2012 Ford Flex

WIFE RETURNED TO HER CAR AFTER A DAY OF DRIVING TO FIND THE POWER STEERING HAD SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. SHE DECIDED TO DRIVE IT HOME AND IT HAD MOMENTS WHERE THE POWER STEERING FUNCTIONED AND LUCKILY SHE GOT IT HOME. I CONTACTED FORD BUT THEY ADVISED ME THAT THERE IS NO ACTIVE BULLETIN FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL SO WE WOULD JUST NEED TO FIX IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE AND DRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER PENSKE FORD LOCATED AT 8970 LA MESA BLVD, LA MESA, CA 91942, (619) 464-7777, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING STEERING GEAR TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,062. *DT

2012 FORD FLEX LI HAS 70K THOUSAND MILES. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STARTED TO HUM. SUDDENLY CAR STARTS TO SHAKE AND GRINDING NOISES COMING FROM CENTER OF VEHICLE AND VEHICLE BECOMES DISABLED IN MID-STREAM DRIVING. VEHICLE SMELLS OF BURNT TRANSMISSION OIL. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON POSSIBLE PROBLEMS, PTU IS IMPROPERLY FILLED WITH EXTREMELY LOW AMOUNTS OF LUBRICANT FROM FACTORY. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, SEE LEAKING OIL FROM PTU WHICH IS ALREADY LOW. I WAS LUCKY TO BE DRIVING AT A SLOWER SPEED OR THE SHAKING AND VIBRATIONS COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT DUE TO POOR DESIGN FLAWS. A RECALL IS A MUST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT BEFORE DURING OR AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT WAITED A FEW MINUTES FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH (AIRPORT FORD DEALER 8001 BURLINGTON PIKE, FLORENCE KY 41042, (859)371-4750 REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE STEERING RACK AND THE REPAIR WAS NOT PERFORMED UNTIL THE STEERING WHEEL HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,620.

10/15/2019 CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE WITH WRENCH SHOWING. TURNED THE CAR OFF AD BACK ON TO SEE IF IT WOULD HELP AS IT DID THIS WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ON A CITY STREET. IT PROCEEDED TO RETURN TO LIMP MODE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. CAR WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THE CODES THROWN WERE FOR A THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED. A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FOR A SECOND TIME ALONG WITH THE PCM. ABOUT 10 DAYS LATER THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AGAIN AND THIS TIME SOME WIRING WAS REPLACED AND WE ARE WAITING ON THE ECM. IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE WHEN THIS OCCURS AND WE ARE FEARFUL THE PROBLEM WILL NOT BE FIXED SINCE IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FOUR TIMES NOW; WE ARE ALSO AFRAID TO TRAVEL ON THE HIGHWAY FOR FEAR THE CAR WILL GO INTO LIMP MODE DROPPING FROM 65 MILES PER HOUR TO 5 ALSO IMMEDIATELY. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE WITH SEVERAL MAKES AND MODELS OF VEHICLES ACCORDING TO COMMON REPAIR COMPLAINTS BUT ESPECIALLY FORD. COSTS OF REPAIR AND TROUBLE SHOOTING IS ALSO PROBLEMATIC. A COMPLAINT IS ALSO BEING FILED WITH FORD.

MY WIFE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HER 2012 FORD FLEX POWER STEERING LAST WEEK. THE MECHANIC INSTALLED A NEW PUMP BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. THE MECHANIC THEN SEARCHED THE NHTSA DATABASE AND FOUND A RECALL NOTICE FOR 2012 FORD FLEX VEHICLES (STEERING POWER ELECTRIC SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE LOCAL FORD DEALER SAID OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I AM HOPING THAT ENOUGH OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM SO FORD WILL ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THE FORD DEALER AND THE LOCAL MECHANIC AGREED THAT MY WIFE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY WITH MAKING TURNS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THIS ISSUE SO WE CAN ADDRESS IT WITH FORD.

I AM NOT SURE IF I HAVE TAKATA AIR BAGS, HOWEVER THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR OVER A YEAR. THE STEERING TAKES ADDITIONAL STRENGTH TO TURN AT LOWER SPEEDS. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE THE CAR IS DRIVEN FOR THE STEERING ISSUE, IT HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS, THE HIGHWAY IF TURNING AT SLOWER SPEEDS. THE RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP HAVE BEEN REPLACED DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE.