2020 Dodge Durango Steering

The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel locked, and the contact depressed the brake pedal but was unable to turn the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V154000 (STEERING). The failure mileage was 48,000.

WHILE DRIVING A BRAND NEW (170 MILES) VEHICLE AT 35 MPH ON A BUSY CITY STREET THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. A MESSAGE "POWER STEERING UNAVAILABLE" POPPED UP AND THE CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO SAID IT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A GLITCH IN THE COMPUTER. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE WITHOUT THE ELECTRIC BOOST IT'S VERY HARD TO STEER THE CAR. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN A TURN OR WITH A DRIVER THAT WASN'T STRONG THERE WOULD LIKELY BE AN ACCIDENT. THERE ALSO DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHAT CAUSED THE ELECTRIC STEERING RACK TO FAIL IN SUCH A NEW VEHICLE.