1994 FORD ECONOLINE Steering Problems

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE TURN WHEEL TO LEFT HARD AT LOUD CRACKING SOUND AS IF SOMETHING WAS BREAKING. STOPPED GOT OUT AND LOOKED UNDER AND NOTICED A BOLT PULLED THROUGH AND BROKE THE FRAME WHERE THE BOTTOM BOLT WAS. GRABBED THE OTHER TWO AND THEY PULLED RIGHT OUT AND WE'RE SNAPPED OFF. HAD TO GET ANOTHER GEARBOX PUT ON WITH ALL THREE BOLTS AND 4 DAYS LATER WHILE PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT HARD LOUD POP AND LOOKED AND TOP RIGHT BOLT WAS SNAPPED OFF COMPLETELY. STEERING WAS WAY LOOSER AND MADE IT TO MY DESTINATION. NEXT MORNING TRIED TO PULL OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND LOUD POP ONCE AGAIN. THIS TIME THE GEARBOX WAS HANGING ALL THE WAY OFF. STEERING WHEEL JUST KEPT TURNING BUT WHEELS WERE NOT. COULDN'T PARK IT BACK OUT OF STREET BECAUSE OTHERS CARS WERE CLOSE HAD TO LEAVE IT HALFWAY HANGING OUT IN STREET TILL PEOPLE GOT OFF WORK AND MOVED OTHER CARS AWAY SO I COULD GET IT BACK TO CURB. NOW I'M AT A LOST HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TWICE. OR EVEN HAPPEN AT ALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD ECONOLINE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY VEER TO THE RIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOBBLED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STEERING BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

Mileage: 72,000

PLEASE REOPEN NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10254031. AFTER THIS INCIDENT I POSTED A WEB SITE DETAILING THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN, I HAVE RECEIVED DOZEN OF INQUIRIES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE IDENTICAL ISSUE. THE LATEST ONE CAME TODAY 12/31/2013, 5 YEARS AFTER MY EVENT. SEVERAL HAVE RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE, WITH THE FAILURE BEING INCORRECTLY DETERMINED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT, RATHER THAN BEING DETERMINED TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 165,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BOLTS IN THE STEERING BOX FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,000.

Mileage: 181,000

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD ECONOLINE 150. WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE CENTER BOLT HAD COME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE FRAME WAS SPLIT. *AK UPDATED 02/27/07. *JB

Mileage: 192,000

STEERING COLUMN: ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME, AIRBAG LIGHT BLINKS IN A PATTERN, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. TRANSMISSION: TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS IN THE HIGHER GEARS.*AK

Mileage: 40,000

WAS MAKING A TURN & HAD LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC ALL 3 BOLTS THAT HELD STEERING BOX TO CHASSIS HAD SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF. *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN TO PARK, STEERING BOX RIPPED OFF THE FRAME, AND CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. HOME # 732-613-1292, W# 212-272-0207. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD PULL LEFT OR RIGHT ON ITS OWN. DEALER HAS CHANGED STEERING BOX. *AK

POWER STEERING FAILED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STEER. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

THE GEAR BOX IS HELD BY 3 BOLTS AND THEY ARE ALL SHEARED OFF AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

THREE BOLTS HOLDING STEERING GEAR BOX IN PLACE AGAINST FRONT LEFT FRAME OF VEHICLE SHEARED OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. *SLC

POWER STEERING FAILURE.