1997 Ford F-150 Steering

WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH FRONT END STARTED SHAKING, THERE WAS A NOISE AND VEHICLE DROPPED ON RIGHT FRONT. DEALER DETERMINED THAT RIGHT TIE ROD HAD BROKEN. ON 6 JUNE 2001 THE LEFT TIE ROD BROKE AGAIN. *AK *YH

ONE OF FIVE 1997-1998 FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCKS OWNED BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTAION WHICH HAVE HAD TIE ROD FAILURES AFTER REACHING 75K MILES OR MORE

ONE OF FIVE 1997-1998 FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCKS OWNED BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTAION WHICH HAVE HAD TIE ROD FAILURES AFTER REACHING 75K MILES OR MORE. *AK

ANOTHER TIE ROD WAS FAULTY, ONLY THE BOOT WAS HOLDING STUD TO THE TIE ROD. *AK

DRIVERS SIDE TIE-ROD FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND PUNCTURED THE WHEEL (RIM) CAUSING INSTANT DEFLATION OF TIRE PRESSURE. LOST ALL STEERING CAPABILITIES AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL WAS JAMBED WITH THE TIE ROD CAUSING VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. FORD INSTALLS ZERKLESS TIE RODS (SUPPOSE TO HAVE LIFETIME LUBRICATION?), THE RUBBER BOOT IS NOT TIGHT FIITTING ALLOWING MOISTURE TO FIND ITS WAY INSIDE. IT APPEARS THAT THE TIE ROD WAS CORRODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE A MAJOR COMPLAINT AMONG F-150 OWNERS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT COULD BECOME DEADLY IF INCIDENT OCCURES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL. *AK *YD

WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TURN STEERING WHEEL 360 DEGREES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

FAILURE OF STEERING PUMP AT LOW SPEED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. PUMP HAS BEEN REPAIRED.*AK *SLC

WHILE TRYING TO GET OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE LEFT TIE ROD ENDS FELL OFF FROM VEHICLE. *AK ALL THE TIE RODS WERE REPLACED BY THE CONSUMER WHO WANTS REFUNDED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE TIE ROD WAS DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS. *YH

PE 01 033 : STEERING COLUMN : NOISE WOULD APPEAR WHEN MAKING A TURN. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

I HAD NOTICED A SQUEAK FROM THE FRONT END WHEN MAKING TURNS. I FOUND NOTHING LOOSE SO I IGNORED IT FOR A WHILE. AFTER DOING SOME INVESTIGATING FOUND THERE TO BE PROBLEMS WITH PITMAN ARMS ON THESE VEHICLES. I CHECKED MINE AND FOUND THAT TO BE THE NOISE AND REPLACED THE PART. I KEPT THE OLD PART. IT APPEARS DRY AND SOON TO WEAR OUT.

AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD BROKE. LEAVING ME WITH NO CONTROL OF STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.*AK

PE 01 033/STEERING COLUMN: WHILE MAKING A TURN, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT STEERING COLUMN SEPARATED FROM GEAR BOX. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE, CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING, CONSUMER THEN PROCEEDED TO DRIVE ABOUT 5MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AGAIN, PLUS THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO A MECHANIC, AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIE ROD END ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAD FALLEN OUT OF POSITION.*JB

RIGHT FRONT OUTSIDE TIE-ROD END SEPARATED AT THE BALL/SOCKET JOINT. THIS OCCURED WHILE TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY SO SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR. THESE TIE-ROD ENDS ARE FACTORY SEALED SO MAINTENANCE IS IMPOSSIBLE.

WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH VEHICLE SHIMMIED VIOLENTLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT OUTER LEFT TIE ROD BROKE. THEN, ON SEPTEMBER 7 2001, WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH, CONSUMER LOST STEERING AND BRAKING SYSTEMS WHEN INNER RIGHT TIE ROD BROKE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS ON ROAD TRAVELING AND STEERING FELT LIKE IT WAS LOOSE. STEERING WHEEL NORMALLY FELT TIGHT AND STURDY, AND IT WAS STARTING TO HAVE TOO MUCH PLAY. DEALER ORDERED A LOWER COLUMN SHAFT POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF WEAR AND TEAR. VEHICLE WAS ALSO RE-ALIGNED AND WENT BACK TO NORMAL.*AK

THE STEERING BOX AND COLOMN BECAME DICONECTED, RENDERING VEHICLE UNSTABLE. THIS WAS AN ASSEMBLY PROBLEM NOT A PRODUCT DEFECT. *AK

UPON BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE I FELT A HARD JOLT AND THE TRUCK SHUT OFF. I INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS OR ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE WITH NO PROBLEM. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE STAEERING WHEEL, I FOUND IT VERY HARD TO TURN. I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AGAIN AND NOTICED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHEEL HAD A LITTLE SHIMMY TO IT AND NO LEAKS. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT THESE PUMPS GO OUT ANYWHERE FROM 10K MILES AND UP. UNSAT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING LEFT FRONT TIE ROD END BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. NO COLLISION OR INJURIES OCCURRED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 65, MM 95 APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, WHEN THE STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT. LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF VEHICLE. LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT HAD COME OFF SECTOR SHAFT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE UNTIL I CAME TO STOP ON MEDIAN. STEERING WHEEL SPUN FREELY IN EITHER DIRECTION. COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A FATAL WRECK IF THIS HAPPENED ON A CURVE OR OTHER VEHICLES CLOSE BY.*AK

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE ENDED UP IN A FIELD, THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BE TURNED LIKE A ROULET WHEEL. NLM

TIE ROD END ON LEFT FRONT BROKE, WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, DEALER NOTIFIED AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER.*AK CONSUMER STATES AS HE WAS PARKING IN THE PARKING LOT, THE TIE ROD END CAME APART, NO PRIOR WARNING.*JB

WHEN I WAS DRIVING WITH MY SON IN THE CAR, I LOST ALL STEERING IN MY VEHICLE. MY STEERING WHEEL JUST STARTED TO SPIN FREELY AS I WAS DRIFTING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER FRANTICALLY STOPPING THE VEHICLE, I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC. AFTER HE INSPECTED THE STEERING COLUMN, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE COUPLING BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND STEERING BOX HAD STRIPPED FREE. THE BOLT STILL REMAINED IN THE COUPLER. HE CHECKED WITH FORD AND THEY TOLD HIM THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THE LOWER END OF THE STEERING COLUMNS (WHICH HE WAS SURPRISED AT), BUT THERE HAD BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN.*AK

THE WAY THE TIE RODS ARE MADE WHEN THEY BECOME SLIGHTLY WORN THEY PULL APART. AFTER TALKING WITH SOME AUTO REPAIR SHOPS I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURANCE.