Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Ford Excursion submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHEN I'M DRIVING AR A SLOW PACE, GOING AROUND CORNERS OR BACKING UP SLOWLY TO PARK... THE STEERING IS VERY HARD TO TURN. I'VE HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND GEAR BOX REPLACED AND NOW A YEAR LATER IT'S DOING THE SAME THING.
IT'S HAPPENED BE FOR BUT NEVER SO SCARY. WE WERE COMING DOWN ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS ON HIGHWAY 299. WE WERE,DOING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 55. AND AS WE APPLIED THE BRAKE IT STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT. LIKE IT WAS GONNA GO OFF THE ROAD. IT ALSO WAS VIBRATING SO BAD IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL APART. WE PULLED OVER CHECKED FOR LOOSE BOLTS. TIRE IMPERFECTIONS BUT NOTHING.
STEERING SWAYS ITS HARD TO DRIVE IT FEELS LIKE STEERING ISN'T STABLE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN REVERSE, THE CONTACT HEARD A SNAP NOISE FROM THE STEERING SYSTEM AND IMMEDIATELY, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT WAS FRACTURED IN HALF FROM THE STEERING LINKAGE. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. WHEN THE PRESSURE WAS RELEASED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABILITY TO STEER RESUMED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY THEREFORE NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED.
CONSUMERS DAUGHTER HAD STOPPED FOR GAS WHEN THE ATTENDANT CALLED ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE TIRE WAS COMING APART. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AND THE DAUGHTER HAS THE DEFECTIVE TIRE AND PAPER WORK. *JG
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ANY SPEED THERE IS PULSATION FORWARD/BACKWARD MOTION. ALSO, VEHICLE IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE BRAKES. DEALER NOW RECOMMENDS NEW FRONT ROTORS, ROTORS ARE WARPED.*AK THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT. CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF STIFF STEERING AND THE REAR DOOR DOESN'T OPEN, NOR DOES THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR. IT IS HARD TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE.
WHILE IN MOTION, VEHICLES CAR SHAFT BROKE AND INSURED LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE THEN COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A DEALERS PARKING LOT, CLAIM 13-7322-304. *JG
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CHANGED RACK AND PINION. HOWEVER, PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. DEALER PUT THE OLD PARTS BACK ON VEHICLE. *AK *YD
SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE STEERING CHANGED, STEERING WHEEL WAS OFF CENTER. DEALER DISCOVERED THAT LEFT MOUNTING BRACKET THAT HOLDS CROSS TRACK BAR WAS BROKEN. WAS REPAIRD, BUT STEERING WAS STILL NOT RIGHT. CONSUMER FELT PART WAS BROKEN WHEN HE PURCHASED VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE FRONT RIGHT TIE ROD CAME "UN-BOLTED" HIT THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY LAID OUT AT ABOUT A 40 DEGREE ANGLE FROM THE VEHICAL. IF WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED MY FAMILY WOULDN'T BE ALIVE TODAY.*AK
EA 01 009; MANUAL: SHAFT SECTOR BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS NEW, IT IS OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER IF YOU ARE STEPPING ON THE BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME. THIS OCCURS AT LOW SPEED, FORTUNATELY, BUT IT IS STILL A HAZARD. TWO FORD DEALERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT, FORD WILL NOT FIX IT AND "THEY ARE ALL THAT WAY." I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED VIBRATION IN FRONT END. VIBRATION CAN WAS FELT IN STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES WHEN HE TURNS THE VEHICLE, STEERING DOES NOT RESPOND, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES SWAYBAR WAS ON UPSIDE DOWN, MOUNTS WERE MISSING OR EITHER LOOSE, AS WELL AS SPRINGS WERE BACKWARDS, CONSUMER STATES DEALERSHIP IS SHIPPING VEHICLE TO ANOTHER STATE TO HAVE IT FIXED, CONSUMER STATES HE ALSO HAD TIRES REPLACED, CONSUMER IS ALSO EXPERIENCING BRAKING DIFFICULTY. *JB
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN VEHICLE, IT CANNOT BE TURNED WHILE BRAKES ARE ON. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
RIGHT FRONT TIE ROD END BROKE WHILE PREVENTING A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, WAITING ON MANUFACTURER TO RETURN CALL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE. BACK OF CAR LIFTED, AND WHEN IT CAME DOWN, BACK WENT TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT INSTEAD OF COMING STRAIGHT DOWN. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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