1997 FORD F-350 Steering Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN WHILE BACKING UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE POWER STEERING HOSE CAME LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LEAK POWER STEERING FLUID AND LOSE ALL POWER STEERING. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THE DIESEL ENGINE VIBRATION CAUSED THE RUBBER SEAL THAT HELD THE POWER STEERING HOSE ON TO COME LOOSE. UPDATED 9/18/2006 - *NM

Mileage: 92,000

1997 FORD F350 STEERING PROBLEMS.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR A BEARING INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN CRACKED AND RESULTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP MOMENTARILY WHILE DRIVING. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH STEERING WHEEL SHOOK, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A DIRT ROAD, THE STEERING COLUMN ON MY F-350 BOUND UP MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A UPCOMING CORNER. BY REEFING ON THE STEERING WHEEL I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE TO MAKE THE CORNER. WHEN I REEFED ON THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING COLUMN MADE A LOUD POP THEN STARTED TURNING. THE STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN AFTER THAT BUT NOW THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN IS VERY WOBBLY. I'VE CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND INFORMNED HIM OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND STEERING WAS LOST WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

POWER STEERING WAS LOST WHEN MY HYDRAULIC PRESSURE HOSE WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE FITTING THAT THREADS INTO THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER PARTS DEPARTMENT HAD SEEN SO MANY OF THESE HOSES REPLACED THAT THE EMPLOYEE AT THE COUNTER KNEW WHAT TYPE OF VEHICLE IT WENT ON WITHOUT ASKING ANY QUESTIONS. HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO RETRIEVE THE NEW HOSE FROM THE WAREHOUSE WITHOUT CONSULTING A COMPUTER FOR A PART NUMBER OR STORAGE LOCATION. THIS TELLS ME (AND HE EVENTUALLY CONFIRMED) THAT THESE HOSE FITTINGS HAVE BEEN FAILING REGULARLY. THE NEW HOSE HAS THE SAME FITTING DESIGN BUT IT ALSO HAS A TAG WHICH CLEARLY STATES, "DO NOT EXCEED 20 FTLBS TORQUE". THE PARTS GUY WAS EMPHATIC THAT I FOLLOW THIS TORQUE SPECIFICATION. I WILL NOTE THE FITTING DESIGN IS SUCH THAT EXCESSIVE TORQUE COULD DAMAGE AN INTERNAL CLIP WHICH SEALS AND HOLDS THE HOSE TUBE TO THE FITTING. I BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THESE FITTINGS WERE OVER-TORQUED AT THE FACTORY AND IS THE REASON FOR FAILURE. NOTE THAT MY FITTING FAILED AT A LOW SPEED IN A REMOTE SETTING AND NOBODY WAS INJURED - THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT HAD IT FAILED WHILE TURNING THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION.*AK

PREVIOUS COMPLAINT #ODI747045. I WANTED TO SEND YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM AS I AM AWARE THAT FORD HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES SINCE 96 WHEN FORD BOUGHT BACK MY VEHICLE AND REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. RECENTLY I RAN OFF THE ROAD WITH THIS VEHICLE JUST MISSING GOING OVER A SHEER DROP OFF OF OVER 1,000 FEET INTO THE OCEAN. IN MY PANIC STOP WITH NO POWER STEERING AND BRAKES THE STEERING WHEEL WAS INDENTED WITH MY HAND PRINT AND DENTED FRONT SECTION OF WHEEL ALONG WITH THE SHIFT LEVER BREAKING OFF DURING THIS PANIC STOP. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED JUNE 19, 2001 AND I WAS INFORMED THEY WOULD AGIN BE CONTACTING FORD. I HAVE RECEIVED NO FURTHER RESPONSE.

WHEN TURNING STEERING WOULD LOCK UP, AND VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE ITS DIRECTION OF TURNING. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP DOZEN OF TIMES. MECHANIC WOULD TRY TO REPAIR STEERING.*AK

THE COLLAPSABLE UPPER STEERING COLUMN IS VERY WORN AND SLOPPY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD LEAD TO POSSIBLE LOSS OF STEERING. THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PART AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. SINCE THERE IS NO NEW PART NO. FOR THIS PART, I FEEL IT WILL ONLY GO OUT AGAIN IN ANOTHER 60,000 MI. THIS PART SHOULD BE ADRESSED AND A NEW RECALL PART SHOULD BE ASSIGNED. *AK

THERE IS A BOLT THAT COMES LOOSE, CAUSING POWER STEERING TO GO COMPLETELY OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. DEALER REPLACED PART, AND PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO STEERING FAILURE RESULTING IN COLLISION (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). MJS

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPED TO REPAIR PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKE HARD, THE POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING, IT ALSO DOES THIS WHEN NOT IN MOTION, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE GEAR BOX AND POWER STEERING UNIT, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, CONSUMER STATES HE WRECKED IN 02/97, HOWEVER DOES NOT KNOW IF THIS IS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT, CONSUMER WANTS THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED OR WANTS A REFUND. *SLC