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Mr. Man
05-27-2015, 01:46 PM
If you have one of these cars expect a letter: :(

DETROIT (AP) — Under pressure from U.S. safety regulators, Ford is recalling nearly 423,000 cars and SUVs in North America because the power-assisted steering can fail while they're being driven.
The recall covers certain Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles, as well as the Lincoln MKS and MKT from the 2011 through 2013 model years. Also covered are the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ from 2011 through 2012 and some 2011 Mercury Milans.
Ford says an intermittent electrical connection can cause the power steering to stop. That sends the steering into manual mode, making the vehicles harder to control. The company says it knows of four crashes due to the problem but no injuries.
Dealers will either update power steering control software or replace the steering gear depending on the problem with individual vehicles. A new steering gear eliminates the electrical issue.
In October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating complaints of power-steering failures on three Ford Motor Co. midsize car models. The probe covered 938,000 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ cars from the 2010 through 2012 model years, as well as the 2010 and 2011 Mercury Milan.
According to a class-action lawsuit filed in June about the matter, the problem could affect more Ford models, including the compact Focus.
NHTSA said at the time that it received 508 complaints alleging that the cars lost power-assisted steering, causing increased steering effort.
Ford said it was unsure if the agency would close its investigation because of the recall. A message was left Wednesday for a NHTSA spokeswoman.
The company also is recalling 19,500 2015 Mustangs with 2.3-Liter engines due to high underbody temperatures that could degrade the fuel tank and fuel vapor lines, increasing the risk of a fire. No fires have been reported. The heat also can damage the parking brake cable. Dealers will replace a heat shield and add insulation.

2015 The Associated Press

ctrlraven
05-27-2015, 02:03 PM
I wonder if I'll get a letter for my Fusion.

Bigdogjim
05-27-2015, 02:26 PM
do do happens.

Bluerauder
05-27-2015, 03:00 PM
That sends the steering into manual mode, making the vehicles harder to control. The company says it knows of four crashes due to the problem but no injuries.

Harder to control :rofl: I think that they mean impossible to control. I learned how to drive and parallel park on cars that did not have power steering. On the highway it was not a problem. However, at slow speeds like when parking, it took a pretty good effort to turn the wheels. Since the advent of power steering and power assisted steering, the gearing has changed to the point that if you lose assist, you cannot turn the wheels much if at all. So I guess "Manual Mode" means "Hang On and Enjoy the Ride". :P

Bluerauder
05-27-2015, 04:15 PM
My '12 SHO is on the list. I checked the Ford Recall site for these details ....

NHTSA Recall Number: AWAITING#

Ford Recall Number: 15S18

Recall Description: AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION CAUSED BY QUALITY ISSUES PERTAINING TO CONFORMAL COAT CONTAMINATION AND RIBBON CABLE PIN MISALIGNMENT WITHIN THE STEERING GEAR MOTOR MAY LEAD TO A LOSS OF THE MOTOR POSITION SENSOR SIGNAL THAT MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. FORD IS AWARE OF 16 ACCIDENT ALLEGATIONS AND THREE INJURY ALLEGATIONS RELATED TO THIS CONDITION IN THE VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS FIELD ACTION. MOST OF THE ACCIDENT ALLEGATIONS REPORT THAT MINOR VEHICLE DAMAGE WAS INCURRED, TYPICALLY EITHER WHEEL DAMAGE RESULTING FROM CONTACT WITH A CURB OR MINOR BODY DAMAGE. THE INJURY ALLEGATIONS WERE ALL REPORTED AS MINOR WITH NO INDICATION THAT MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS SOUGHT FOR ANY OF THE INJURIES.

Risk to Safety: IN THE EVENT OF A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ROAD IS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. THE STEERING SYSTEM WILL DEFAULT TO MANUAL STEERING MODE, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO BE STEERED IN A SAFE AND CONTROLLED MANNER. LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST IS UNLIKELY TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ACCIDENTS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, AS THE AMOUNT OF ASSIST SUPPLIED IS INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO VEHICLE SPEED. LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD REQUIRE HIGHER STEERING EFFORT, ESPECIALLY AT LOWER SPEEDS, WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy Program: OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY MAIL AND INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A FORD OR LINCOLN DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE (PSCM) CHECKED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS). IF NO LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST DTCS ARE PRESENT, DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE PSCM SOFTWARE. THE UPDATED PSCM SOFTWARE WILL PROVIDE STEERING ASSIST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DRIVE CYCLE IF A MOTOR POSITION SENSOR ENCODER FAULT OCCURS, AND A CLUSTER WARNING AND CHIME WILL BE PROVIDED. UPON SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE START-UPS, IF MULTIPLE FAULTS HAVE BEEN VERIFIED, STEERING ASSIST WILL BE REMOVED AND A CLUSTER WARNING AND CHIME WILL BE PROVIDED. IF ANY LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST DTCS ARE PRESENT, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR. IF A VEHICLE HAS THE PSCM SOFTWARE UPDATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS FIELD ACTION, AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST OCCURS AT A LATER DATE, THE OWNER WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLE TO A FORD OR LINCOLN DEALER TO HAVE THE STEERING GEAR REPLACED IF IT OCCURS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FROM THE WARRANTY START DATE FOR THE VEHICLE OR 150K MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE. FORD PROVIDED THE GENERAL REIMBURSEMENT PLAN FOR THE COST OF REMEDIES PAID FOR BY VEHICLE OWNERS PRIOR TO NOTIFICATION OF A SAFETY RECALL IN FEBRUARY 2015. THE ENDING DATE FOR REIMBURSEMENT ELIGIBILITY IS DECEMBER 31, 2015. FORD WILL FORWARD A COPY OF THE NOTIFICATION LETTERS TO DEALERS TO THE AGENCY WHEN AVAILABLE.

Status: 12 - RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE.

larryo340
05-27-2015, 06:02 PM
Harder to control :rofl: I think that they mean impossible to control. I learned how to drive and parallel park on cars that did not have power steering. On the highway it was not a problem. However, at slow speeds like when parking, it took a pretty good effort to turn the wheels. Since the advent of power steering and power assisted steering, the gearing has changed to the point that if you lose assist, you cannot turn the wheels much if at all. So I guess "Manual Mode" means "Hang On and Enjoy the Ride". :P

On cars with full electric power steering when the power goes out it's next to impossible to turn, way harder than the when hydraulic steering fails.

jsignorelli
05-27-2015, 06:32 PM
What Ford should also recall is the heat/AC control module. When my 2010 Fusion Sport was under the five year warrantee, I had to replace that unit three times. It is going bad again. One side of the car gets AC while the other side is blowing heat.

Shall I guess the country of origin? From the good old boys who gave us the LCM?