Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 38 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.
The 25 most recent of 38, in the owner's own words
THE GEARSHIFT ON THE COLUMN IS LOOSE AND DOES NOT LINE UP PROPERLY WITH THE GEAR INDICATOR. WHEN ITS IN PARK IT STILL DRIFTS FORWARD UNLESS THE GEAR SHIFT IS PUSHED UP PASS PARK. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH I WAS TOLD THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR SOME TIME IN THESE YEAR FORD EXPLORERS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL ENGAGED, A PUFF OF SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,200.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE PROCEEDING FROM A COMPLETE STOP AT 10 MPH SMOKE BEGAN EMANATING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. A WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL FOR A VERY BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. HE CONTINUED VEHICLE OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,000. UPDATED 12/08/09. *LJ UPDATED 12/10/09.*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE LEFT LANE THEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET. THE TOW TRUCK TOWED THE VEHICLE HOME BECAUSE THE CRASH DESTROYED THE VEHICLE. AS OF DECEMBER 5, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A PREVIOUS ROLL OVER CRASH HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000.
THE STEERING RATIO IS MUCH TOO QUICK ON MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER. OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE VOICED THE SAME CONCERN TO ME. IE: ON THE THE HIWAY JUST A VERY SLIGHT MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING WHEEL TRANSLATES INTO A LURCH OF THE VEHICLE IN THAT DIRECTION. VERY DANGEROUS! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN FUMED. A MECHANIC REPLACED THE COMBINATION SWITCH LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,975 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,776. *UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO 3/2/07, HE NOTICED AN ODOR SIMILAR TO BURNING TRASH. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS SMOKING AND THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE COST OF REPAIRS WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $212.54. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SMOKING WHILE DRIVING, AND SHE KEPT ON DRIVING AND IT STOPPED. IT HAPPENED NC EBEFORE ABOUT A MONTH AGO. CONSUMER WAS WORRIED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL EXPLODE ON HER.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL TO THE VEHICLE, AND IT CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL, ROLLING OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STOPPING. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED THIRD DEGREE ROAD RASH BURN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THEIR BODY WHICH STARTED FROM THEIR SHOULDER TO THE THIGH AREA. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH STEERING WHEEL SWAYED AWAY FROM THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
STEERING VERY UNSTABLE?.......HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO KEEP VEHICLE ON THE ROAD WHEN THERE ARE PAVEMENT PROBLEMS SUCH AS CRACKS AND CREVICES, ETC..... HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND HAVE DRIVEN QUITE A FEW CARS..DIDNT NOTICE IT UNTIL AFTER THE MILEAGE METER GOT TO 54,000 MARK...... ALSO HAVE READ THE DEATH RATING IN 40 MPH CRASHES WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL AT CRASH TEST. COM......WHY??????
FAILURE OF RACK AND PINION AND STEERING SHAFT ON 4-3-03; SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING ON 12-12-2003.*AK
WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE A LEFT TURN, SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO HER DESTINATION. *AK FORD RECALLED TWO COMPONENTS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *SCC *JB
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. DON'T KNOW IF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND POLICE REPORT. *NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON AND WITHOUT WARNING THE BUTTON SNAP AND CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
WHILE DRIVING 15MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING FRONT TIRE COLLAPSED. MECHANIC STATED THAT UPPER BALL JOINT WAS MISSING A NUT WHICH CAUSED BRAND NEW TIRE TO COLLAPSE.*AK DEALER REPLACED BROKEN RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT, BRAKE HOSE, WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND RACK/PINION UNIT. *YD
CONSUMER STATED THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN, CONSUMER BEGAN HEARING AN ODD N OISE IN AUGUST 2000, AND IN APRIL 2001, AT THAT TIME DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE DEALERSHIP HOWEVER DID REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY, AND THE JOINT ASSEMBLY SPINDLE-ARM, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE OUTER TIE-ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED, LOWER STEERING SHAFT WHICH WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE RACK AND PINION, ALSO PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT RELEASE, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS REPLACED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED.*AK *SLC
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER STATES OIL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND.*JB
DEALER STATES " OUT OF WARRANTY" , VEHICLE ALLMOST ROLLED OVER DUE TO COMPLETS SEPARATION OF THE FRONT WHEEL AND SPINDLE FROM VEHICLE. THIS WILL MOST LIKELY BE A DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY OR POOR ENGINEERING.BOLT FOR UPPER SPINDLE TO BALL JOINT BROKEN OR MISSING AND BALL JOINT SHAFT SHEARED OFF. BRAKE LINE BROKEN OFF AND AXLE SEPERATED FROM THE HOUSING. RECOMMEND A RECALL ON THIS VERY POOR DESIGN AND OR A REPLACEMENT OF ALL THESE BALL JOINTS PRODUCED BY WHATEVER COMPANY MADE THIS BALL JOINT.
