What 2,429 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Explorer

WHILE DRIVING, I NOTICED SOME 'STICKING' OR 'JERKING' IN THE STEERING. ALSO, A GRINDING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL, WHILE SITTING STILL OR WHILE DRIVING. BEING MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, WE HEADED TO FORD DEALERSHIP TO DROP OFF FOR SERVICE, ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE DASH WARNINGS STARTED FLASHING. SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC, NO HILL ASSIST, AND SERVICE STEERING ASSIST NOW. WE MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AFTER A SCARY RIDE THERE! 2016 WITH 65,000 MILES. $2500 IN REPAIRS. DEFINITELY SCARY, AND CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE HAD THE STEERING SEIZED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.

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2016 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INADVERTENT OPENING OR CLOSURE OF REAR CARGO DOOR. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE REAR CARGO DOOR INADVERTENTLY CLOSES IT STRIKES THE OCCUPANT ON THE HEAD OR BACK. *JS

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THE REAR CARGO DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES UNEXPECTEDLY SOMETIMES WHEN WALKING PAST OR LEANING IN TO REMOVE CARGO. SEVERAL TIMES, IT HAS STRUCK ME ON THE HEAD WHILE LEANING IN AND OFTEN STRIKES MY BACK WHEN LEANING IN. FIRST OF ALL ITS A SECURITY PROBLEM BECAUSE OF NOT NOTICING IT OPENING. ITS DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE INADVERTENT CLOSING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE FIX. I HAVE REQUESTED DISABLING THE SYSTEM BUT WAS TOLD THEY ERE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

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THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON. IN TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THIS WAS TRACED BACK TO FORD'S ERROR CODE DTC B141B AND/OR B141C. THIS ERROR CODE HAS TO DO WITH FORD INSTALLING A DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE REAR SEAT INFLATABLE AIRBAGS AND COULD CAUSE THEM TO FAIL TO OPERATE DURING A COLLISION. THE DEALERSHIP (SHEEHY FORD, MIDLOTHIAN, VA) REFUSES TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. I ALSO CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY TWICE (5/29/19 AND IN APRIL 2019) AND THEY ALSO REFUSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE DESPITE IT BEING AN OBVIOUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THEIR SAFETY RESTRAINT WARRANTY. THE FACT THAT FORD IS REFUSING TO STAND BEHIND THE SAFETY OF THEIR VEHICLE HAS ME CONCERNED. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING RECEIVED A WARNING LIGHT STATING, "LOSS OF STEERING-SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK". IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WARNING THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT STEER. TOWED TO DEALER AND ADVISED THAT THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION AND ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL. STEERING IMMEDIATELY LOCKED UP.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO RETRIEVED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE: P2111 (THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL SYSTEM STUCK OPEN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. AUTONATION FORD MARIETTA (LOCATED AT 869 COBB PKWY SE, MARIETTA, GA 30060, (770) 674-6077) WAS INFOMRED OF THE FAILURE VIA PHONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

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I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT ABOUT 55 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED. THE PEDALS WERE NOT IN THE RIGHT LOCATIONS SO I DECIDED TO ADJUST THEM TO A HIGHER POSITION WITH THE BUTTON ON THE SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN I DID THE ADJUSTMENT, THE ENGINE WENT INTO A FULL THROTTLE MODE AND WOULD NOT LET UP. I PUSHED DOWN ON THE BRAKES HARD AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY WENT FULL THROTTLE AGAIN AND THEN BACK DOWN AGAIN WHEN I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN HARD. THIS CYCLE CONTINUED EVEN THOUGH I SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND TRIED PUTTING THE SHIFTER IN NEUTRAL. I WAS FINAL ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO WORK NORMALLY. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY EVENT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OR HAVE MY WIFE DRIVE IT. I REPORTED IT TO FORD BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM AT THIS TIME.

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MY 2016 FORD EXPLORER CABIN HAS BEEN FILLING WITH CO I PURCHASED A CO DETECTOR A MONTH AGO AFTER FEELING SICK WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. TODAY THE CO DETECTOR READ 15 WITH NO AIR ON. YESTERDAY IT READ 18 WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON. I FEEL THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT CO POISONING SYMPTOMS. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ELDER FORD (777 JOHN R. RD, TROY, MI) WHERE THE WIRE HARNESS WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

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PASSENGER SEAT STUCK ALL THE WAY FRONT WON'T MOVE BACK AND POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNED WHEEL IT'S STRUCK TOWER MOUNTS STRUTS AND FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS

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I HAVE HAD THIS USED CAR 2 MONTHS AND IT ONLY HAS 25K ON IT, THE STEERING COLUMN IS GRINDING AND FEELS VERY TIGHT WHEN DRIVING, ALMOST LIKE YOUR DRIVING ON A FLAT .DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO FIX IT FOR $2000.00 '.ARE YOU KIDDING? SHOULD BE A RECALL LIKE OLDER YEARS ARE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BALISE TOYOTA OF WARWICK (LOCATED AT 1400 POST RD, WARWICK, RI 02888, (401) 352-5911) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INNER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,653.

