2000 Ford Crown Victoria Steering Problems

SEAT BELTS DON'T HAVE ELASTICITY. STEERING COLUMN STEERING FEELS LOOSE, GEAR SHIFTER FEELS SLOPPY. HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10824824

Incident

Jan 6, 2016

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN AT A SLOW SPEED (>10MPH) WHEN THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING. *JS

NHTSA ID

10538254

Incident

Jul 13, 2013

Mileage

46,000 mi

WAS STEERING INTO AN ISLE OF PARKING SPOTS WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SPIN FREELY AND EFFORTLESSLY. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR BECAUSE IT COULD DO NOTHING BUT GO IN THE DIRECTION THE TIRES WERE TURNED AT THE TIME OF THE STEERING FAILURE, WHICH IN MY CASE, WOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT INTO THREE PARKED CARS. UPON INSPECTION, THE STEERING COLUMN HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE REST OF THE CAR, CAUSING A LOSS IN CONTROL AS FAR AS STEERING WAS CONCERNED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE ON THE FREEWAY, THE RESULTS MAY HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC, NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT TO OTHER DRIVERS AROUND ME AS WELL. WILL TAKE IT DIRECTLY TO FORD TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10521264

Incident

Jun 22, 2013

Mileage

46,000 mi

MY WIFE WAS ON HER WAY HOME FROM WORK AND SHE CALLED ME SAYING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. SHE SAID IT WAS SWAYING BACK AND FORTH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. SHE MADE IT HOME AND PULLED INTO THE DRIVE WAY. WHEN SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL STRAIT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR HIT THE GROUND. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED AT IT AND SEEN THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAD COME OUT OF THE SOCKET. I LOOKED UP MY VEHICLE ONLINE AND SEEN THAT I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF MY CAR I NOTICED THERE IS NO GREASE PORT TO DO REGULAR GREASING OF THE PARTS. AS I LOOKED CLOSER TO THE SOCKET I SEEN THAT THE SOCKET WAS COMPLETELY DRY. NO GREASE AT ALL IN THE JOINTS. AS I INSPECTED THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT I NOTICED THAT IS VERY CLOSE TO FAILURE ALSO. I BOUGHT A NEW LOWER CONTROL ARM HOPING IT WOULD HAVE A GREASE PORT AND SURE ENOUGH IT DOESN'T. THERE IS NO WAY TO DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THE JOINTS. SO THIS PART WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED OVER AND OVER. AND IT IS NOT CHEAP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10487380

Incident

Nov 8, 2012

Mileage

88,317 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED (< 25 MPH) ON A LOCAL RURAL ROAD THAT LEADS TO MY HOUSE, I HEARD A SUDDEN SCRAPING NOISE AND HAD A DIFFICULT TIME TURNING THE VEHICLE INTO MY DRIVEWAY. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRONT WHEEL AND DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. UPON REPLACEMENT THE MECHANIC NOTED THE TIE ROD HAD FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND MATERIAL LOSS. IF THIS FAILURE HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THIS WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A SEVERE CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261857

Incident

Feb 14, 2009

Mileage

135,000 mi

THE ENGINE IN MY 2000 CROWN VICTORIA STALLED AT A STOP SIGN, AND I LOST THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE CAR TURNED INTO A TANK AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED. IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY BECAUSE I COULD HAVE HIT SOME INNOCENT PEOPLE WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT ANOTHER LAWSUIT FOR FORD. I HAD TO PUT ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ONE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR TO GET THE CAR TO AN AUTO SERVICE CENTER. AT 38,938 MILES, THE CAR NEEDED A NEW IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR, AIR FILTER, AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. I BELIEVE THAT THESE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE AND WROTE A LETTER TO WILLIAM CLAY FORD, THE CHAIRMAN OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY. WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE OVERDRIVE SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. I FELT THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO CHARGE, BUT THE DEALER CHARGED ME $200 FOR LABOR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CAR IS AN ONTARIO-BUILT MONDAY MORNING LEMON AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AUTOMOBILE.

NHTSA ID

10071183

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

38,938 mi

SEVERE SENSITIVE STEERING CAUSES DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINNING VEHICLE ON ROAD WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WANDERS ACROSS ROAD. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

885067

Incident

Nov 22, 2000

THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A SPEED SENSATIVE VARIABLE ASSIST POWER STEERING, AS THE VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES THE STEERING MECHANISM TIGHTENS UP AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE STEERING. NLM

NHTSA ID

554795