1997 FORD F-250 Steering Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F250. THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN SHAKING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THEN LOCKED. THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK IT AND THE SHAFT BEARING FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRUST BEARING WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND FAILURE HE EXPERIENCED WITH THE STEERING. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

Mileage: 146,000

POWER STEERING BRACKET BROKE. UNABLE TO GET PART THROUGH ANY DEALERSHIP OR JUNK YARD IN THE UNITED STATES. THROUGH NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO GET THIS PART I HAVE FOUND THAT SO MANY HAVE BEEN SOLD RECENTLY THAT THE SUPPLY HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED. THEREFORE, IT IS NOW ON BACK ORDER UNTIL JUNE. THE PART APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE AFTER 10 YEARS, AND IS DANGEROUS AS IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STEERING AND BRAKES IF THE MOTOR IS A TURBO DIESEL.*AK

Mileage: 158,000

MY WIFE DRIVING VEHICLE AT APPROX. 35 MPH, AFTER COMING OUT OF A SLIGHT CURVE IN ROAD AND SLOWING FOR A STOP SIGN, SHE LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL OF VEHICLE HITTING A GUARDRAIL AND GOING INTO A DITCH. INSPECTION BY AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE OUTPUT FROM THE STEERING BOX BROKE BETWEEN GEAR BOX AND PITMAN ARM CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. TRUCK IS TOTAL. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT LUCAS CHEVROLET, MT. HOLLY NJ. *NM

Mileage: 99,400

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED 360 DEGREES AND THE TIRES DID NOT REACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WERE IT WAS DETERMINED THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN NHTSA RECALL # 03V196000, REGARDING THE SHAFT SECTOR. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB UPDATED 2/24/2006 - THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE. *NM

Mileage: 120,000

WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT RECLINED WHICH LEFT THE DRIVER LAYING COMPLETELY DOWN. *JB THE SEAT BASE ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT. *SC THE TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS, BECAUSE THE SHIFTER BOLTS HAD BROKE LOOSE FROM THE DASH MOUNTS, THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED. THE HUB/AXLE SEALS WERE REPLACED. *JB

Mileage: 55,000

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. CONSUMER MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME AND REPAIRED THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON HIS OWN. THE DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

Mileage: 90,200

NHTSA RECALL 03-V-196-000: ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT YOKE SEPARATES FROM THE STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT, THE STEERING SYSTEM BECOMES DISCONNECTED. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER , IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING STEERING FAILED. AS A RESULT, DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER STATED THAT POWER STEERING HOSE BLEW OFF. NO COLLISION REPORTED. *AK *MR

Mileage: 83,802

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND WHEN VEHICLE WAS GOING AROUND A BEND THE STEERING FAILED TO RESPOND, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A GUARD RAIL. BOTH MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING STEERING WHEEL FEELS REAL LOOSE. IT MOVES VERY EASILY UP OR DOWN WITHOUT USING THE ADJUSTMENT LEVER. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND CAUSE OF PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.*AK

Mileage: 74,000

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. MECHANIC FOUND THAT TIE ROD HAD BROKEN OFF DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF SIMILAR VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. *TT

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL LEFT FRONT TIE ROD HAD COME OFF. LEFT FRONT WHEEL ALMOST CAME OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHAKE. MECHANIC REPAIRED TIE ROD AND REPLACED BALL JOINT.*AK *YH

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL LEFT FRONT TIE ROD HAD COME OFF. LEFT FRONT WHEEL ALMOST CAME OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHAKE. MECHANIC REPAIRED TIE ROD AND REPLACED BALL JOINT.*AK *YH

RIGHT SIDE OUTER TIR ROD END CAME APART. VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD STRUCK A MAIL BOX AND POWER POLE AND LOW VOLTAGE PEDASTEL AND PULLED POWER LINE FROM NEIGHBORING HOUSE. CAUSING DAMAGE TO HOUSE.*AK

LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT. PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A ERUPTED HIGH PRESSUE HOSE FITTING INTO POWER STEERING PUMP; DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

PITMAN ARM ASSEMBLY. I HAVE AN F-250 "LIGHT DUTY" 3/4 TON. I HAVE A NOISE FROM THE PITMAN ARM ASSEMBLY/GEAR BOX. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED NO RECALL ON THAT COMPONENT. HOWEVER, HE DID SAY THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE EXPEDITION BECAUSE OF PITMAN ARM PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT A DEALERSHIP NEEDS TO LUBRICATE THIS MECHANISM. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT STEERING SAFETY AND IF THE EXPEDITION WAS RECALLED, IS THIS SIMILAR. PLEASE RESPOND VIA EMAIL. THANKS*AK

STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME VERY LOOSE, WILL NO LONGER TILT UPWARD, FEELS LIKE IT WILL COME OFF, DEALER SAID VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED 2 DIFFERENT TIMES, WITH BOTH FRONT TIRES IN JULY OF 99 AND 00. BEING THAT THIS HAPPENED TWICE ON 1 VEHICLE AND HAPPENED IN SUCH A CRITICAL AREA AS THE STEERING, I FEEL THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 1 VEHICLE TO WHICH THIS HAS OCCURRED. I FEEL OBLIGATED TO REPORT THIS AS THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THESE PARTS EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENED TO US TWICE ON THE SAME VEHICLE AT LOW MILEAGE. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT IT HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED. YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT THERE ARE LIVES AT STAKE.*AK

THE TIE ROD END FAILED, WHILE DRIVING THE BALL SEPARATED FROM THE CUP, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *MJS

AT 25 MPH THE VEHILCE TIE ROD PULL APART.....DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A MFR'S RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:

WHEN DRIVING STEERING WAS NOT RESPONSIVE. HAD A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, FRONT END FELT LIKE WAS NOT ROLLING FREELY, AND NO ADEQUATE STEERING CONTROL. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTUR. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO ALIGN THE FRONT END. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAS NO ADEQUATE HYDRAULIC FILTER ON THE RELEASE VALVE WITHIN THE STEERING GEAR BOX TO PREVENT VALVE COMTAMINATION AND FAILURE, CAUSING THE STEERING GEAR BOX TO EXPLODE AND TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER HAD IT ANALYZED BY DOUGLAS B. CHISHOLM ASSC. INC WHICH DETERMINED THE DEFECT. PLEASE ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

BOLTS ON THE POWER STEERING BOX BROKE IN HALF CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAS LOSS OF STEERING WITHOUT INDICATIONS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK