What 1,671 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Explorer Police Intercept

WITH 48,000 MILES THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON AND IT WAS STILL NOT WORKING. IT WAS DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE AND PARKED. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF BEING OFF THE POWER STEERING RESET. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO STATED IT NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE COST STATING IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR WAS NOT RETURNED FOR FIVE DAYS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

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POLICE PATRO VEHICLE WITH LOUD NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT, SUSTAINED COMPLETE POWER ASSIST FAILURE. VEHICLE WITH 62,019 MILES. AFTER FAILURE, DEALER DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY DEFECTIVE. REPAIR COSTS TOTALLING $1065.00 WITH DEALER ASSISTING WITH $400.00 DISCOUNT. CONTACTED FORD REGIONAL SALE REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL ONLY STATE THAT FORD WILL HONOR THE WARRANTY. ***THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT WILL GET SOMEONE KILLED***

NHTSA ODI 10895324

DURING MY VACATION IN JULY 2016, WHILE DRIVING ON ROUTE 95 INTERSTATE, I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS GETTING HARD TO CONTROL. I CONTINUED DRIVING AND RECEIVED A ALARM ON THE DASH STATING THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL IS NOW OFF, SERVICE NEEDED. I PROCEEDED TO THE FIRST GAS STATION AND UPON RE-STARTING THE VEHICLE, ANOTHER ALARM ON THE DASH SAID POWER STEERING NOT WORKING. I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO A FORD DEALER WHERE THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A BAD GEAR IN THE STEERING GEARBOX AND THE ENTIRE UNIT WOULD NEED REPLACED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,590. *TR

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I AM HAVING A MAJOR CONCERN OVER THIS RECALL GIVEN THE FACT THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE UNTIL THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2016. HOW CAN FORD ALLOW 75K+ DRIVERS TO DRIVE WILLINGLY KNOWING THERE MAY BE A POTENTIAL ISSUE WITH THEIR STEERING. THIS IS EVEN MORE SO OF A CONCERN FOR ME SINCE MY FAMILY AND I ARE SCHEDULED TO TRAVEL NORTH 16 HOURS TOMORROW. HEAVEN FORBID BUT WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES TO MY VEHICLE OR MY FAMILY BECAUSE FORD WAS NOT PROACTIVELY PREPARED TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE? WHO WILL REIMBURSE ME FOR A RENTAL SINCE I CANNOT RELY ON MY VEHICLE I PAY GOOD MONEY FOR AND ON TIME EVERY MONTH? THIS IS MY VERY FIRST FORD VEHICLE I HAVE HAD FOR 6 MONTHS AND THIS IS THE 2ND STEERING ISSUE IVE ENCOUNTERED AND AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND CONCERNED. JUST THREE WEEKS AGO I HAD TO HAVE MY STEERING RACK REPLACED. THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE!

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I BOUGHT A CERTITIFIED PREOWNED 2014 FORD EXPLORER IN FEBRUARY 2015. RECENTLY EVERY TIME THE EXPLORER WAS PUT IN PARK, AN ALERT WOULD GO OFF, SHOWING TRANSMISSION NOT IN PARK. THE PAST FEW WEEKS THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MAKE A GRINDING/GROWLING NOISE WHEN TURNING TOWARDS THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE STEERING BECAME A LITTLE HARDER TO TURN AND IT FELT AS IF IT WOULD STICK. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY FEELING. I HAVE 5 CHILDREN AND DIDN'T WANT THEM IN THIS CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 2 DAYS AGO AND FOUND OUT THAT MY ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEM WAS LOCKED, THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACING AND ALSO A NEW BELT. TOTAL COST $2,309.30. I WAS DEVASTATED. WE DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY LAYING AROUND. I CALLED THE FORD MANUFACTURER AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER TO GIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND GIVING THE CASE NUMBER, THEY CALLED BACK LATER AND STATED THEY WOULD GIVE ME A $300 DISCOUNT. THEREFORE AT THIS TIME, I HAD TO TAKE A $1500 LOAN OUT FOR THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING REPLACEMENT AND BELT. I WILL HAVE TO GO WITHOUT THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY BEING REPAIRED UNTIL WE CAN AFFORD IT. MY TOTAL WITHOUT REPLACING THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY IS $1696.30. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, THIS IS NOTHING NEW WITH THE FORD EXPLORERS. THERE WERE SEVERAL RECALLS FOR THE SAME ISSUE FOR THE 2011 THROUGH 2013 MODELS. MY 2014 FORD EXPLORER HAS A 100,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY BUT OF COURSE NONE OF THIS WAS COVERED. I AM SAVING MY RECEIPTS IN HOPES FORD WILL DO THE RIGHT THING. IF THEY DO NOT, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD. THIS ISSUES HAS PUT MY FAMILY IN DANGER AND IN FURTHER DEBT.

