT POWER STEERING AND STABILITY NEEDED CHECKING. ONCE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN, LOST ALL POWER TO THE STEERING MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND APPARENTLY WHAT THEY DID TO FIX IT THE FIRST TIME WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. I SEE THERE IS SOME SORT OF RECALL ON THE 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRIDS BUT DESPITE ALL THE COMPLAINTS NOBODY HAS EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE.

Mileage: 74,449

WERE NOTIFIED BY MAIL REGARDING PASSENGER AIRBAG RECALL. FOUND OUT ABOUT STEERING WHEEL ISSUE. UNABLE TO DRIVE CAR. BEEN AT LEAST 2 YEARS

SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I HAVE BEEN DRIVING OR JUST STARTING TO DRIVE MY POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT. I THEN HAVE TO TURN THE MOTOR OFF AND RESTART THE ENGINE AND THEN IT WILL BE ALRIGHT. TWICE I HAD PULLED OUT OF MY GARAGE AND STARTED FORWARD IT WENT OUT AND ANOTHER TIME I HAD STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND STARTED TO GO AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN. I WAS ON A CITY STREET AT THE TIME.

Mileage: 30,000

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILLY HOWELL FORD LINCOLN (1805 ATLANTA HWY, CUMMING, GA 30040, (770) 887-2311) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V340000 (STEERING) AND 17V024000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: CAS15441933. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V024000 (AIR BAGS) AND PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V340000 (STEERING).

Mileage: 122,000

VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN FROM 35MPH TO TAKE A RH TURN INTO PARKING LOT. UPON INITIATING TURN, POWER STEERING FAILED & SERVICE ADVANCETRAC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FAILURE OCCURRED AS VEHICLE HAD STARTED TURN, CREATING AN IMMEDIATE HIGH-FORCE PULL TO THE LEFT AND REQUIRING CORRECTIVE DRIVER ACTION TO CONTINUE WITH THE RIGHT TURN OR IMPACT CARS IN THE PARKING LOT. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TURN AND BRING VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP, ALBEIT VERY DIFFICULT GIVEN GRIP STRENGTH REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN TURN ON STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT POWER STEERING. UPON

Mileage: 82,000

WHILE DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD AT NIGHT, THE "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC" WARNING AND LIGHTS CAME ON. THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN STARTING THE PARKED CAR, THE "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW" WARNING APPEARED AND THE POWER STEERING WAS DEAD. A FEW HOURS LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER WHERE THEY RESET THE COMPUTER AND TESTED IT, UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE ERROR. THEY FAILED TO MENTION THAT A RECALL (NHTSA: 15V340000 | FORD: 15S18) FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE IS OUT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SHOW UP ON MY PARTICULAR VIN.

Mileage: 66,245

A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER HAVING A MYSTERIOUS POWER STEERING FAILURE, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE FORD FUSION HYBRID 2012 HAD BEEN PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. WHEN STARTING IT UP, THE "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC" AND "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW" WARNINGS AND LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THE POWER STEERING WAS DEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT A STEERING GEAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY REFUSE TO ASSOCIATE IT WITH THE RECALL (NHTSA: 15V340000 | FORD: 15S18) FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SHOW UP ON MY PARTICULAR VIN.

Mileage: 67,000

IN 2015 FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD 80,000 FUSIONS RECALLED BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CONTROL. AFTER 40000 VEHICLES WERE OFFICIALLY RECALLED THE NTSB BACKED OFF AND GAVE FORD MOTOR COMPANY A GET-OUT-OF-JAIL-FREE CARD BECAUSE NO ONE HAD DIED AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECT. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE RECALLED BUT TWO MONTHS AGO MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND FOR CHARGED ME OVER $1,600 TO REPAIR IT. THIS IS GROSSLY UNFAIR. MY STEERING FAILED JUST AS I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY SO IT DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FOR ME.

Mileage: 43,000

MECHANICAL CLUNKING NOISE WHEN INITIATING TURNS, EITHER DIRECTION. DIAGNOSED AS STEERING GEAR FAILURE BUT AS NOT A FAILURE RELATED TO THE ONGOING RECALL.

