2013 Ford Flex

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER POWERED OFF THE ENGINE WHILE IN TRAFFIC. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO BANNER FORD (1943 N CAUSEWAY BLVD, MANDEVILLE, LA 70471, (985) 234-5678) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC ASSIST STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

WHILE DRIVING I LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL, THANKFULLY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH THE KIDS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. I RESTARTED AND THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. THIS OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS UNTIL THE POWER STEERING JUST STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. I CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT INCLUDED MY MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR FOR THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST (RECALL #15S18) I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE SARASOTA FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD UPON CHECK IN THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. THE RECALL STATES THAT IT COVERS MODEL YEAR 2013 FORD FLEX WITH ANY ENGINE. WITH A KNOWN, EXTREEMLY DANGEROUS ISSUE, I CANT UNDERSTAND HOW MY VEHICLE (EXPIERIENCING THE EXACT ISSUE DESCRIBED) IS NOT COVERED.

"POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT".TOOK A LEFT TURN ON A MAIN ROAD IN TRAFFIC AND I HEAR "DINGDINGDINGDING" AND THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED OUT OF MY HAND AND WAS FIGHTING ME TO GO STRAIGHT, VERY HEAVILY. ALMOST WENT INTO ONCOMING CARS AS I TRIED TO PULL IT BACK INTO THE TURN. ALMOST HIT A BUS STOP WITH PEOPLE WAITING, BUT I HIT THE CURB. PINCHED A CHUNK OUT OF THE TIRE AND SCRAPED UP THE WHEEL. I LOOKED IT UP AND IS SAME OR SIMILAR TO FORD SAFETY RECALL 15S18. MY VEHICLE WAS MADE LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL DATE LIMIT, SO FORD CLAIMS IT IS NOT COVERED. I AM JUST GLAD MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING IT, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR KIDS IN IT. SHE COULD NOT HAVE HANDLED IT AND COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CODES, NOTHING.JUST THE WARNING DISPLAYED. THEN YOU PRESS "OK" AND IT GOES AWAY WITH NO MORE INFORMATION.

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY BRING MY VEHICLE TO A STOP WHICH WAS AFTER DRIVING A MILE WITH LITTLE-TO-NO STEERING. OUR MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A PART OF THE POWER STEERING RECALL ON THE 2013 FORD FLEX, HOWEVER WHEN I PULL MY VIN IT APPEARS THERE ARE NO RECALLS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS I DRIVE 4 CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE DAILY. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I AS A CONSUMER CAUSED - I PERFORM MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR.

POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT ERROR RECEIVED WHEN I SHIFTED THE VEHICLE FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND SLOWLY ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE. I SEARCHED RECALLS FOR 2013 FORD FLEX AND DID FIND A RECALL NUMBER, 15S18, THAT PER FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE BUT DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT MY ISSUE IS. THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED I SHOULD HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND IF THIS IS THE ISSUE TO HOLD ON TO MY SERVICE RECEIPTS IN CASE THERE IS A RECALL ISSUED IN THE FUTURE. I KNOW THIS IS A VALID ISSUE THEY ARE JUST UNWILLING TO COVER IT BECAUSE MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS ABLE TO RETRIEVE THE FOLLOWING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES: U3000-49 (CONTROL MODULE INTERNAL ELECTRONIC FAILURE), U3000-72 (POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE FAILURE), U0401 (INVALID DATA RECEIVED FROM ECM/PCM), U0401-72 (LOST COMMUNICATION WITH BCM), AND B1215 (BODY CONTROL MODULE FAILURE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUTCH OUSTALET FORD (LOCATED AT 9274 US 49, GULFPORT, MS 39503, (228) 863-5525) FOR CONSULTATION AND THE CONTACT ASKED WHAT PARTS WERE NECESSARY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE PARTS DEPARTMENT. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (PN: EG12*3504*H). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V340000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

THE EPASS ELECTRONIC DRIVE BY WIRE STEERING SYSTEM FAILED AFTER 60K MILES. THIS WAS THE SAME EPASS SYSTEM IN THE OTHER 2013 FORD FLEX THAT WERE PART OF THE RECALL FOR THE EPASS FAILURE. WHEN THE EPASS SYSTEM FAILED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND COULDN'T BE DRIVEN. I SPENT $2,500 ON THE NEW PARTS AND MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A WEEK.