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WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS A BUZZING NOISE COMING FROM THE COWL GRILLE PANEL ON THE WINDSHIELD. IT BECOMES VERY DISTRACTING AND HARD TO HEAR ANY AUDIO.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, A WHINING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING COLUMN MADE A POPPING NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. FURTHERMORE, WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING LEFT TURNS, THE WHINING AND POPPING NOISE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VIVA FORD (LOCATED AT 5550 N DESERT BLVD, EL PASO, TX 79912, (915) 834-2800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER HUB ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY CALLED DEALER AND SHE WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER: CAS21646401-Y3N9W3. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,500.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED SLIGHTLY WHILE TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE MESSAGE "STEERING FAILURE" SUDDENLY DISPLAYED AND THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WALLS FORD (2 MERRILL ST, SALISBURY, MA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING RACK AND GEAR ASSEMBLY WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,500. *BF *JB

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MY CAR HAS HAD THE EXHAUST ISSUE REPAIRED A FEW TIMES AND IT STILL HAS THE SMELL. I CAN'T DRIVE LONG DISTANCES WITHOUT A HEADACHE. FORD CAN'T SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY IN SPORT MODE WHEN ACCELERATING QUICKLY BUT THE SMELL IS STRONG AND LASTS. I HAVE A TODDLER WHO IS SPEECH DELAYED AND I BELIEVE IT'S DUE TO THE CAR. SHE'S BEEN IN THIS CAR SINCE SHE WAS A BABY. HOW CAN I GET HELP? CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. WE'VE HAD IT A FEW YEARS NOW. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT BECAME A KNOWN ISSUE.

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VERY STRONG SULFUR SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN WHEN THE HEAT OR VENT IS TURNED ON WITH OUTSIDE AIR. SMELL DISAPPEARED WHEN IT WAS SWITCHED TO RECIRCULATE THE INSIDE AIR.

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MY STEERING RACK/PINION HAS GONE COMPLETELY OUT. AT FIRST THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MAKE NOISES WHEN TURNING, HOWEVER NOW IT IS COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND PREVIOUS MODEL EXPLORERS HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUES AND MULTIPLE 2016 MODELS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I CAN'T FIND A PART, I CAN'T DRIVE MY VEHICLE. WHAT IS NEEDED FOR A RECALL TO HAPPEN ON THIS MODEL?

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END OF MARCH 2019 AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON A FRIDAY EVENING THE CAR SMELLED LIKE EXHAUST FUMES (ROTTEN EGGS) WHEN I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. I CALLED DEALER AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE CAR IN. OVER THE WEEKEND BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAR THE SMELL WAS TERRIBLE. TOOK CAR TO FORD DEALER FOR REPAIR. THEY SUGGESTED I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY (9 MONTHS OLD BATTERY - WAS TOLD BATTERY CAUSING SMELL). PICKED UP CAR AND DROVE HOME. ONCE AGAIN UPON PARKING CAR STILL SMELLED LIKE EXHAUST. CAR WAS RETURNED TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED PCV VALVE. PICKED UP CAR - DROVE HOME - CAR STILL SMELLS LIKE EXHAUST FUMES. CAR HAS GONE INTO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. CAN NO LONGER PARK CAR INSIDE OF GARAGE AT HOME DUE TO EXHAUST SMELL AND POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING PURSUANT TO FORD'S INSTRUCTION AND THEIR HANDS ARE TIED. DEALER ADMITS THE CAR SMELLS OF EXHAUST FUMES OUTSIDE OF CAR. INSIDE THE CAR I AM KEEPING THE RECYCLED AIR ON TO TRY TO PREVENT THE EXHAUST FROM COMING IN THE CAR. CAR NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY FORD AS THE EXHAUST SMELL IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A 3 YR. OLD CAR.

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I HAVE HAD TWO INCIDENTS OF DIZZINESS WHILE DRIVING OUR 2016 FORD EXPLORER. BOTH TIMES I'VE BEEN TO THE DOCTOR. THIS LAST TIME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAD COMPLETE WORK UP INCLUDING CAT SCAN. THEY CAN FIND NOTHING. IT WAS ONLY AFTER TODAY'S ER VISIT THAT MY HUSBAND REMEMBERED A NEW STORY ABOUT FORD EXPLORES AND DRIVERS GETTING DIZZY AND ACCIDENTS. WE STARTED GOOGLING THE FORD EXPLORER AND READ THAT THE NHTSA IS CURRENTLY STILL INVESTIGATING THIS POSSIBILITY OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN FORD EXPLORER CABINS. WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 14 MONTHS. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS ON 4/2519 THE SECOND ON 4/27/19. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN WE THOUGHT OF THIS ISSUE, IT WAS TOO FAR PAST THE INCIDENT TO HAVE MY BLOOD WORK CHECK FOR CARBON MONOXIDE

