NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE16-011: Power Steering Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-011 on September 28, 2016 and closed it on December 25, 2017. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE16-011 (also written PE16011)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed December 25, 2017
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Components
- Steering; Steering — Electric Power Assist System
- Vehicles and equipment
- Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-011.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
On September 28th, 2016, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-011 to investigate claims of power steering assist loss on model year 2010 Ford Fusion vehicles.
ODI has received 718 unique claims related to the alleged problem with 598 reports indicating the power steering assist failed while driving at speed with no warning.
During the PE16-011 investigation, Ford Motor Company (Ford) provided 1851 unique reports and 1720 warranty claims related to the alleged problem.
As the result of investigation PE14-030, Ford previously conducted a recall (15V-340) of the 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and other vehicles using the same electric power assist steering unit to rectify incidents of loss of power steering assist.
An analysis of the subject vehicle complaint data indicates an increased likelihood of failure as the vehicles age.
The rate of occurrence of this failure is comparable to previous investigations involving loss of power steering assist including the previously mentioned PE14-030.
Therefore, the Preliminary Evaluation (PE16-011) has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis to further assess the scope, frequency and consequence of this failure. ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls#vehicle under the identification (NHTSA ID) numbers found in the attached list.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-011. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Ford
All Ford recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE16-011
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.