2013 Ford Flex

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING AND ASSIST TRAX WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (BOB WONDRIES FORD 400 S ATLANTIC BLVD, ALHAMBRA, CA 91801 (626) 289-3591) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED RECALLS ONLINE AND FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V340000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000.

OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AS I AM DRIVING MY VEHICLE, MY STEERING WILL SEIZE AND STOP OPERATING. THE COMPUTER COMES UP WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE, "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE". I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND WAS TOLD THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. THE INFORMATION IS AS FOLLOWS: NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 15V340000, FORD FLEX 2011-2013, FORD RECALL #15S18. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, BIRD KULTGEN, AND THEY STATED THAT IT DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE BECAUSE WHEN THEY PULLED MY VIN, IT DID NOT GIVE THEM A RECALL MESSAGE. I CALLED THE FORD COMPANY AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. THE RECALL LISTED IS FOR FORD FLEX 2013, WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE. BOTH THE FORD DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS THE COMPANY STATED - SORRY. ISN'T IT POSSIBLE FOR THIS TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON OTHER VIN'S AS WELL? THAT IS WHAT I WAS ASKING FOR THEM TO LOOK INTO. IF MY STEERING FAILS, AND I AM ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS WHAT I DRIVE DAILY TO WORK, I WILL CRASH. THE DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS FORD STATED - MAYBE IT WILL COME UP IN A WEEK, WHO KNOWS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FORD MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V390000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

I PLACED THE SUV IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF (THE CAR WAS STATIONARY). AS I LEANED ON THE VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF IT, I NOTICE IT ROLLED BACK. BECAUSE IT WAS UNUSUAL, I PUSH ON THE CAR FRAME TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. WHEN I PUSHED THE VEHICLE, IT CONTINUED TO ROLL OUT OF MY GARAGE. I HAD TO RUN AND JUMP IN THE CAR, RESTART IT, AND PUT IN IN THE PARK POSITION AGAIN. THIS CAUSED GREAT CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE MY SMALL CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR. AFTER THIS OCCURRED, I CALLED FORD TO REPORT IT. RECENTLY, I'VE DONE RESEARCH AND REALIZED THAT SOME OF THE 2012-2014 FORD FLEX VEHICLES WERE RECALLED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. HTTP://FOX6NOW.COM/2014/08/14/FORD-RECALL-YOUR-CAR-COULD-ROLL-AWAY-EVEN-IF-ITS-PARKED/. WHEN I CALLED FORD TO REPORT, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM DID THEY HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEHICLE BEING IN PARK BUT DISENGAGING AND ROLLING AND THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WAS NO. THE PERSON SUGGESTED I PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON UNTIL I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE NOT BEEN THE TRUTH AS THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 2014. ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL, I AM HAVING THAT PROBLEM.

IN 2015 ,I PURCHASED A 2013 FORD FLEX FROM MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. ABOUT A WEEK AGO I STARTED NOTICING A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING , AND ALSO WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED . TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP, JUST TO FIND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD "NO RECALLS" OF COURSE, AND QUOTED ME $2,100 TO GET IT FIXED . I WAS LIKE ARE YOU KIDDIND ME? THIS CAR STILL UNDER THE 100K MILE WARRANTY, AND THEY'RE ANSWER WAS SORRY SIR I'M ONLY HERE TO DELIVER THE NEWS. ANY HELP ? CAN'T BELIEVE FORD .

STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED! A SENSOR THAN CAME UP STATING SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC AND NOT EVEN 2 SECONDS LATER ANOTHER SENIOR COMES UP STATING POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT! I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER! I THEN READ CAR MANUAL STATING THAT THE SENSORS THAT WERE SHOWN HAVE TO DO WITH AN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING THAT CAN BE RESET BY SHUTTING OFF CAR AND RESTARTING 10 SECONDS LATER! I THEN BROUGHT IT TO KELLY FORD AND THEY ARE STATING THAT THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING RACK MUST BE REPLACED! THEY STATED THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON MY VIN AND THAT I HAD NO WARRANTY! I BEGAN RESEARCH AND THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 500,000 CARS RECALLED FOR THE SAME EXACT REASON BUTVFORD INSIST THAT MINE IS NOT COVERED! I ALSO CONSTANTES FORD MOTORS AND THEY HAD ME FILE A CASE WHICH DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! THE DEALER QUOTED ME THAT THIS WAS A 2,000 DOLLAR JOB! MY ARGUMENT IS THAT THIS IS THE SAME EXACT THING THAT EVERY OTHER FORD HAS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT ABOUT MINE! MY CAR WAS ALSO MANUFACTURED IN THE SAME AREA... I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND! THIS WILL BE MY ONE AND ONLY FORD AND I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ONE AGAIN! FORD DEALERSHIPS ARE ALSO HORRIBLE TO VISIT! EVERY SINGLE TIME I HAVE BEEN IN ANY OF THE 3 DEALERS CLOSE TO ME HAVE ALWAYS BEEN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS! I NEVER FEEL AS IF THEY ARE BEING HONEST AND CAN NEVER HELP COME UP WITH A SOLUTION! AS SIMPLE AS MY CAR BEING DIAGNOSED! THE MAN MARK THAT WORK THERE QUOTED ME $159.00 AND THE WOMAN QUOTED ME $124.00 WHEN SHE QUESTIONED HIM IN FRONT OF ME! HE STATED OH THAT'S JUST AN EXTRA FEE SO THEY HAVE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND WORK ON IT BUT IF SHE CHOOSES TO FIX IT HERE IT WILL BE WAIVED! THE WOMEN THEN STATED WELI HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT CHARGE BEFORE! MIND YOU I WAS JUST DROPPING OFF FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY COULDN'T BE HONEST AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THE SHEET OF PAPER THAT ONLY HAS WHAT I CLAIMED TO SEE ON THE CARE SENSORS. *TR

FORD FLEX 2013 FAILED POWER STEERING ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND WHILE STEERING TO THE RIGHT (AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2013 FORD FLEX COMPLETELY FAILED CAUSING ME TO ALMOST DRIVE OFF A HILL INTO THE EMBANKMENT BELOW. A POWER STEERING FAILURE MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD AS THIS WAS HAPPENING. THE CAR HAS ONLY 55,000 MILES. AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA FORD. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND A RECALL #15V340000 WAS FOR THIS EXACT POWER STEERING PROBLEM FOR 2011, 2012 AND SOME 2013 FORD FLEXES. AFTER RUNNING TESTS AT RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA FORD- A DIAGNOSIS OF DTC U3000:49 WAS FOUND SAYING POWER STEERING INTERNAL FAILURE. AFTER INITIALLY BEING LED TO BELIEVE (BY RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA FORD) THAT FORD WAS HONORING IT UNDER THE RECALL, TO MY SURPRISE FORD HAS DECLINED MY 2013 FORD FLEX SAYING IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE INITIAL RECALL(NUMBER ABOVE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY AND LIABILITY ISSUE. I COULD HAVE DRIVEN OFF A CLIFF WITH MY 3 KIDS IF IT FAILED AT THE WRONG MOMENT OR HIT OTHER CARS AND CAUSED SOMEONE ELSE HARM OR EVEN DEATH. THE POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY WITHOUT NOTICE. I WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. I THINK OTHER OWNERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE IT TAKEN CARE OF BY FORD SO THEY ARE NOT AT RISK OR IN DANGER. FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING THEIR CUSTOMERS AND REPLACING ALL DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING ISSUES. I HAVE ATTACHED PART OF THE INVOICE FOR YOU TO SEE THE DIAGNOSIS CODE. I OPTED TO NOT GIVE THEM ANOTHER $2,000 TO FIX THEIR DEFECTIVE ISSUE AND HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE IT ELSEWHERE. SO THAT IS WHY IT SAYS DECLINED REPAIRS FOR THAT SECTION. REFERENCE THE SECTION THAT SAYS LABOR 126.00 TO READ THE CODE.

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE SHOP VISIT, I NOTICED A SOFT GRINDING NOISE (RUBBER ON RUBBER) WHEN TURN THE VEHICLE (ANY DIRECTION), MOST NOTABLE, AT LOW SPEED. ABOUT 10 DAYS BEFORE THE SERVICE SHOP VISIT THE GRINDING NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD, SO LOUD, THAT IT PROMPTED THE SERVICE VISIT. ALSO NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SLIGHTLY STICK AND I HAD TO CONSTANTLY MAKE STEERING CORRECTIONS. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2013 MODEL VEHICLES UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V340000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.