I'm going through this exact situation now with my Explorer. I received a recall notice a while ago and took my car in right away for the software fix. Not long after that, I started having problems where intermittently when I was turning I would really have to manhandle the steering wheel but no codes came up on the dashboard.
Two weeks ago I took it in for an oil change service and mentioned to them the problem I was having. They said they would take a look at it and reported back that there didn't seem to be any problem. Then last Friday I went out to take my son to school and right after turning the car on I got the Power Steering Assist Fault error and couldn't turn the steering wheel. From that point I didn't feel comfortable even trying to drive it so I had it towed to the dealership. Of course once it was there, the power steering was working fine. Now, 5 days later, my car is still there and the only thing they keep telling me is that they have not been able to replicate the problem so they can't do anything. I sent the service rep a link to this thread along with links to many other sites that talk about the exact same problem and what the fix is but apparently they won't fix it until they see it happen for themselves or I guess if I drive it and end up wrecking or dying when it just randomly pops up again.
I really don't understand the process here. They were able to retrieve the code from the diagnostics that they did but they have to prove that it really happened before they fix it? And I have an extended warranty that will cover it so it's not like they're trying to save me money.
This is all very frustrating.
Kelly
I went/am going through the EXACT same thing as you. I have been in touch with Crystal (Ford Service) here on the forums, and although she got me in touch with a CSM for my area, that did not get me anywhere.
The same thing happened to me (brought it in after my software fix apparently failed), and the dealer saw it was broken as I drove it in with the rack in a failed status (no power steering and the litany of warning messages on the dash), and Ford wouldn't fix it either because even though I brought it in broken TWICE, they still said that as I already had the recall done, it would not be covered under that, and that since they cannot duplicate it after clearing the code they would not put in a new rack under any sort of warranty, recall or anything like that unless they could duplicate the problem. I had the car in for well over two weeks and they could not get it to break under their watch.
I didn't get that thinking, but after letters to Ford and the CSM, discussions with the CSM and the dealership, and a constant fear in the back of my mind that it is only a matter of time before it fails again and leaves us stranded somewhere or worse, everyone just threw up their arms and said there is nothing that can be done. Everyone I have dealt with was really nice when they told me that they can do nothing, so I guess that is something, but that does not fix the issue.
Today, I finally bit the bullet and took it in and told them to put a new rack in my truck. I will be paying the full cost of it because I have become tired of the run-around from Ford, my wife constantly complaining and worrying about using the truck and when it will break again, and although it has been working OK for about 3 months since the last failure, there is no trust in the vehicle (as no fix was done either time it was brought in). We have not used it for anything but local travel.
I am extremely disappointed in how this has been handled, but need a reliable vehicle, and unless this is fixed, that is not what I have.
I wish you luck in your endeavor, and hope you are one of those that is able to get things fixed in short order with little problem. I see no reason that a company should offload KNOWN and QUANTIFIED quality problems on their customers, but that is what I perceive to be happening here.
