2003 Ford F-150 Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel felt very loose and was difficult to turn. The vehicle was restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000.

DROVE TO OUR CABIN IN UPPER WISCONSIN AND THE PSF TIRE THE MIDDLE OF IT BLOW OUT. IT HAD PROBABLE A 4 INCH CUT FROM WHEN IT BLUE. THE TIRES ARE LESS THEN A YEAR OLD WITH 3,600 MILES ON THEM. THE TIRES WON'T CHEAP BUT THERE JUNK AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME I BUY GOOD YEAR OF ANY TYPE.

DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND EXITING ONTO MY EXIT, THE TRUCK STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND EVENTUALLY SHUT OFF. I HAD TO WAIT ABOUT 1HOUR FOR THE TRUCK TO COOL OFF BEFORE IT WOULD START AGAIN. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TRUCK TO COOL OFF, I CHANGED THE FUEL FILTER. TODAY, 6/3/15, I CAN START THE TRUCK UP AND LET IT RUN FOR ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR AND SHUT IT OFF AND IT WILL NOT START BACK. I WAIT ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR AND IT WILL START RIGHT UP. I CAN'T EFFORT TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP AND PAY $50 TO $100 FOR THEM NOT TO BE ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG OR HOW TO FIX IT.

VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER (IN DRY CLIMATE), INCLUDING STEERING, AND BRAKES AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH. CAME TO A STOP USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. HAD TWO NEAR MISSES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED AS THE ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) WAS NO GOOD. HAD PRIOR MISFIRES IN ENGINE, WHICH FORD HAD DIAGNOSED AS A BAD HEAD VALVE. AFTER REBUILDING THE HEADS, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED (WHILE UNDER USE IN DRY CLIMATE). INCIDENT OCCURRED, AT WHICH POINT THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME DISABLED. 2ND FORD DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED AS "ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS" WHICH HAD ALLEGEDLY CAUSED THE VEHICLE'S ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) TO SHORT OUT. NO MORE THAN 500 MILES AND/OR 3 DAYS AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM AND FIXING OF UNSPECIFIED "ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS" (AND IN MOIST CLIMATE), VEHICLE WOULD HAVE PERIODIC MISFIRES WHICH WOULD ON OCCASION BE SO SEVERE SO AS TO DROP ALL GAUGES ON DASH TO THEIR "OFF" POSITIONS, BUT WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING (UNDER STRESS FROM SUPPOSED MISFIRE WHICH WOULD SHAKE THE ENTIRE TRUCK). ON TWO LATER OCCASIONS, WHILE IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD REPEAT THE SAME CONDITION AS WITH THE INITIAL INCIDENT, WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT-OFF, WITH EXCEPTION THAT ON THE REPEAT OCCASIONS, THE ECM WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. A 3RD FORD DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE EXACT PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT OF COILS FOLLOWED BY WIRING AS A POSSIBLE FIX TO THE MISFIRE. I REMOVED THE VEHICLE TO A DRY CLIMATE AND REPLACED ALL PLUGS, COILS, AND BOOTS FOR TESTING. VEHICLE SUCCESSFULLY FUNCTIONED UNDER DRY, MOIST, AND SNOWY CLIMATES AFTERWARDS. CONTINUES IN OPERATION AND IS CURRENTLY AT +/- 155,000 MILES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND EASILY TURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. ONCE THE VEHICLE BEGAN STEERING TOWARDS THE LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THE FAILURE CEASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V349000 (STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

WHEN DRIVING STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY LOOSE. STEERING GEAR WAS SEPARATING AND WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALER. TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN #03V349000. *TR

STEERING GEAR FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD A LARGE AMOUNT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. AT TIMES LOSS OF STEERING WOULD OCCUR AND YOU COULD END UP IN THE NEXT LANE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ADJUSTED, THE TURN SIGNALS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,184 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000. UPDATED 05/27/14*LJ UPDATED 8/17/17*CN

