This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Steering knuckle developed a crack through what appears to be defective casting of the part. Crack was noticed prior to separation of steering assembly. This could have created and extreme hazard if not noticed prior to total failure.
The steering rack is not moving freely. Struts, tie rods and U joint are moving freezing but the steering rack is not. This is a huge safety concern because if the steering rack were to lock up and then allow me, the driver, to turn the wheel, that would absolutely cause me to crash. My local automotive service has diagnosed the problem
The vehicle is hard to turn directions. I was leaving a customer home and the vehicle power steering just stop operating. This vehicle has electrical power steering.
What do you do when your steering wheel suddenly fails to control your car while you are driving? with the steering wheel cranked as far as it would go, my car continued going straight as I pulled into a parking lot. I stopped the car completely, blocking traffic. Then I slowly drove forward with no control over steering. Thankfully, the car ended up in a suitable parking space, but not due to my efforts. I had no means with which to aim the car. All I could do was call for someone to go get me. One day earlier, this car was on an interstate driving at 70 mph. I shudder to think about the harm this would have caused if it had happened 24 hours earlier! Ford's online documentation refers to "loss of steering assist." That's not what happened. I lost all control over steering with a steering wheel that moves easily in any direction but with no effect on where the car is going. There was no warning of any kind when this happened.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Waunakee, WI, USA