1999 Ford F-150 Steering Problems

THE OVERDIVE KNOB ON GEAR SHIFTER BROKE OFF WHILE DOWN-SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO 2ND GEAR. WHEN RESEARCHING THE INTERNET.... THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM!!!

APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO (10/2014) I NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 1999 FORD F-150 WERE NOT WORKING. A FEW TIMES ONCE I RETURNED TO HOME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I SHIFTED THE TRUCK INTO PARK, THE HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO MATTER IF THE HIGH BEAM OR LOW BEAM LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. I STARTED TO INSPECT THE HEADLIGHT OPERATION AND NOTICED THAT WHEN I TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL TO IT'S LOWEST POSITION, TYPICALLY IT'S OPERATING POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. WHEN I TILTED THE WHEEL UP SLIGHTLY TO THE NEXT POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON. TODAY, 10/19/2014 I REMOVED THE TRIM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN AND NOTICED THAT THERE ARE TWO WIRES THAT HAVE BROKEN AND SEPARATED FROM THE WIRING HARNESSES THAT ATTACH TO THE TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY AND SEVERAL CONTACTS THAT ARE LOOSE IN THE UPPER HARNESS. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS AND A VIDEO SHOWING THE PARTS THAT ARE LOOSE AND OR BROKEN. BECAUSE THESE BROKEN WIRES AND CONTACTS ARE LOOSE AND AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE HEADLIGHTS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK OF A SHORT OR SPARKS THAT THEY COULD CREATE AND WITHOUT FULLY OPERATIONAL HEADLIGHTS, THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE TRUCK AND PURCHASED IT AT AROUND 11,000 MILES. THE STEERING COLUMN HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN APART NOR HAS THE TRIM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN BEEN REMOVED. THESE WIRES COULD BE SEEN MOVING AS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED UP AND DOWN PRIOR TO THE SIGNAL ASSEMBLY BEING REMOVED AS THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED ON AND OFF WITH THE LIGHT SWITCH LEFT IN THE ON POSITION. *TR

FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN ENCOUNTERING SUCCESSIVE DIPS OR POTHOLES AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 40 AND 60 . REPLACED TIRES,SHOCKS, TIE ROD ENDS, STEERING BOX, AND LINKAGE. CONSTANTLY VERIFYING TIRE PRESSURE, WHEN THIS OCCURS DAILY I MUST SLOW TO A CRAWL OR SHAKE THE STEERING WHEEL FROM TEN TO TWO TO MAKE IT QUIT. CANT AFFORD TO REPLACE ANYTHING ELSE THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK TOTAL THUS FAR IS IN THE 900'S. *TR

COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE TIE ROD ENDS BEING DEFECTIVE. HE WAS TOLD THE TIE RODS ENDS WERE CORRODED AND WORN OUT. *AK

PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT I HAD NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING OR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 9, 2005 AS I WAS BRAKING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK SEEMED TO SKID. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ABS SYSTEM SINCE THE ROAD WAS WET. THERE WAS A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT RUNNING INTO ANY OTHER VEHICLE. BECAUSE I DID NOT REALIZE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AT THAT TIME I CONTINUED INTO THE PARKING LOT, AND MADE ANOTHER RIGHT TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE. AT THAT TIME THE TRUCK DID THE SAME THING; IT FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS SKIDDING. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER TIRES WERE POINTED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, SO I KNEW THAT A TIE ROD HAD COME DETACHED. AFTER TOWING THE TRUCK HOME I INSPECTED IT, AND REALIZED THAT THE PASSENGER INNER TIE ROD HAD SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT. INSPECTION OF THE JOINT REVEALED THAT BOTH PIECES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RUSTED. I HAVE REPLACED THE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS ON BOTH SIDES AS A PRECAUTION, SINCE I DID NOT KNOW IF THE OTHERS WOULD DO THE SAME THING.

BOTH TIE RODS BROKE ON THE 1999 FORD F150 AFTER 48000 MILES. *MR *SC *JB

DT CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING HIS VEHICLE THE LEFT TIE ROD BROKE, CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER DID ISSUED A LETTER IN DECEMBER, 2004, STATING THAT THE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE CHECKED IN THE VEHICLE. COMSUMER STATES THE TIE RODS APPEARED TO BE FINE AT THAT TIME. *TT

