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 1996 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 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
I HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH THE ORIGINAL KEY,WHEN THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AFTER MAYBE 2 YEARS SOMETHING BROKE IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO FLOP AROUND AND A FEW YEARS AFTER THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE OFF OF THE STEERING COLUMN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F150. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE IN ORDER FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND THEY REBUILT THE STEERING COLUMN. APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. AS OF NOVEMBER 30, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 179,000. UPDATED 12/18/07 *TR
DT: 1996 FORD F150. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BEARINGS IN THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE/SNAPPED, AND WORE OUT. THE TILT WHEEL MOVED UP AND DOWN. THIS STARTED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. THIS PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO OBTAIN A STEERING COLUMN AT A JUNK YARD , BUT AS SOON AS THE VEHICLES CAME IN THE STEERING COLUMNS WERE GONE. THE STEERING COLUMN BRAND NEW COST MORE THAN THE VEHICLE WAS WORTH. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE STARTED WITH A SCREWDRIVER. NOTHING ON THE STEERING COLUMN WORKED. FORD STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.*AK
DT: 1996 FORD F150 XLT PICK UP TRUCK. THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND THE SHAFT ON THE DRIVER SIDE IN THE BACK SLID OUT. THE TRUCK WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A SIDE ROAD ABOUT 35 -40 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THESE VEHICLES WERE DESIGNED TO FAIL. IT WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $1300.00. ALSO, WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE SHIFTER WAS FLOPPING AROUND AND A BOLT FELL OUT AT THE CONSUMER'S FEET. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. THE BOLT FELL OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THE TWO HALVES MEET. OF THE TWO BOLTS ONE FELL OUT, AND THE OTHER WAS VERY LOOSE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO FIX THEM WITH A RETAINING DEVICE WITH LOCK WASHERS ON BOTH BOLTS. THE THIRD PROBLEM, WAS SIMILAR TO THE FIRST PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING SOMEONE RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE TRUCK WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE WHEEL AND SHAFT DISENGAGED FROM THE REAR AXLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK UPDATED 08/02/06. *JB
THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE OFF, WITHOUT WARNING. *JB
AFTER EXPERIENCING INCREASING SLOPPINESS IN STEERING, MECHANIC FRIEND CHECKED OUT THE PROBLEM. ONE OF THE THREE BOLTS HOLDING THE STEERING BOX HAD BACKED OUT APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH ALLOWING THE GEAR BOX TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME. CONTACT WITH LOCAL DEALER IN VIRGINIA (TRUCK ORIGINALLY BOUGHT IN PA.) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND THE THREE YEAR/ 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE STRIPPED AREA ON THE STEERING GEAR BOX WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE MECHANISM COSTING APPROXIMATELY $500. I IDENTIFED THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF THIS PART EVER HAVING BEEN REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN STRIPPED WHEN ASSEMBLED. (ASSEMBLY DONE IN CANADA.) CONTACT ON MONDAY (2/26) TO THE LOCAL FORD CUSTOMER INQUIRY LINE IN CHANTILLY, VA DID NOT REVEAL MUCH - NO SERVICE BULLETIN COULD BE IDENTIFIED. I VOLUNTEERED AND GAVE THEM MY VEHICLE NUMBER AFTER PROVIDING THEM MY ADDRESS AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM - STATING THAT IT WAS AN ASSEMBLY PROBLEM AND THAT THE BOLT WAS OVER TIGHTENED. I ALSO WENT ON TO DESCRIBE THAT THERE WAS ALWAYS A LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING AND THAT RECENTLY IT HAD GOTTEN WORSE RESULTING IN ME DRIFTING OFF OF THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES. IT WAS ONLY AFTER MY WIFE INDICATED THAT SHE TOO WAS EXPERIENCING A NOTICEABLE INCREASED SLOPPINESS IN THE STEERING AND ANOTHER RECENT DRIFTING OFF THE ROAD, THAT I HAD A MECHANIC FRIEND TAKE A LOOK AT THE STEERING AND IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.*AK
POWER STEERING HOSE RUSTED AND DEVELOPED A MASSIVE LEAK WHICH CAUSED NO POWER STEERING ABILITY. *AK WIRE HARNESS FOR AIR BAG SENSOR NOT OPERATIONAL. BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE UNDER LIGHT LOAD RESULTING IN STEERING AND BRAKE FAILURE. *YH
TIE ROD END CAME APART WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE, PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED TIE RODS HAD COME APART. *AK
BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS DRY ROTTED, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO COLLAPSE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
"CLUNK" NOISE HEARD/FELT THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN MANEUVERING IN PARKING LOTS, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, ACCELERATION AND BRAKING, OR DRIVING OVER BUMPS
TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY IGNORED IT. THEY SAID THAT THIS TYPE OF TRUCK DOES THIS . NO DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
FRONT KNUCKLE: SPINDLE THAT HOLDS THE TIE ROD BROKE, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF AND NO STEERING ABILITY, CONSUMER WENT UP OVER CURB WITHIN 5 FEET FROM A DAYCARE BUILDING ALMOST RESULTING IN CRASH. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND COMING TO A STOP AND WITHOUT NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, AND THE CONSUMER CAN'T STEER VEHICLE. *AK
MAJORITY OF PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WITH FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION IN ADDITION TO THE FOLLOWING: CAMBERS, SLUGS, TOES, ROTORS, GEAR BOX, SPRINGS, DRAG LINKS, TIE RODS, BUSHINGS, TRANS CROSS MEMBERS, STABILIZER BARRS, BUSHINGS, ELECTRICAL, COMPUTER, TRANSMISSION, OIL LEAKS, IGNITION CYLINDER, AND REPLACEMENT OF FOUR WHEEL DRIVE COMPONENTS. DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THEIR HANDS ARE TIED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY ONLY "DOCUMENTS" DIFFICULTIES AND I CAN'T GET PAST A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHO CAN DO NOTHING BUT PUT MY COMPLAINTS INTO A DATABASE. REPEATED LETTERS AND PHONE CALLS HAVE GONE UNRESOLVED AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT AT CUSTOMER SERVICE! I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT NOTICE WOULD BE SENT TO THE LOCAL FIELD OFFICE WHERE THEY WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER AND MOST LIKELY NOT ME DIRECTLY ALTHOUGH I ASKED THAT THEY DO SO. THERE HAVE BEEN TEN SERVICE APPOINTMENTS FOR THESE PARTS TO BE REPLACED. I NOW HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT FOR AUG. 9TH - WE STILL HAVE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. TO DATE, OUR TRUCK HAS BEEN AT THE SERVICE FOR REPAIRS FOR A TOTAL OF 22 DAYS.
STEERING OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING FRONT END TO PULL. QCAW
SWITCH FOR POWER DOORS AND WINDOWS FAILED.
UPON MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END, THERE IS ALSO A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING COLUMN. STEERING COLUMN PORT WAS REPLACED TWICE, STILL HAVING KNOCKING SOUND. ALSO REPLACED FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS/REAR BRAKES/REAR AXLE SEAL. *AK
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.
STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE.
STEERING FLUID HOSE IS LOOSE. 8AK
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
Data on this page last refreshed .