2009 Ford F-150

The contact owns a 2009 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while his son was driving at approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel detached. The driver was able to reattach the steering wheel and safely pull over. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who referred him to an independent mechanic for assistance. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the standard clockspring in the steering wheel, part number CSP200. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was too old, and no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

MY TRUCK STALLED WHILE ENTERING FREEWAY LANES. I WENT FROM 60MPH TO 10MPH AND WAS NEARLY READ ENDED. THE TRUCK FINALLY STALLED JUST AS I MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER. TWO HOURS LATER, MY TRUCK STALLED WHILE DOING 40MPH ON A SURFACE STREET. I HAD TO PULL INTO A CENTER TURN LANE TO AVOID BLOCKING TRAFFIC. FUEL WAS AT HALF A TANK. OIL LEVEL WAS GOOD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-150. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND TURNING TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NORTH BROTHERS FORD, INC. (33300 FORD RD, WESTLAND, MI 48185, (734) 421-1300) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,790.

I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF A 2009 FORD F150 WITH JUST OVER 42K MILES. THE STEERING HAS INCREASINGLY BECOME MORE-AND-MORE DIFFICULT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN FOR THE MOST PART- PAMPERED. I DO PULL A SMALL UTILITY TRAILER AND THE TRUCK IS NOT A DAILY DRIVER. I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE LAST MARCH (2016) AFTER SITTING FOR 6-WEEKS AND THE STEERING DIFFICULTY HAS BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED. THE POWER-STEERING FLUID IS AT THE PROPER LEVEL, THERE ARE NO LEAKS AND TIRE PRESSURE IS NORMAL. YET THE TRUCK STEER'S AND HANDLES AS THOUGH I HAVE LOW/NO AIR IN THE FRONT TIRES AND/OR THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS FAILING. I PLAN ON TAKING THE TRUCK INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. MY OVERALL CONCERN IS TO COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE THAT STEERING AND HANDLING IS VITAL TO THE "SAFE-OPERATION" OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ESPECIALLY A TRUCK. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1999 F150 AND EVEN WITH OVER 100K MILES, STEERING WAS NEVER AN ISSUE. IN FACT, I HAVE OWNED AND OPERATED MANY VEHICLES WITH OVER 100K MILES BOTH IN THE MILITARY AND IN CIVILIAN USE AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED "STEERING" ISSUES OF THIS NATURE. I AM THEREFORE CONCERNED AS TO THE NATURE OF THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT SEEN HEAVY DUTY USE OR BEEN DRIVEN EXCESSIVELY. RESPECTFULLY YOURS, MADE-IN-AMERICA - PLEASE DON'T FAIL ME.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH A REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING THE TRUCK TO TURN TO ONE SIDE. TRAVELLING A LITTLE FURTHER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I TURNED THE TRUCK AROUND AND HEADED BACK TO MY HOUSE. TWO OR THREE TIMES AGAIN A REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING A LACK OF CONTROL. IF I WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS THE CONDITION WOULD CAUSE THE TRUCK TO GO SIDEWAYS.

THE STEERING WHEEL ATTACHMENT BOLT WORKED ITS WAY LOOSE AND THE WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I ADJUSTED THE STEERING WHEEL L. IT POPPED OFF ITS SETTING AND FELL ON MY LAP. MAKING STEERING IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO ALIGN THE WHEEL AND SHOVEBIT BACK IN PLACE UNTIL I COULD GET VEHICLE STOPPED. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED AN SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS THE GOOD ALIGNMENT OF MY TIRES AND LUCKILY I GOT THE WHEEL LINED UP AND ON WITHIN A SECOND.

ON OR ABOUT MARCH 23, 2015 STEERING BECAME STIFF. STIFFNESS INCREASED TO THE POINT ON APRIL 1, 2015 THAT IT STARTED TO BIND UPON MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS. DEALER REPLACED LOWER STEERING SHAFT ON APRIL 3, 2015 AND THE STEERING HAS RETURNED TO NORMAL. I HAVE OWNED 17 DIFFERENT VEHICLES IN MY LIFETIME AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH BINDING STEERING. IF THE STEERING HAD BOUND UP COMPLETELY I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. FORD MOTOR SHOULD INITIATE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT. *TR