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LOSS OFF POWER STEERING AND STABILITY CONTROL

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WHILE STOPPED AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT TO MANEUVER OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, BACKING INTO MY DRIVEWAY OR SIMPLY MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, I WOULD HEAR A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING MECHANISM. THE NOISE DID NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME AND I COULD GO A MONTH OR SO WITHOUT HEARING IT AT ALL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ASKED FORD TO DO A VISUAL INSPECTION OF MY STEERING MECHANISM TO MAKE SURE NOTHING APPEARED TO BE OBVIOUSLY IDENTIFIABLE. EXPLAINED TO FORD THAT THE POPPING NOISE COMES AND GOES. I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING LOOKED TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE AND NOTHING WAS LOOSE. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER THE POPPING NOISE WAS REPLACED WITH STEERING RESISTANCE AND GRINDING AS I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IN A PARKED POSITION AND WHILE DRIVING. FURTHERMORE, WHEN CHANGING LANES THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO HAVE TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND WOULD HAVE TO BE PULLED BACK TO CENTER. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, SO I RESEARCHED "2016 FORD EXPLORER STEERING COMPLAINTS" AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND HUNDREDS OF STEERING COMPLAINTS JUST LIKE MINE. MY VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS ROUGHLY 69,800 MILES, HOWEVER, THE COMPLAINTS I READ DEALT WITH VEHICLES BETWEEN 22,000 - 80,000 MILES. I DROPPED MY CAR OFF TODAY AT FORD TO HAVE THE PROBLEM ASSESSED. MY VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THIS MAY BE SOMETHING I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR. WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I WAS ABLE TO UNCOVER WITH A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH I'M SURE FORD IS AWARE OF THE STEERING MECHANISM DEFECTIVE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ORDERED. THERE IS NO WAY A MAJOR PART SUCH AS THE STEERING MECHANISM SHOULD BE FAILING ON ANY VEHICLE. I ENCOURAGE THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE 2016 - 2018 FORD EXPLORER STEERING ASSEMBLY.

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ON 3/21/19 I WAS DRIVING WHEN A CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME AND I HIT THEM. MY AIRBAG WENT OFF AND WAS SMOKING BLACK SMOKE. THERE WAS ALSO A FIRE, ABOUT 1.5 FT TALL THAT APPEARED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD. I SAT IN SHOCK UNTIL SOMEONE TOLD ME TO GET OUT. I GOT OUT AND GRABBED MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. SHE WAS IN A CAR SEAT AND STILL SECURED AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THANKFULLY WE WERE NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. WE SAT WATCHING MY CAR QUICKLY ENGULF IN FLAMES. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME THE CAR WAS PRETTY MUCH ALL BURNED. I LOST A LOT OF VALUABLE AND SENTIMENTAL PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN MY CAR WHICH INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER THE COST OF. IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE TO GO THROUGH FOR MY DAUGHTER AND I. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A MINOR ACCIDENT SHOULD CAUSE A FIRE LIKE THIS. I HAVE REACHED OUT FOR FORD MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY WILL NOT INVESTIGATE WHICH I FIND EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING. I WOULD LIKE TO PREVENT THIS HORRIBLE THING HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT INJURED IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE, AND EVEN DEADLY.

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TAKATA RECALL. WHENEVER I MANEUVER SLOWLY WHEN I PARK HORIZONTALLY, I CAN HEAR CRACKLING SOUND AND THIS WAS FIXED TWICE BY FORD DEALER. RECENTLY, THE DASHBOARD HAD WARNING THAT STEERING IS NOT WORKING. THE STEERING BECAME STIFF RIGHT AWAY AND STIFFER THAT HAVE TO DRIVE SLOWLY AND TURN ON MY HAZARD LIGHT THE NEXT 3 MILES TO REACH HOME. I COULD HARDLY TURN THE WHEEL THAT HAVE TO AVOID ROADS WHERE I HAVE TO TURN. IT WAS FIXED BY SAME DEALER AND GOT MY VEHICLE AFTER A WEEK. THE MILEAGE IS 18,000 AND NOW I'M NOT CONFIDENT TO TAKE MY 3 YEAR OLD CAR ON LONG DISTANCE DRIVE. THE SUSPENSION WAS FIXED AS WELL MID 2018 FOR THE CAR IS RUNNING LIKE A 20 YEAR OLD TRUCK ON THE ROAD.

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AFTER 44K MILES THE STEERING RACK IS COMPLETELY BROKEN AND REQUIRES A FULL REPLACEMENT. THIS IS GREATER THAN $2500 COST FOR A NEW CAR CAR MAKES A LOUD MECHANICAL CLUNKING SOUND WHEN TURNING RIGHT. HAD IT REVIEWED BY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID BEARINGS ON THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY ARE GOING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHERE A NEW CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILES HAS A STEERING SYSTEM THAT REQUIRES FULL REPLACEMENT. INTERNET SEARCHES HAVE SHOWN MANY INSTANCES OF PEOPLE REQUIRING A REPLACEMENT OF THE SYSTEM.

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