2020 Ford Transit Steering

2020 FORD TRANSIT HIGH ROOF.UPON STARTING VAN 'STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED'MESSAGE CAME UP.STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT.WAITING ABOUT 5 MINUTES MESSAGE WAS GONE.VEHICLE WITH ONLY 11K MILES

While riding through a Walmart parking lot the power steering went out. I managed to manuever to a nearby Ford service station. While there awaiting service I read online that this make and model looses power steering. The Blog suggested turning off the vehicle and restarting it. I went back to my vehicle and started it and the power steering had returned. I was 5.5 hours away from home but when I got home I parked it until I could get it to the dealership. It has been at the dealership for 10 days and just last night the dealership told me that the vehicle has water and sand in it and that that is what is causing the problems with the vehicle. I have never been in water or sand in this vehicle.

SINCE PURCHASING THE VAN, THE STEERING WHEEL HAS OCCASIONALLY FELT SLUGGISH AND HEAVIER TO TURN AT CERTAIN TIMES THAN OTHERS. THE FINAL TIME IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN AND FELT ALMOST LOCKED, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHILE STARTING THE ENGINE AT RANDOM TIMES AND IMPEDES DRIVING AND OVERALL SAFETY AS IT SEEMS TO COME AND GO AS AN ISSUE. THIS HAS OCCURRED BOTH WHILE STATIONARY AND WHILE IN MOTION.

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY A STEERING ASSIST WARNING SHOWED IN THE VEHICLE INFORMATION AREA. IT WAS STATIONARY. THE POWER STEERING DID NOT FUNCTION AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. NEXT DAY STARTED VEHICLE WITHOUT STEERING ASSIST WARNING APPEARING AND THE POWER STEERING WAS APPARENTLY WORKING AGAIN. MOVED VEHICLE TO THE STREET SO IT CAN MORE EASILY BE DRIVEN TO THE MECHANIC IF PROBLEM RE-OCCURS. THE VEHICLE IS UNRELIABLE WITH THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND HAS TO SIT IDLE AND UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RECTIFIED.