Mileage: 62,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING, SERVICE POWER STEERING, AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE ABILITY TO STEER BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER IN MAY PER A RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE RECALL DETAILS WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

Mileage: 147,000

POWER STEERING HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT, NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. I HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT A FORD DEALER PER RECALL # 15V-340 PERFORMED ON 8/25/15 BUT THE ISSUE HAS RE-OCCURRED. IN BOTH INCIDENTS, THE VEHILCE WAS IN MOTION WITH THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED BY TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTING THE CAR.

Mileage: 48,000

TODAY FROM A STOP, TURNING RIGHT OUT OF PARKING LOT ON TO CITY STREET INTO RIGHT MOST LANE, DURING ACCELERATION IN TURN, POWER STEERING LOST; FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY SEVERAL AUDIBLE WARNING TONES AND MESSAGE CENTER REPORTING SERVICE ADVANCETRAC AND SERVICE STEERING. WHILE CAUGHT OF GUARD, WAS ABLE WITH EFFORT TO STRAIGHTEN VEHICLE, AND RECOVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT NEXT LIGHT, PUT CAR IN PARK, TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND THEN BACK ON. IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED WARNING TONES AND MESSAGE CENTER REPORTING SERVICE ADVANCETRAC AND SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW. VEHICLE AS NO POWER ASSIST AND EFFORT IS HIGH TO STEER VEHICLE. NOT CLEAR HOW BOTH SYSTEMS "FAILED" AT SAME TIME. BUT LOSS OF SAFETY FEATURE FOR STABILITY CONTROL AND INCREASED EFFORT TO STEER REQUIRES MORE RESPONSE TIME FOR ROUTINE AND IF REQUIRED EVASIVE MANEUVERS TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 28,600 MILES, AND THIS IS THE FIRST ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. LAST ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND MULTI-POINT INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AT 24,200 AT DEALER IN APRIL.

Mileage: 28,600

ENGINE FAILED AT STOPLIGHT WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON 6/26/16. RESTART SUCCESSFUL. SUBSEQUENT MULTIPLE ENGINE FAILURE CHIMES OCCURRED. DEALER "REPAIRED WIRING". SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES SINCE, NOT FURTHER INCIDENTS (ENGINE FAILURES OR MULTIPLE CHIMES).

Mileage: 43,500

WHILE DRIVING CAR ABOUT 30 MPH AND BEGINNING A TURN, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT A TREE. I FEEL THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS.

Mileage: 118,000

I WAS DRIVING NORMAL AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND I GOT TWO ALARMS ON MY DASH. SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW, AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING.

Mileage: 122,100

FUSION'S POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AS I WAS TURNING A CURVE ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL.. INSIDE OF THE TRUNK'S LID IS RUSTING WITH ONLY 15,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLES

Mileage: 15,000

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, GOING AROUND A CURVE, POWER STEERING FAILED. WAS ABLE TO CONTROL CONTROL THE CAR AND DROVE HOME SLOWLY. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE TURNS ONTO SIDE STREETS. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT AND THOUGH FORD ISSUED A RECALL APPROX 1MONTH PRIOR, I HAD RECEIVED NO NOTICE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STEERING RACK AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WILL UPDATE WHEN RECEIVE FURTHER INFORMATION.

Mileage: 54,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE STEERING THROUGH A CURVE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A TREE AND WENT DOWN INTO THE CANAL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

Mileage: 47,000

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH. OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY, INCLUDING ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT. DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER VEHICLE. TOOK CAR TO TORRINGTON FORD SERVICE, WHERE THEY HOOKED THE CAR UP TO DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER THAT CONFIRMED PROBLEM. ONCE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES, PROBLEM WENT AWAY. ON JUNE 5, 2015, POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH. SAME WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. WILL TAKE TO FORD SERVICE.

Mileage: 34,000

THE STEERING JUST LOST THE ASSIST. I HAD TO PAY $1800.00 TO GET IT FIXED. THEY HAD TO CHANGE OUT THE WHOLE FRONT AXEL OR DRIVE.

