The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound, and the steering column was inoperable, and the vehicle was immovable. The contact stated that he was able to shift into reverse and safely drove the vehicle into a parking lot. The contact stated that when he inspected the vehicle, he noticed that the tie rod was fractured. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had recently been serviced for two safety recalls and a front-end alignment prior to the tie rod failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,137.

- Columbus, GA, USA