2008 Ford F-150

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,450.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-150. WHILE TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING AND THE RACK AND PINION AND HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

STEERING IS HEAVY AND BINDS, ESPECIALLY DURING CORNERING AND BRAKING. FEELS LIKE POWER STEERING IS FAILING AND TRUCK IS DIFFICULT TO STEER, CONTROL AND MANEUVER AT ALL SPEEDS AND DIRECTIONS. STEERING SHAFTS AND JOINTS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND SEIZING AND WILL NOT RELEASE WITH LUBRICANT. POWER STEERING FLUID AND LINES ARE FINE AND DEALER STATES THAT STEERING SHAFTS AND JOINTS MUST BE REPLACED. I WAS TRAILERING A BOAT AT 50 MPH AND STEERING WAS SEIZING, VERY HEAVY, AND SEEMED TO BE BINDING WHILE GOING AROUND BENDS IN THE ROAD AND THEN THE STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY RELEASE - OR UNSTICK - AND BECOME RESPONSIVE AGAIN. I CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AS THE STEERING SUDDENLY GOT VERY HEAVY, SLUGGISH AND UNRESPONSIVE, AND THEN RELEASED AND BECAME RESPONSIVE AGAIN. I ALMOST DROVE DIRECTLY INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS STEERING ISSUE IS NOW A CONSTANT AND HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR TOWING, AT ALL SPEEDS, AND IN BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE. THIS STEERING PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY UNPREDICTABLE, UNSAFE, AND VERY DANGEROUS. IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE COMMON PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE BEING REPORTED TO THE NHTSA, FORD, FORD DEALERS, AND DISCUSSED IN ONLINE FORUMS.

WHEN I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN OFF A HIGHWAY RAMP, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP & THEN SNAPPED BACK & SPRAINED MY WRIST. I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY WRIST,BUT I DO CARE ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE LOWER STEERING SHAFT THAT WAS ENGINEERED WRONG TO START WITH & YOU MADE FORD ISSUE A RECALL (BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT)IN ALL THERE MID SIZED & HIGHEND CARS ALONG WITH LINCOLN & MERCURY MODELS BECAUSE IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. WHAT YOU DIDN'T DO IS, ORDER A RECALL FOR ALL FORDS THAT HAS THE SAME LOWER STEERING SHAFT! WHY? YOU SAY IT'S NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM IN THE F-150, WHY? JUST BECAUSE IT'S A TRUCK OR FORD PAID YOU OFF NOT TO ISSUE THE RECALL FOR THE F-150'S?? IF IT'S A DEFECTED PART IN THERE CARS,IT'S THE SAME PART PUT IN F-150'S,MADE BY THE SAME CO.. I PD $38,000 FOR A TRUCK THAT HAS THE SAME DEFECTED PART YOU MADE THEM ISSUE A RECALL. SOME LINCOLNS & MERCURY CARS RECALLED ARE HEAVIER THAN MY F-150,BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO YOU. I ALMOST CRASHED THREW THE GUARD RAIL & IF I DID, I WOULD BE DEAD!! I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOUR AGENCY EXCLUDED THE F-150 IN THE RECALL?? ARE YOU PEOPLE ENGINEERS? HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU EXCLUDE ANY VEHICLE IN THE RECALL THAT HAS THE SAME DEFECTED PART IN IT? PLEASE E-MAIL ME THE REASON WHY A DEFECTED PART FORD MADE,IS ONLY A SAFETY ISSUE IN CARS, BUT NOT THE F-150"S THAT HAS THE SAME LOWER STEERING SHAFT'S. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW. THINK OF THIS, A MERCURY SABLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE MERCURY WOULD HIT THE GUARD RAIL & STOP, MY F-150 WOULD OF WENT UP & OVER THE GUARD RAIL & FALL TO MY DEATH!! A DEFECTED PART IS A DEFECTED PART,NO MATTER WHAT VEHICLE IT'S IN. I WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU THINK IT'S OK FOR MILLIONS OF F-150'S TO HAVE DEFECTED LOWER STEERING SHAFT'S?? GOD FOR BID MY CHILDREN EVER GOT HURT BECAUSE YOU IDIOT'S SAID A DEFECTED PART IS OK ON F-150'S!! *TR

WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, NOTICED STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT. HAD TO FORCE IT THEN IT "RELEASED" RESULTING IN AN OVER STEER AND ALMOST VEERING TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. CENTERING THE WHEEL ALSO BECAME DIFFICULT AND RESULTING IN OVERSTEER THE OPPOSITE WAY. SAME PROBLEM - RIGHT OR LEFT HAND TURN. WAS INTERMITTENT BUT HAS BECOME CHRONIC NOW AND GETTING WORSE. HAVE NOT HAD IT IN THE SHOP YET. *TR