This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
On multiple occasions during past 3 years, I experienced a sudden loss of power steering, which could be reinstated by pulling over, shutting off engine and restarting car. A few weeks ago, it could not be reinstated and I have had a permanently loss of steering. The isolated incidents occurred while driving, sometimes in a parking lot where I came close to hitting cars because I could barely muster the physical strength necessary to steer in tight spots, other times while driving in city streets. They appeared to occur randomly about once over few months until it finally happened permanently. So far, I have not had any accidents or injuries, although I cannot let my wife drive the car because she lacks the physical strength to overcome the loss of power steering. The car is now with the dealership where I bought it and they are charging me approximately $1,900 to replace the entire steering assembly. The specific information given below is for the last, permanent occurrence.
While making a left turn I seemed to loose control of the steering and hit the opposite curb so hard that a large chunk was torn in both passenger side tires. I was driving on a Suburban street and had a left turn traffic signal. I did not know how it happened and called aaa to be towed to a station and had to purchase two new tires.
While on travel, I went to start my car and got a warning message that the power steering needed to be serviced. There was no earlier indication (noise, periodic failure, etc.) that power steering was on the way out. Thankfully I was not driving at the time. Online research revealed a recall for nearly all later models 2011-2015, but not mine for the exact same issue.
My daughter was driving the vehicle in los angeles on a one-way street in the hills and heard a loud noise right before the steering wheel locked on her. The 'service power steering now" red light came on but the steering wheel would not move. The car was towed into galpin Ford. Galpin quoted $2200 to repair and suggested that I call Ford customer service. A couple of calls into Ford yielded two apologies and said that the car is not part of the major recall and therefore not under warranty. This year and model has the worst number of complaints for steering wheel
- Moorpark, CA, USA
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While driving on a busy street (with 2 small children) we lost all power steering, on a busy street causing unsafe driving conditions. The service advancetrac (avs) and service power steering errors came on as this happened.
I went to drive my vehicle and it showed 2 alarms on the dash. A traction control warning and a power steering needs service. I drove the car 5 miles to church. Upon coming out of church and getting back in the vehicle, the same 2 alarms were on the dash, but the power steering changed to service now. The power steering in the car was gone. I struggled to get the car out of a parking spot and back to my home. It is now sitting in the yard. I am very concerned that if this would have occurred while driving, that I could have experienced an accident.
Steering gear malfunctioned. When taken to the service department, the service manager said there were 2648 of these parts on back order. It has been two months since this car has been sitting at the service department with no action being taken. Still waiting on the part from Ford. The part malfunctioned while driving on a city street, going straight. Warning alerts appeared on the dashboard with no initial indication of anything going wrong with the part. Drove the vehicle home 30 miles, no change in original condition of steering. When taking the car out the next day, that was the first indication that there was no power steering.
While my daughter was driving my car the power steering failed unexpectedly and she was lucky she was near our home. I brought the car to the dealership and they said the part will cost $1500 and it is on backorder for over two weeks! I bought this car used and found out the same part was replaced at 65,000 miles. I was told by the dealership that it's common to have to replace that part every 65,000 miles! I have had many cars and I have never once had to replace a steering gear, never mind twice. I think Ford has faulty parts and should take accountability for it!! right now I am out of a car for over two weeks and the dealership they can not give me a loaner even though it's Ford who doesn't have the part. I will never buy a Ford again after this. The cars are unsafe amd no one is doing a thing about it! [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'
Driving home about 55mph when steering got stiff and "power steering failure" followed by "advancetrac failure", then "service advancetrac system" warning messages and chimes appeared. Managed to get home without the power-assist but upon stopping on driveway and restarting car, steering was gone altogether and I could not turn the wheel. Impossible to drive. Spoke to Ford cust. Serv. Next morning who said there were no issues reported on this car and no safety recalls (although he admitted there were safety recalls on all subsequent model years of this car for steering issues) and he suggested taking it to the dealer. I told him it was impossible to drive so he arranged (and covered the cost of) a towtruck to take it to the nearest dealer. They tested the car and found only a blown power steering system fuse. After replacing fuse and testing the car they said it was now fixed. They could not identify the problem that caused the fuse to blow. I explained that I was now scared to drive the car in case it happened again and what if.... it happened at higher speed and the car won't steer? the dealer service manager is contacting Ford to see what she can do. Total cost to fix the fuse and diagnostic test was $111.