2003 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER: WHEN EXECUTING LOW SPEED TURNS IN EITHER DIRECTION, THERE IS A FEELING THAT THE TIRES ARE RUBBING THE INSIDES OF THE WHEEL WELLS. THERE IS A BINDING OR GRINDING FEELING IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOISE OF SUCH CAN BE HEARD MOST OF THE TIME. AS I HAVE SEEN ON PREVIOUS REPORTS, THERE IS ALSO THE SAME CHATTER AND SHUDDER AND VIBRATIONS ALSO. WE TOOK IT IN TO SERVICE DEPT AND AFTER 2 DAYS THEY REPORT THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND NOR REPRODUCE WHAT WE WERE STATING. AFTER A TECHNICIAN TOOK A TEST DRIVE WITH MY HUSBAND, THE TECHNICIAN DID NOTICE A HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE REAR HUMMING AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE REAR END. (ALL OF THIS OCCURRING AT 29,000 MILES. AFTER THE REAR END WAS REPLACED, THE ABOVE MENTIONED CHATTER, SHUDDER, BINDING, GRINDING AND VIBRATIONS WERE GONE. HOWEVER...NOW AT 31,000 MILES THEY ARE ALL BACK AND PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. WE WILL AGAIN, RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS AND WILL UPDATE ON THE MATTER. *NM

TOOK MY 2003 F150 XL 4X4 TO GET A FRONT END ALIGNMENT THE TECHNECIAN TOLD ME HE COULD NOT DO THE ALIGNMENT DUE TO THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD (WORN OUT) I TOOK ME TRUCK TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS INSTRUCTED THAT I VOIDED MY WARRANTY WHEN I PUT ON A BIGGER TIRE. THE ORIGINAL SIZE WAS A 255/70/16 AND I PUT ON 235/85/16 ON THE ORIGINAL RIM. I HAVE 35500 MILES ON MY TRUCK. I FEEL THAT THIS IS ANOTHER WAY THAT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER GETS AWAY WITH RIPPING CUSTOMERS OFF. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F150. CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL ON CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V349000 CONCERNING STEERING GEAR BOX. WHILE DRIVING HOME ON JUNE 22, 2005, AND AFTER JUST PULLING HIS BOAT TRAILER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED JUST AS STATED IN THE RECALL. HE CONTACTED FORD DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED TWICE. *AK

REAR ENDED WHILE DRIVING AT 48 MPH. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING TWICE ALONG WITH THE CARRIER. THREE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT VEHICLE WAS USING A LOT OF OIL. IT USED A QUART OF OIL EVERY 3000 MILES. VEHICLE HAD NO GREASE FITTINGS ON THE TIE ROD ENDS NOR ON THE STEERING. THIS MADE THEM SQUEAK. SUBSEQUENTLY WITHOUT THE GREASE FITTINGS THESE PARTS WILL DROP OUT . CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER TOLD HIM THAT IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT A COUPLE OF HOURS TO REPAIR VEHICLE. BUT WHEN CONSUMER CALLED BACK HE WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE ON BACK ORDER. IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS TO GET THEM. CONSUMER INSISTED VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE, AND CONSUMER WAS AFRAID SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL IN THE RAIN, THE REAR WHEELS SUDDENLY LOCKED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FAILURE WITH THE RACK AND PINION AND THE DRIVE SHAFT. RECENTLY, THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

STEERING WHEEL SHAFT BEARINGS WERE LOOSE, AND HAD BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT.*AK

2003 F-150 SUPERCREW XLT 4WD NOISE PRESENT IN FRONT-END. ESPECIALLY WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY SOUNDS LIKE AN IDLER ARM OR STEERING LINKAGE (TIE RODS) ALSO NOISE IN STEERING GEAR/PITMAN ARM. RESULT IS LOOSE STEERING ESPCIALLY WHILE AT HIGH SPEEDS. LOOSE STEERING IS PRESENT EVEN AT LOWER SPEEDS AND VEHICLE TRACKS ROAD IN AN UNUSUAL FASHION. HAVE DISCUSSED WITH FORD SERVICE DEPT ON 4 OCCASIONS. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY. THEY TELL ME ITS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *LA