DT: BOUGHT A USED TRUCK, AND AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED HAD TO REPLACE THE STARTER/THE BALL JOINTS/HE UPPER TIE RODS, AND THE CONTROL ARM ON BOTH SIDES. ENGINE MANIFOLD SPLIT, AND EXHAUST SYSTEM RUSTED. LATER, WHILE DRIVING TIE RODS CAME OFF. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DROP AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING LOT, AND AS VEHICLE WENT BACK UP THE DROP, IT SLID AND THERE WAS AN IMPACT. GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND SAW THAT THE TIE ROD CAME OFF AND GOUGED INTO THE PAVEMENT. SPOKE TO THE MANAGER OF COUNTRY CLUB CHEVROLET, AND HE SIMPLY GAVE CONSUMER A DISCOUNT ON PARTS AND LABOR. YESTERDAY HE WENT TO A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE DEALER AND ASKED FOR THE 88-POINT INSPECTION,, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. *AK

TIE ROD BROKE AT BALL JOINT WHILE TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEED.(5 MPH). *JB

FAILURE OF FRONT END STERRING PARTS( BALL JOINTS, TIE RODS, AND IDLER ARM). ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS MY MECHANIC HAS INSTRUCTED ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE FRONT END CHECK FOR WEAR AND TEAR DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURES IN THESE PARTS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN THE PAST 3 YEARS (@ABOUT 20K MILES PER YEAR) I HAVE HAD MAJOR REPLACEMENTS DONE ON THESE PARTS. I DO NOT BELEIVE THE FAILURE IS DUE TO DRIVING CONDITIONS, MOST IS AT HIGH WAYS SPEEDS ON REASONABLY SMOOTH ROADS. THE LATEST FAILURE HAS ME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE OVERALL SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AS I TYPICAL DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. MY MECHANIC INDICATED IF A FAILURE OCCURS AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS - IT MIGHT NOT BE A GREAT OUTCOME... I FEEL I AM LUCKY IN THAT EVERY TIME I GO TO THE MECHANIC (SERVERAL TIMES PER YEAR) I HAVE HIM CHECK THESE PARTS. I RECENTLY RECEIVED AN INSPECTION IN JUNE 2004 AND THESE PARTS WERE OK THEN. NOW (MAR 2005) AND I HAVE A MAJOR REPLACEMENT GOING ON. THE MACHANIC INDICATED THAT I AM NOT ALONE AND THE PROBLEM IS VERY WIDE SPREAD. DO NOT GET ME WRONG - I REALLY LIKE THE TRUCK AND WOULD BUY ANOTHER, BUT SO FAR DEALERS (2 LOCAL) INDICATE THAT MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT AS WIDE SPREAD. HENCE I NO LONGER GO TO FORD DEALERS FOR SERVICE. THE MECHANIC HAS ALSO INDICATED THAT THIS ISSUE MAY BE LARGER IN SCOPE THANT THE FIRESTONE TIRE ISSUES FORD HAD YEARS AGO (SPECULATION). BUT NONE THE LESS - MY MECHANIC HAS SEEN MANY OF THESE ISSUES AND HE IS A SMALL OPERATION IN A SMALL TOWN. AT THIS STAGE I AM UNLIKELY TO RE-PURCHASE A FORD F150 AND HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS OVER THE SAFTEY OF THE VEHICLE.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL. IT WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. CONSUMER CONTINUED HOME, PARKED THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY CONSUMER GOT INTO THE VEHICLE, STARTED THE VEHICLE , AND PROCEEDED TO PLACE IT INTO GEAR, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT LONGER GO INTO GEAR. WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

I HAVE A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION. ON SATURDAY JAN 15, 2005 MY WIFE AND I WAS DRIVING AND I FELT THE TRUCK PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I GOT OUT AND SURE ENOUGH, THE LEFT TIE ROD WAS BROKEN. THIS IS AFTER REPLACING THE RIGHT ONE 6 MONTHS AGO. I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE HAD BOTH REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME BUT I HAVE LESS THAN 60,000 MILE AND DON'T REALLY DRIVE IT THAT MUCH. I DON'T DRIVE IT ON ROUGH ROADS OR OFF ROAD. I AM AMAZED AT HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO RECALL. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INDEPENDENT SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TIED ROD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL. *AK

POTENTIAL TIE ROD PROBLEMS. *SC

I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM FORD TO HAVE IDLE ARM CHECKED FOR DEFECT AT MY EXPENSE. ALSO IF FAULTY, I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COST OF REPLACEMENT. IF THIS IS A RECALL, THIS SHOULD BE AT FORD'S EXPENSE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD TELL ME THAT A RECALL WOULD BE AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE. *JB

THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIE ROD BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY. *MR *NM

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE FAILURE OF THE TIRE ROD END CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER USES ROD ENDS WITH NO GREASE FITTINGS. *NM

RIGHT TIE-ROD FAILURE 1999 FORD F-150 PICKUP. *NM

WHILE MOVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVEWAY CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE CONSUMER EXITED, LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND SAW THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIE ROAD FELL OFF TO THE GROUND. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *NM