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid. While driving approximately 60 mph, the warning message for service power steering and service auto trac illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer ran a diagnostic and the system reset itself. The mechanic diagnosed that the electric power assist system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.
When starting the car I got an error message "service power steering now" and service advancetrac. Now I cannot turn the wheel on the car and I cannot drive it. I've seen other people have the same issue. I tired to restart the car and had the same issue. Also unplugged the battery and tired again an it still had those errors.
While driving along at 35 mph the "service power steering" and "service advancetrac system" warning lights came on. Lost power steering. Stopped to see what owner's manual had to say. It said it was okay to drive, but to take it to the nearest dealer. Took it to a Ford dealer in frankfort, ky. They said it was a fuse that had popped up out of its slot in the fuse box. Since the power steering is an electrical assist motor the circuit to the motor was broken when the fuse popped up out of its slot. The fuse was not blown, just lost contact in the circuit. Car was fine until 10,000 miles later. Same problem, loss of power steering. Ford dealer in daytona beach, fl says they found an over temp code and reset code. They could find nothing else wrong with the car that would cause loss of power steering. Drove another 1,000 miles and loss of power steering again in Virginia. Took car to nearest Ford dealer in prince george, va. They replaced front control arms. Drove another 600 miles and loss of power steering again. Went straight to the first Ford dealer in frankfort, ky and they say they need to replace the rack on it, but it is now out of warranty. Not sure what to do next or where to take the car. No one really knows what is causing this problem....updated 10/01/15
I was rounding a corner at approximately 10 mph, pulling out from the street where I live, and two trouble codes popped up: (1) "brake! check brake system"; and (2) "service advancetrac". the car immediately became incredibly difficult to steer and the brakes provided little (if any) stopping power (I am unsure if it was jamming on the brakes that provided extremely minimal stopping power or just the inertia of the car slowing over approximately 30-50 feet). The dealership ultimately provided excellent service replacing the "asb module", but I feel that it is unsafe for a car's brakes and power steering to fail suddenly, even at low speeds, and unexpected that a 4 year old car with less than 40,000 miles would have such a failure. I live near a park. If someone had decided to suddenly cross the street with a stroller, a kid had run into the street after a ball, or someone else had darted in front of the car, I would have been unable to make the necessary adjustments to avoid an auto on person crash.
I previously reported the steering failure on my Ford, and I was gratified to see Ford recalling the 2011 and later models of this car for this steering problem. When I had my steering harness replaced on my 2010, however, my mechanic said it was the same part as the 2011. If so, why did you not recall the 2010S as well? it was the first model year of the car and suffers from the same problem.
Complete loss of power steering. No accident/injury to report. Power steering did not come back when vehicle was turned off and back on. Taken to Mahwah, NJ, Ford dealer who announce that gear box needs to be replaced, and they have never seen this type of failure before.
Started up and left the golf course last evening and went about a quarter mile and suddenly the "service power steering" warning came on along with the usual chimes you hear. Lost the power steering and the vehicle was very difficult to drive the 12 or so miles to my home. Also the advance track warning is on.
While driving vehicle power steering stopped working making it nearly impossible to control. As a result crashed into another vehicle. There was no warning prior to the failure, a service power steering now warning light and a service advance trac light illuminated as the failure occurred. This steering configuration is extremely dangerous as it is nearly impossible to control and very different from a vehicle that does not have power steering.
On 4/9/15 I was driving along 2-lane road and got a message on my dash re power steering problem. At the same time I noticed that power steering had gone out. I was able to pull into a parking lot, turned off vehicle, when I turned power back on, the power seemed to be ok and I continued driving. I took the car immediately to jacky jones dealership. They said they checked it out, couldn't find anything and said it must've been a "glitch." They charged me $45.22. I proceeded to get on I-75 and drove home. On 5/18/15, I was on a main road approaching access to I-75. Once again I got a message on the dash and the power steering went out. I pulled off road, turned off ignition and then turned it on again. It appeared to be ok. 5/25/15. Took vehicle to lenoir city Ford end left it there over weekend. Today they told me that rack unit has to be replaced at a cost of approx. $1800. They did tell me that I should not drive car. The power steering went out for them at dealership as well.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Lexington, MA, USA