2010 Ford Flex

Leaving home to go to the grocery store and as I exited my street a dash warning came on stating "Power Steering Assist" fault Steering wheel locked up making it impossible for me to steer. Fortunately this happened in a spot where there was no other traffic and I was able to just turn off the car and restart and the message was gone and my steering was restored. I am now terrified to drive my car because if this had happened in traffic there could have been a serious accident because steering capability was non existent. . In reading online this is a very common problem with my make and model and apparently there was a recall by Ford for 2011 and later cars but not 2010 even though it is a "known problem" at dealerships. For me this now seems intermittent but in calling the dealership they know of the issue. It would cost me about $2200 to fix. I am happy to provide my vehicle for inspection. Thank you so much for your help ... greatly appreciated

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a metal clicking and scraping sound coming from underneath the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the wheels felt loose. The contact stated that a nearby driver informed her that sparks were coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that a nearby driver identified that the rack and pinion had detached. In addition, the power steering fluid had leaked out onto the ground. The contact was driving on a busy highway during the failure occurred. The contact stated that her grandchildren were in the vehicle when the failure occurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

Vehicle loses power steering intermittently upon vehicle startup as well as in motion. Vehicle is then extremely hard to control without power steering. Message " POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" prints to the instrument cluster above the steering wheel. Turning the vehicle off and back on may resolve problem but it returns within a couple key cycles.

INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL FAILURE OF THE ADVANCE TRAK TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO UNEXPECTEDLY PULL TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT WHILE UNDER ACCELERATION ON VEHICLE SPEEDS ABOVE 20 MPH WITHOUT INDICATION FROM THE TELL-TALE TO THE OPERATOR TO INDICATE THERE IS A PROBLEM OR INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. THIS UNEXPECTED PULL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT IS VIOLENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO VEER ACROSS THE CENTERLINE OF A LANE, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A RISK TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WELL AS THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE FAILURE WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT INDICATION TO THE DRIVER UNTIL THE EVENT OCCURS FREQUENTLY ENOUGH DURING AN IGNITION CYCLE TO TRIGGER THE TELL-TALE TO INDICATE A FAILURE OF THE ADVANCE TRAK SYSTEM, BUT THIS TELL-TALE ON THE DASH ONLY STAYS LIT DURING THE CURRENT IGNITION CYCLE AND WILL NOT BE PRESENT ON THE NEXT IGNITION CYCLE, AGAIN FAILING TO INDICATE THE INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE ADVANCE TRAK TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM VIA THE WARNING LIGHT TELL-TALE ON THE DASHBOARD.

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE STILL STATIONARY THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A 'POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT' AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CAR IS VERY HAD TO STEER AFTER GETTING THIS ERROR MESSAGE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND RE-START THE CAR AND THE ERROR MESSAGE WAS NOT DISPLAYED AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE ERROR IS NOW HAPPENING EVERY 2-3 DAYS DEPENDING ON THE FREQUENCY IT IS DRIVEN. IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING IT IS VERY DANGEROUS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 20- 30 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO PULLED TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL RUBBING SOUND DETECTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MEL HAMBELTON FORD 11771 W KELLOGG AVE, WICHITA, KS 67209 (316) 462-3673 WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE NHTSA HOTLINE FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS FAULTY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE MOVED. ANOTHER MOTORIST HELPED THE CONTACT PUSH THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE MAKING A SHARP TURN, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL MOAN/GROAN SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HENDERSON FORD (2530 US-41, HENDERSON, KY 42420, (270) 827-3566) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND A 'DETROIT AXLE RACK AND PINION' WAS INSTALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO THREE UNKNOWN DEALERS AND THE POWER STEERING WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES AND CLOCKSPRINGS WERE INSTALLED; HOWEVER, NONE OF THE PREVIOUS REMEDIES REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT THE TECHNICIAN WHO INSTALLED THE 'DETROIT AXLE SYSTEM'. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE LUBED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

AFTER STARTING THE CAR, A MESSAGE LIT IN THE COUNSEL STATING POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. I COULD NOT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND HAD TO RESET THE SYSTEM AND RESTART THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED ONCE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND A SECOND TIME IN THE WALL-MART PARKING LOT.FEELING UNSAFE I DROVE MY CAR DIRECTLY TO OUR MECHANIC AND AFTER DIAGNOSTIC, IT WAS DETERMINED A REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. I HAVE ENCLOSE THE RECEIPT FOR THE WORK DONE.