1994 FORD E-150 Steering Problems

The contact owns a 1994 Ford E-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated she heard an unusual noise that sounded like something broke. The contact stated she continued to drive and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with a fractured steering box. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.

Mileage: 165,000

ON JAN 21ST 2020, WHILE MANEUVERING AT A GAS STATION, I HEARD A LOUD POP/CRACK. THINKING I HAD HIT A STANCHION, I WALKED AROUND MY VAN BUT - NO STANCHION. NOTHING TO SEE SO I GO ABOUT MY DAY. STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT, I CHECKED FOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE - PRESSURE, OK. 40 MILES OF FREEWAY DRIVING LATER, I TAKE THE VAN TO THE GARAGE - STEERING FEELS LOOSE. AFTER INSPECTION, THE DANGER I WAS IN, AND THE THREAT I WAS TO THOSE AROUND ME ON THE ROAD, WAS MOST APPARENT. THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS LOOSE FROM THE FRAME, ONE BOLT HAVING SHEERED OFF. AND THE FRAME ITSELF CRACKED. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN FINDING THAT FATIGUE FAILURE AT THIS PART OF THE FRAME WAS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET AND YET, AS AN ORIGINAL OWNER, I HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THIS KNOWN AND DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT BY FORD MOTOR CO OR LANDMARK FORD. HOW MANY VANS OF THE SAME VINTAGE ARE STILL ON THE ROAD ?? HOW MANY ARE SAFE TO DRIVE ALONG SIDE?? I GUESS I AM LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO WRITE THIS NOTE, COS HAD MY STEERING BOX BROKEN LOOSE WHILE DRIVING ACROSS THE GLEN JACKSON BRIDGE, (I 205), I COULD EASILY HAVE ENDED UP IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER ALONG WITH OTHER INNOCENTS. DISILLUSIONED CUSTOMER. 1994 FORD E150, 170,289 MLS, FRAME @ STEERING GEAR BOX.

Mileage: 170,000

VERY WOBBLY LOOSE STEERING. SCARY TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE STEERING ISN'T RELIABLE. FEELS LIKE IT WILL JUST GO OFF THE ROAD OR INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. HAVENT DRIVEN IT MUCH SINCE.

Mileage: 165,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD E-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONE OF THE THREE BOLTS HAD BECOME LOOSELY CONNECTED ASSOCIATED WITH THE STEERING. THE CONTACT TIGHTENED THE WASHER AS AN INTERIM REPAIR TO PREVENT A POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

Mileage: 135,000

I WAS DRIVING AND CAME THRU THE TUNNEL,AND STOP BY MALL TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT.WHILE PARKING MY STEERING GEAR BOX BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME,CAUSING ME TO HAVE NO STEERING.IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPEN 10 MINUTES EARLIER OR AFTER I WOULD HAVE LEFT THE MALL GOING THRU THE TWO LANE MIDTOWN TUNNEL I WOULD HAVE HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY.IS THIS SOMETHING FORD KNEW ABOUT AND DID NO RECALL.THE BOLTS ARE BAD AND I RESEARCHED AND IT HAPPEN TO ALOT OF PEOPLE'S DRIVING THAT TYPE.MY VAN IN THE SHOP AND I DO THINK FORD SHOULD FOOT THE REPAIR BILL.I LOVE MY VAN.HAVE A MUSTANG TOO IT'S JUST THE IDEA I COULD HAVE KILLED SOME ONE OR MYSELF.PLEASE IF I CAN HAVE SOME FEED BACK ON THIS ISSUE OR EVEN WHO ELSE I COULD CONTACT REGARDING THIS ISSUE.

Mileage: 140,000

HOPE THIS ISN'T A DUP; I STARTED A REPORT YESTERDAY, BUT DON'T THINK I COMPLETED IT. ASKED TO DO SOME WORK ON MY 1994 CLUB WAGON (167K MI), AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND A CRACK ON THE LOWER SIDE OF THE FRAME, BENEATH THE STEERING BOX. HE WOULDN'T DO THE WORK. SUBSEQUENTLY A BODY SHOP FOUND THERE WERE ACTUALLY TWO CRACKS, ONE ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE FRAME, RADIATING FROM THE STEERING BOX MOUNTING HOLE, TRAVELING BACK AND DOWN, AROUND THE LOWER CORNER OF THE FRAME, THEN FORWARD ABOUT 3" ON THE LOWER FACE OF THE FRAME ,ALONG THE EDGE. THE LAST 2" OF THE CRACK WERE OPEN, WITH ABOUT A 2MM GAP. THE CRACK ON THE OPPOSITE FACE TRAVELED IN AN ARC OF PERHAPS 60 DEGREES CENTERED ON THE MOUNTING BOLT HOLE, ABOUT 2" FROM THE CENTER, THEN DIAGONALLY DOWN TO THE LOWER EDGE, THEN BACK A COUPLE OF INCHES ALONG THAT LOWER EDGE. BOTH LOOK LIKE FATIGUE DUE TO SB TORQUE ON THE FRAME. FORD WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM, PROVIDE A METHOD TO FIX IT, OR COMMENT ON THE POSSIBILITY OF FIXING IT. THE CORPORATE CONSUMER HELP PHONE LINE SAID I SHOULD BUY A SHOP MANUAL AND READ IT TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A WAY TO FIX IT. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER RECOMMENDED A BODY SHOP. THAT SHOP OFFERED TO WELD PATCHES OVER THE CRACKS. AFTER READING SIMILAR STORIES, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A PROFOUNDLY BAD IDEA. A SEARCH THIS (NHTSB) SITE FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS CLAIMS 15 TOTAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. HOWEVER, ANOTHER SITE (HTTP://HARRIGILL.NET/FORDVAN/INDEX.HTML) LISTS 39 FOR THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR, COPIED FROM THE NHTSA IN 2007 - AND YET MORE FROM 1993. WHERE ARE THE OTHERS? AND WHAT OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE SAME FRAME IN OTHER YEARS? WHAT IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REPORTED PROBLEMS FOR THIS DESIGN, SUMMED OVER ALL YEARS? IT SEEMS TO ME THE NHTSA AND FORD SHOULD HAVE WARNED OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM. PERHAPS YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED BECAUSE FRAME NOT IN YOUR LIST OF PARTS? *TR