Mileage: 52,000

POWER STEERING FIRST FAILED IN THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER 2013. THERE WAS 20083 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR IN OUR SUBDIVISION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ALARMS STARTED AND THE CAR WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. WE WERE ABLE TO FORCE STEER THE CAR BACK HOME. WE SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND STARTED IT UP AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THE ALARMS AND WARNING LIGHTS ALSO WENT OFF. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WE THEN HAD A SECOND EVENT ON FEBRUARY 21, 2015 WHERE THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. THE MILEAGE WAS 40163. WE SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND STARTED IT UP AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THE ALARMS AND WARNING LIGHTS ALSO WENT OFF. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AGAIN. ON MARCH 12, 2015 MULTIPLE ALARMS ACTIVATED AND WE COMPLETELY LOST POWER STEERING AND ALMOST GOT IN TO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC AND THE INABILITY TO STEER THE CAR PROPERLY. WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO A FORD DEALER AND WAS ABLE TO FORCE STEER THE VEHICLE INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE WE WERE THEN ASSISTED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED MOTOR ROTATION ANGLE SENSOR INTERNAL ELECTRONIC FAILURE AND FAILURE OF ELECTRONIC STEERING SYSTEM. THE EPAS SYSTEM WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND SEVERAL PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 40,963

WHILE TURNING AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING WARNINGS POPPED UP AND CAR LOST ALL POWER STEERING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER SAFELY OPERABLE WHILE HAVING NO LISTED ERROR CODES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING GEAR AT A $2000 PRICE TAG. *TR

Mileage: 70,800

POWER STEERING FAILED AT LOW SPEED (5 MPH) IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WARNING MESSAGES WERE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC." DROVE CAR ABOUT TEN MILES TO MY DESTINATION WITHOUT POWER STEERING (VERY DIFFICULT). TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED BUT PROBLEM HAD NOT CLEARED. TRIED AGAIN NEXT MORNING AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED. THE "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" MESSAGE CLEARED AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OF DRIVING. *TR

Mileage: 23,000

WHILE PULLING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY LOST POWER STEERING. POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT MESSAGE SHOWED ON DASHBOARD. HAD VEHICLE TESTED ON MACHINE AND THE FOLLOWING ERROR CODES. U-3000, C-200B AND C-200C. ALSO CHARGING SYSTEM WAS CHECKED AND WAS TOLD BAD DIODES IN ALTERNATOR. *TR

Mileage: 92,800

I WAS DRIVING AT MEDIUM SPEED ON A SUBURBAN STREET AND AN ALERT POPPED UP ON THE DASH: POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. POWER STEERING THEN SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY, THE STREET WAS STRAIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO DECELERATE AND WRESTLE THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS TURNING, OR WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY (AND WOULD NEED TO NAVIGATE SEVERAL LANES TO STOP) I WOULD ALSO LIKELY HAVE CRASHED. CAR IS 24 MONTHS OLD WITH JUST OVER 40,000 MILES. (NOT FAR OUT OF WARRANTY.) CAR HAD NO PRIOR MECHANICAL TROUBLE WHATSOEVER, AND HAD BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED BY THE DEALER. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON, IT BEHAVED NORMALLY. I BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING. FORD RECOMMENDED REPLACING RACK AND PINION, $1800 REPAIR. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE COVERED THIS, AS IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THERE WAS NO SAFETY PROBLEM UNTIL THE COMPUTER DECIDED TO SHUT OFF THE POWER STEERING! *TR

Mileage: 40,380

UPON EXIT OFF OF EXPRESSWAY, CAR GAVE MESSAGE "POWER ASSIST FAULT 1" BLINKING. LOST POWER STEERING, ALSO ADVANCE TRAC NOTICE STARTED BLINKING WITH PICTURE OF SKIDDING CAR. TOTAL STEERING LOSS OCCURRED IN STOPPED TRAFFIC AS TRIED TO TURN CORNER. MANUAL DIFFICULT STEERING RETURNED IF CAR WAS MOVING. PARKED CAR AND VISITED FRIENDS. AFTER 2 HOURS RETURNED TO CAR AND AFTER STARTING EVERYTHING WORKED. NO MORE MESSAGES. CAR WAS SERVICED ON JULY 3RD FOR 10,000 MILE CHECKUP BY KINDLE FORD PREVIOUS TO INCIDENT. WHEN CALLED KINDLE FORD ON 7/29 DAY OF INCIDENT, SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING AS CAR WAS WORKING AND MESSAGE GONE. NEED TO WAIT UNTIL HAPPENS AGAIN. AM TOTALLY TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY NEW $32,000.00 CAR. *TR

Mileage: 9,930