2011 FORD FUSION Complaints

POWER STEERING ASSITT FAULT. COMMUNICATION CODE U3000 FOR INTERNAL MODULE FAILURE FOR POWER STEERING. HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING RACK. NOT SURE WHY THIS IS COVERED ON SOME FORD FUSION'S 2011 AND 2012. IT WAS COVERED ON MY 2012 FUSION VIN [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

This is in regard to programs 15S18/14S06 and 15N01 for power steering failures. Ford was addressing the recall by reprogramming the module instead of repairing the failing part. Customers (such as myself) who addressed the recall via this method were left bearing the cost of repairs when the part failed. Customers who did not address the recall by having the module reprogrammed are getting their steering gears replaced by Ford at no cost. I've had multiple Ford dealerships tell me that they don't feel it's right, but they are handcuffed by what Ford is instructing them to do in these situations. My vehicle has now been inspected and diagnosed by a Ford dealership, and I've paid to have the steering gear replaced. This is a very expensive repair. The dealership quoted $3200. My request is for the NHTSA to reassess this situation and recommend that Ford do the right thing and make sure to replace the steering gear or extend coverage for those owners who no longer have 15S18 open (those who have addressed the recall via reprogramming of the module).

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became stiff, causing the vehicle to be very difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with a failure in the power train. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,000. The VIN was not available.

Power steering stopped abruptly on busy road in town. Shows message service power steering now. Only code at parts store was for angle sensor.

When applying the brakes, they go almost all the way to the floor without warning. This just started happening this year so I had the master cylinder replaced by a certified mechanic and it still occurs intermittently. They will work fine for months at a time and then do exactly the same thing where they go almost all the way to the floor. It can happen when driving or at a stop. When it happens when driving at high speeds it is scary as I don’t feel I am going to stop. I am thinking of trading in the car because I don’t feel safe and feel that I am putting myself and others in danger.

The "Power Steering Assist Fault" light came on when the car was started and the steering wheel was very heavy and hard to move. Simultaneously, the "Service AdvanceTrac" light also came on. The vehicle was later scanned and an internal component failure code "U-3000:04-68" was identified for the Power Steering Motor. This is an internal system failure. The safety risk was to the driver along with other drivers on the road due to the vehicle being harder to control. The failure happened during a 600 mile drive and the vehicle was driven home carefully as no other arrangements could be made. Driver sustained wrist injury and pain at the carpals from increased effort needed to manually steer vehicle. The "Power Steering Assist Fault" had previously appeared for a couple seconds upon vehicle start up but had not previously disabled the power steering. It had been originally reprogrammed with the recall in 2016 but the recall re-programming proved ineffective.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at approximately 4 MPH and making a left turn, the steering wheel became very difficult to turn. The contact stated the power steering warning light was illuminated after the power steering failed. The contact was able to turn into a parking lot and turned the vehicle off and on and the power steering functionality resumed. The contact stated that after driving for several more miles the power steering failure reoccurred. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to drive the vehicle back to the residence. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering gear and sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 15N01 EPAS steering efforts (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when her son started the vehicle and attempted to turn the steering wheel, the steering wheel had seized. The steering motor sensor warning light was illuminated. The contact researched the failure online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic and was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. The contact stated the vehicle is at the dealer and meets the criteria for the safety recall 15S18.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 61,000.