Mileage: 167,000

WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH STEERING GEAR BOLT SHEARED OFF. THIS FORCED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER AND HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 150,000

TWO DIFFERENT VEHICLES EXPERIENCED TOTAL STEERING FAILURE CAUSED BY THE STEERING BOX TEARING AWAY FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. *PH AFTER FIRST INCIDENT, CONSUMER COULDN'T FIND A DEALER IN THEIR AREA TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *LA

THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHEN A LEFT TURN WAS MADE. WHICH WAS AS A RESULT OF STEERING BOX FAILURE. ALSO THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *JB

Mileage: 130,000

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE A LARGE POP WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. ALL THREE BOLTS HOLDING THE STEERING GEAR BOX TO THE FRAME HAD SNAPPED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, THE GEARBOX, BOLTS AND UPPER AND LOWER LEFT HAND SIDE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED TO A TUNE OF $743.*AK

MULTIPLE SYSTEMS FAILURES; CURRENTLY ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES, FUEL SMELL, SLOPPY STEERING, FRONT SUSPENSION NOISES, POWER DOOR LOCKS INOPERATIVE, CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE, HORN INOPERATIVE. *AK

WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE AT LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE CAR SHUDDERED. MY STEERING WHEEL WAS THEN AT THE 2/7 POSITION INSTEAD OF THE 3/9 POSITION. TOOK THE CAR HOME FROM HERE. LATER DROVE AROUND THE CORNER (ABOUT 1/10 MILE) TO PICK UP KIDS FROM SCHOOL DANCE. STEERING WHEEL WAS NOW AT THE 6/12 POSITION. CONTACTED REPAIR SHOP ON SATURDAY 2/10. DROVE TO REPAIR SHOP ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES AWAY DOING ABOUT 25 MPH OR LESS. PARKED IT. MECHANIC CAME OUT TO SEE HOW MUCH PLAY WAS IN THE WHEEL, HEARD ANOTHER LOUD POP AND THE WHEEL PROCEEDED TO GO IN COMPLETE CIRCLES. INSPECTION BY MECHANIC SHOWED THAT ALL THREE BOLTS IN THE GEAR BOX HAD BROKEN. HEAD MECHANIC SAID THAT IN THE THIRTY SOME YEARS HE'S BEEN IN THE BUSINESS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN. THESE BOLTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BREAK.*AK

STEERING BOX CAME LOOSE FROM FRAME

WHILE MAKING A "U" TURN INSIDE PARKING LOT STEERING GEAR BOX WENT OUT. LOST ALL 3 BOLTS ON THE BOX, THEY HAD SNAPPED. LOST STEERING CONTROL. TOWED TO DEALER TO CHECK FOR DEFECTS. NOTHING COULD BE DETERMINED IF IT WAS WEAR/ TEAR OR DEFECTIVE STTERING GEAR BOX. *AK

AT 5 MPH IN PARKING LOT, ATTEMPTED TO TURN STEERING WHEEL & IT FAILED TO TURN. STEERING WHEEL BECAME FREE WHEELING AND THERE NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. VEHICLE TOWED HOME. PICKED UP BOLTS FROM PARKING LOT; LOOK LIKE THEY WERE SHEARED OFF. *AK

VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING ON OCCASIONS.

WHEN DRIVING THE STEERING GEAR BOX MOVES, # PE96-024 . PLEASE DESCRIBE .

LEFT INNER TIE ROD REPLACED.

GEAR BOX REPLACED.

DEFECTED STEERING BOLTS CRACKED CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, HITTING A CURB AT 15MPH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

POWER STEERING; WHEN DRIVING TO A STOP TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WOULDN'T TURN WHEN CAR IS NOT MOVING AND CAR IS MOVING STEERING IS HARD TO TURN AT LOW SPEED. T