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STEERING FIRST BECAME INTERMITTENTLY SLUGGISH TURNING AT SLOW SPEED. EVENTUALLY, SCRAPING TYPE NOISE STARTED COMING FROM WHAT SEEMS LIKE INSIDE STEERING COLUMN WHEN STEERING. HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY DASH LIGHTS. DEALERSHIP WANTS TO REPLACE ENTIRE RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY FOR OVER $1,400.00. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IF SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM HAS CAUSED RECALL FOR EARLIER MODELS THIS COULD BE SAME ISSUE AND RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK/SEIZE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO HAD A CASE OPEN, AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER ACTIVE. THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE FAILURE WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V286000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 04/06/16*LJ CONSUMER STATED STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKING UP AND WAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED. UPDATED 05/29/18*JB

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MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON MY CAR LUCKILY WHILE I WAS PARKING AND NOT DRIVING. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP WHO STATED THEY FOUND THE FAULT ON THE COMPUTER BUT COULD NOT GET THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT ON THEM SO IT IS A WAIT AND SEE. ALSO, MY NEIGHBOR HAS 2013 WITH 44,000K MILES AND IT JUST COST HER $1700 TO REPLACE POWER STEERING. SEEMS THIS IS STILL AN ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL.

NHTSA ODI 10819978

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. AS THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED TO THE SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE HAD FRACTURED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES AND THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR NECK BRUISES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,500.

NHTSA ODI 10811166

WE WERE DRIVING TO OUR NEW HOME FROM VISITING FAMILY AND PICKING UP THE VEHICLE. DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70+ MILES AN HOUR I NOTICED THE STEERING WAS TIGHTENING UP AND SEEMED TO BE OVERCORRECTING WHEN I TRIED TO STAY IN THE LANE. FINALLY THE ADVANCE TRAC LIGHT CAME ON AND STATED THERE WAS A STEERING FAILURE. I PULLED OVER TO A REST STOP IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY GONE. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO NEAREST TOWN WHERE WE WERE STUCK FOR 4 DAYS. DEALERSHIP ENDED UP REPLACING THE POWER STEERING GEAR.

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STEERING IS INOPERABLE. NO POWER STEERING AT ALL WHILE DRIVING. CAN NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT, HAVE TO PULL OVER TO BE SAFE. ERROR MESSAGE SAYS TERRAIN MANAGEMENT FAILURE AND ADVANCED TRAC SYSTEM FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED THE WHOLE POWER STEERING RACK AND RETURN MY CAR TO ME. AFTER 1 MONTH AND A HALF, LOST STEERING AGAIN ON THE ROAD. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU CAN NOT TURN ON THE HIGHWAY. SAME ERROR MESSAGES, SAME PROBLEMS FOR THE SECOND TIME. MY CAR IS 2014 WITH ONLY 12000 MILES RIGHT NOW. UNBELIEVABLE!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT LATER EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES IN MANEUVERING THE STEERING WHEEL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A CERTAIN MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, BUT THE REMEDY FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,625.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT AREA OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE BUMPER. THE NOISE WAS PRESENT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE INITIALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME AND THEY REPLACED THE HALF SHAFT THRUST WASHER. ON A THIRD VISIT TO THE DEALER, THEY PROVIDED A TEST DRIVE, REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUTS, AND INSPECTED THE NUTS AND BOLTS; HOWEVER, THE NOISE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER'S BODY SHOP. THE TECHNICIAN MOVED THE FRONT BUMPER AND REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BODY APRON PANEL ALONG WITH NEW BOLTS, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ODI 10733783

I HAVE A 2014 FORD EXPLORER SPORT AND WHENEVER THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES IT SEVERELY PULLS TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WITH TRACK STRAIGHT UNTIL YOU STEP ON THE GAS AND IT PULLS SEVERELY TO THE LEFT REQUIRING ME TO COMPENSATE BY WHILE DRIVING. I ADVISED THE DEALERSHIP ON 10-8-14, 10-18-14, 12-4-14, ON A MARCH OIL CHANGE WITH FORD, 1-7-15 AND 5-18-15.THE DEALERSHIPS INITIALLY DENIED THE CAR HAD ANY ISSUES THAT WERE ABNORMAL BUT EVENTUALLY THEY ADMITTED IT DOES PULL TO THE LEFT BUT IT WAS NORMAL ACCORDING TO THE FORD ENGINEERS AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT IT SINCE IT WAS A NATURAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. I DID NOT AGREE SINCE I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL THAT DID NOT PERFORM THE SAME AS MY VEHICLE DOES. I ALSO SPOKE TO VARIOUS FORD SERVICE TECHNICIANS THAT INDICATED THEY HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS ISSUE AND THEY ASSUMED THAT IT COULDN'T BE TORQUE STEER SINCE THE INTELLIGENT 4 WHEEL DRIVE SHOULD CORRECT ANY WHEELS THAT WERE NOT SPINNING AT THE SAME SPEED AS THE OTHERS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL IN ONE DIRECTION OR THE OTHER. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THEY COULD ONLY GO BY WHAT THE CORPORATE ENGINEERS ADVISED THEM AND THAT WAS THAT THE ISSUE WAS NORMAL DESPITE THE VEHICLE BEING RATED FOR A MAXIMUM TOWING CAPACITY OF 5,000 POUNDS. I ALSO HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN AN EXPLANATION ON WHY THE LEFT TIRES ON MY VEHICLE ARE WORN OUT ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE EXACTLY IN THE DIRECTION THE CAR IS PULLING TO. THE SEVER PULLING TO THE LEFT IS NOT A MINOR THINK AND THE CAR WILL MOVE BY THE FEET TO THE LEFT VEERING OUT OF THE LANE UNLESS I COMPENSATE WHILE STEERING, YET IT DRIVES ABSOLUTELY STRAIGHT IF I LET OFF THE GAS AND I CAN'T IMAGINE TOWING ANYTHING BEHIND THIS VEHICLE WITH THESE ABNORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED IT INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BUSTED LIP THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