WHILE DRIVING 60MPH CONSUMER MADE A SUDDEN MOVE WITH STEERING WHEEL AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE.ALSO, VEHICLE ALMOST TURNED OVER WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL 1 TO 11/2 INCH. CONTACTED DEALER, NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND VEHICLES WERE TRAVELING FAST. THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE LANE. STEERING COLUMN AND BRAKES WEREN'T FUNCTIONING. CONSUMER CONTINUED TO TRAVEL, AND SHE HIT GUARDRAIL ON SIDE, AND WENT ONTO GRASS AREA. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN ANY GEAR. IT DOESN'T SHIFT GEARS CORRECTLY WHEN ACCELERATING. TRANSMISSION ONLY SHIFTS CORRECTLY INTO 1ST GEAR, AND DOUBLE SHIFTS INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEARS AFTER LETTING OFF GAS. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS SOMETIMES FROM HIGH TO LOW, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL. OVERDRIVE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD GO ON AND OFF. WAS REPAIRED AT DEALER. ON 1-18-2001. DEALER REPLACED MULTIPLE PARTS IN TRANSMISSION 02-15-2001, TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T MOVE.TORQUE CONVERTER AND PUMP WITH HOUSING WERE REPLACED. ON 6-29-2001, TRANSMISSION WAS STILL PULLING. DEALER REPLACED A STUCK EVR VALVE AND REPLACED IT. *AK FRONT AND REAR ROTORS WARPED, DEALER REPLACED, ABS LIGHT ILLUMIANTED, DEALER REPLACED REAR SPEED SENSOR, BRAKES ARE NOISY. PASSENGER WINDOW SHAKES, DEALER LUBED TRACKS. MOTOR MAKES RATTLING NOISE WHEN BEING DRIVEN STEADILY. STEERING GETS STIFF AND MAKES A WHINING NOISE. AIR CONIDTIONER WAS REPAIRED. GOODYEAR TIRE BLEWOUT, THIS TIRE WAS A REPLACEMENT FOR FIRESTONE RECALL 00T005. *SLC
CONSUMER HAS COMPLAINED TO DEALER THAT STEERING WHEEL SHAKES OUT OF CONTROL. STEERING MAKES DASHBOARD RUMBLE LIKE FRONT END HAS HYDRAULICS. TURNING VEHICLE RIGHT OR LEFT, STEERING SHUTTERS HARD. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO ADD A QUART OF POWER STEERING ONCE A WEEK. DEALER FOUND POWER STEERING LEAKING, AND REPLACED RACK AND PINION AND REALIGNED VEHICLE. ON 6-29-01, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED. *AK THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS INOPERATIVE CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO BE INOPERATIVE, THE BRAKES SQUEAK AND THE DEALER TREATED THE PADS WITH AN ANTI SQUEAK SOLUTION, THE A/C BLOWS OUT WARM AIR DUE TO A LEAKY COMPRESSOR AND O-RING, THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP, PASSENGER SIDE GOODYEAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDOW ON THE RIGHT SIDE SHAKES WHEN GOING UP OR DOWN. NLM
ON JULY 7, 2000, WHILE TRAVELING ON IH-10 FROM SAN ANTONIO, TX TO MY HOME IN KERRVILLE, AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, MY EXPLORER DEVELOPED AN UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE, BEST DESCRIBED AS A TIRE LOSING AIR PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KEN STOEPEL FORD INC WHERE SEVERAL TESTS WERE PERFORMED, THE SHORT RACK (PART OF THE POWER STEERING) WAS REPLACED AND THEN THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE A WOBBLE/WANDER PROBLEM AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IT CONSTANTLY PULLS/DRIFTS TO THE LEFT. KEN STOEPEL FORD INC'S RATIONALE FOR FIRST REPLACING THE SHORT RACK WAS THAT THEY THOUGHT THE WOBBLE WAS CAUSED BY AN OVERLY SENSITIVE POWER STEERING PROBLEM. SINCE JULY 7 THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FIVE (5) TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM,AND EACH TIME, ALL THEY HAVE CHECKED IS THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT. IF ANYTHING, THE PROBLEM IS JUST AS BAD AND MORE CONSTANT THAN THE JULY 7 INCIDENT. A FORD FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER WAS DISPATCHED TO KERRVILLE ON MAY 30, 2001 AND ALL HE CHECKED WAS THE ALIGNMENT AND DID NOT WISH TO CONSULT WITH ME REFERENCE THE STEERING PROBLEM. KEN STOEPEL FORD INC NOW REFUSES TO PERFORM ANY ADDITIONAL WORK ON THE STEERING PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM SURFACED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP AND THE VEHICLE HAS MORE THAN FIFTEEN (15) MONTHS OF WARRANTY REMAINING. THEY MAINTAIN THE PROBLEM NOW RESTS BETWEEN FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND ME. TO THIS DATE, FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS UNRESPONSIVE TO THIS STEERING PROBLEM WHICH I VIEW AS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.
STEERING IS UNSTABLE TRAVELING. EXCESSIVE SWAY, POOR CONTROL. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*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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