2004 Ford Expedition Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact was unable to drive above 15 MPH because the vehicle became difficult to control. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the rear axle was fractured, the rear subframe was severely corroded, and the rear driver's side sway bar and rear differential were corroded. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,665.

NHTSA ID

11494447

Incident

Nov 5, 2022

Mileage

110,665 mi

THE ROD THAT DETACHES TO THE BACK OF THE TIRE HADE BROKE OFF CAUSING MY TIRE TO STAY OUT WORDS ON A CITY STREET

NHTSA ID

11105316

Incident

Jul 2, 2018

Mileage

230,851 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AS THE ADVANCE TRAC STABILITY ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ADVANCE TRAC FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000.

NHTSA ID

10807239

Incident

Nov 14, 2014

Mileage

178,000 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE THE GEAR SHIFT SHEARED OFF FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. NO EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE GEAR SHIFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE POSITION TO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY INFORMED HIM OF THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE GEAR SHIFT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10181422

Incident

Feb 1, 2007

2004 FORD EXPEDITION, EDDIE BAUER EDITION, WHILE DRIVING ON HWY AT 65-70 MPH,STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ENTER ANOTHER LANE AND BUMP ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER USED ALL HIS MIGHT TO UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL, WHICH THEN MADE A POPPING NOISE BEFORE RELEASING AND CAR SPUN TWICE BEFORE LANDING IN DITCH. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. NOW WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR ALMOST 1.5 YEARS AND HAS ALMOST 42,000 MILES. STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES GETS LOCKED WHILE IN PARK, BUT FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. CAR IS MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN A PRIOR ACCIDENT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10155252

Incident

Apr 12, 2006

Mileage

41,323 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEERING VIBRATES VIOLENTLY. DEALER STATES THE STEERING ROD MALFUNCTIONED. *AK ALL 4 WHEELS WERE BALANCED, HOWEVER STEERING WHEEL IS STILL VIBRATING AND NOISY. BLUE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST. NO PROBLEM FOUND. ALL WINDOWS SLOW TO GO DOWN AND SQUEAKS. NO PROBLEM FOUND. ABNORMAL STARTING. ENGINE FAN NOISY. DEALER FOUND NORMAL OPERATION. CLANKING NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN. LOWER STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED. *TT

NHTSA ID

10109325

Incident

Jan 27, 2005

Mileage

65,000 mi

I NOTICED EXCESSIVE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION BETWEEN SPEEDS OF 70 M PH-75 MPH. I BOUGHT THIS 2004 EXPEDITION BRAND NEW ON 1/13/05 AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM THE VERY NEXT DAY. I TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAUSE HAD TO DO WITH TOO MUCH AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES. THEY WENT AHEAD AND SET THE TIRE PRESSURE TO 35PSI. A WEEK LATER, THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AND ONCE MORE I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT STILL HAD TOO MUCH AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES AND THAT THE WHEELS NEEDED TO BE BALANCED. THEY SET THE TIRE PRESSURE ONCE MORE AND BALANCED THE WHEELS AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S VERY ANNOYING DRIVING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING. I CONTACTED A DIFFERENT DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE THESE VEHICLES HAVE A RACK AND PINION AND THAT IT'S NORMAL TO FEEL A VIBRATION ON THE WHEEL. AT THIS TIME, FORD DOES NOT HAVE A SOLUTION AND WE THE CONSUMERS HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND THAT WE HAVE TO BE PATIENT AND LIVE WITH IT FOR NOW. I THINK FORD NEEDS TO DO MORE TESTING ON ANY NEW VEHICLES BEFORE THEY PUT THEM ON THE ROAD. I BELIEVE THEY DON'T DO ENOUGH TESTING AND WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT UNTIL THEY HAVE RECALLS. I REALLY HOPE THEY COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FAST, BECAUSE MY HANDS GET TIRED OF DRIVING THIS THING AFTER A WHILE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110212

Incident

Jan 14, 2005

Mileage

100 mi

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH STEERING WHEEL FROZE. NO IMPACT REPORTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10099552

Incident

Oct 4, 2004

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT THE STEERING LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A POLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID

10097255

Incident

Oct 4, 2004

Mileage

1,500 mi

2002 FORD EXPEDITION WITH 42,159 MILES. 8/27/04 VEHICLE TAKEN INTO FORD DEALERSHIP FOR OIL CHANGE , BRAKE INSPECTION AND TIRE ROTATION. SERVICE TECH NOTED FRONT TIRES A LITTLE CHOPPED , ROTATION SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS. *AK 8/30/04 CALLED FACILITY WHERE I BUY MY TIRES AND HAVE MY VEHICLES ALIGNMENT PERFORMED TO ASK IF THIS COULD BE A ALIGNMENT ISSUE. AFTER VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TIRE WEAR THEY FELT THAT ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED. 9/2/04 RECIEVED A LETTER FROM FORD CONTAINING UPDATED INSPECTED PROCCEDURES FOR THE EXPEDITION AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES TITLED TIE-ROD INSPECTION PROCEDURE. 9/3/04 VEHICLE TAKEN IN FOR FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT COULD NOT BE ALIGNED BECAUSE OF OUTER TIE-ROD END WEAR AND THESE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FORD DEALER DIDN'T CHECK FOR THIS EVEN AFTER SEEING TIRE DAMAGE WHILE ROTATING TIRES. WHEN INFORMED OF THE TIE ROD PROBLEM THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID REPAIR WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET SINCE VECHILE HAD OVER 42,000 MILES. I HAD BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER TIE-RODS REPLACED AT MY INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY SINCE THE LETTER FROM FORD IMPLIED THAT 15,000 MILES WAS THE ABOUT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE TIE-RODS THEY USED. THE TIE-RODS WERE REPLACE WITH ONES HAVING GREASE FITTINGS UNLIKE FORD'S ORIGINAL FACTORY EQUIPMENT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A REPAIR FORD SHOULD COVER FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE AS LONG AS THEY CONTINUE USING PARTS WHICH SEEM TO HAVE THIS SHORTENED LIFE EXPECTANCY AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO ANYONE USING THESE VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

10090862

Incident

Sep 3, 2004

Mileage

42,159 mi

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING AND TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10090213

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

POWER STEERING SEEMS TO WORK HARDER THAN NEEDED. IN A PARKING LOT MANEUVER ONE NEEDS TO USE BOTH HANDS TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. LOCAL DEALER SAYS THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PROPORTIONAL VALVE. CAN CAUSE ACCIDENT IF DRIVER DOES NOT STEER WITH BOTH HANDS. ALSO RETURNS TO MIDDLE LATER THAN USUAL. *LA

NHTSA ID

10072341

Incident

Apr 16, 2004

ON A 2004 FORD EXPEDITION, WHEN MAKING A HARD RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, STEERING WHEEL TENDS TO STICK IN HARD TURN, SUCH THAT IT BECOMES DANGEROUS AS STEERING GETS STUCK AND DRIVER HAS TO WRENCH WHEEL BACK TO AVOID CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK FORD DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A ANORMAL VEHICLE REACTION. IN MY ESTIMATION THIS IS DANGEROUS AND FORD NEEDS TO RECALL 2003/2004 EXPEDITIONS TO FIX PROBLEM WITHTHE POWER STEERING.

NHTSA ID

10059003

Incident

Jan 24, 2004

Mileage

660 mi