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FIRST INCIDENT: PARKED CAR AT GAS STATION FUEL PUMP, WHEN WE GOT IN TO MOVE THE CAR IT DID NOT HAVE POWER STEERING. WRESTLED THE CAR TO THE FRONT OF THE GAS STORE AND WENT INSIDE, WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE CAR AND STARTED IT, THE POWER STEERING WORKED. SECOND INCIDENT: JULY 18,2014, SAME THING HAPPENED AFTER A STOP AT A STORE. POWER STEERING COMPLETELY OUT ADVANCE TRACK LIGHT STAYS ON. HAD TO GET TOWED. FIX TOOK FOUR WEEK WORK DAYS. THE INVOICE SAYS EB5Z*3504*A GEAR ASM-STEERING WAS REPLACED. *TR

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VEHICLE STOPPED TO LET PASSENGERS OFF. STOPPED ENGINE. RESTARTED THE ENGINE, STARTED TO PULL AWAY FROM CURVE AND POWER STEERING FAILED AND RECEIVED STEERING ASSIST FAULT ALARM. VEHICLE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DRIVEN WITH NO POWER STEERING. ALSO, NOTED THE FOLLOWING: TERRAIN MANAGEMENT FAULT, SERVICE ADVANCED TRACK. ANOTHER RELATED FAILURE IS THAT THE SIGNAL LIGHTS NO LONGER WOULD STAY ON WHEN INITIATED CREATING AN ADDITIONAL SAFETY ISSUE. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING GEAR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THEY REPORTED THAT THEY HAD ONE ON ORDER AND WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR INSTALLATION IN 3-WEEKS. UPON SEARCHING THE WEB, FOUND THAT FORD HAS HAD THIS, OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH 2011-2013 POWER STEERING AND HAS JUST ISSUED A RECALL FOR 2011-2013 VEHICLES. HAD THIS FAILURE HAPPENED DURING A U-TURN OR A FRONT TIRE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT WOULD LIKELY HAVE ENDED UP WITH A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THIS IS A VEHICLE DESIGNED TO GO OFF-ROAD. IF A FAILURE OF THIS TYPE OCCURRED OFF ROAD, SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR OCCUPANT INJURY COULD OCCUR. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT, ON THE SURFACE, APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *TR

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LUCKILY WE WERE COMING TO A STOP ANYWAY WHEN WE LOST POWER STEERING. LOUD WARNING BEEPS WITH A MESSAGE SAYING "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULTY" APPEARED. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP AND START THE ENGINE TO RESET THIS, BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WE TOOK OUR NEW 2014 FORD TO OUR CULLMAN, ALABAMA ECKENROD FORD DEALER AND THEY ARE STUMPED. COME TO FIND OUT (THANKS TO GOOGLE) THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 2011 MODEL. WE NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AS WE COMMUTE 45 MILES TO WORK AND 45 MILES HOME EVERYDAY.

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TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT ILLEGALLY CAME INTO THE LANE I WAS ENTERING (THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER), I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION, WHICH CAUSED ME TO TURN MY VEHICLE INTO A CURB. AT THE TIME, I WAS TRAVELING 15 TO MAYBE 20 MPH. AFTER HITTING THE CURB, MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AND UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN IN HALF. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY SUBSEQUENTLY SERVICED THE VEHICLE, WHICH I PICKED UP ON MARCH 15, 2014. HOWEVER, WITHIN 100 MILES OF DRIVING, MULTIPLE SYSTEM ERRORS OCCURRED, AND MY STEERING WENT OUT. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOW SAYING THERE WAS APPARENTLY AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY, AND THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE UPON REPLACING THAT PART. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND SPECIFICALLY THAT I DO NOT THINK A CONTROL ARM SHOULD SNAP IN HALF AT THAT SPEED, PARTICULARLY IN A SUV THAT HAS AN UPGRADED SUSPENSION AS PART OF THE TRIM PACKAGE. *TR

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