2002 Ford F-250 Steering Problems

While driving on a fairly rough highway I'm AZ, 180A, traveling about 50 mph over bumps and repaired cracks in the pavement, the steering wobbled and shook which did not seem far out of the ordinary on this particular stretch of highway. Suddenly, without warning, the steering failed causing loss of control of the vehicle, the driver was unable to steer the truck which veered off the road and sent us directly into the embankment of a dry wash. The truck hit the embankment head on 50-55 mph. I was riding as passenger of my vehicle since I was 8 months pregnant and experiencing severe heartburn all morning. My fiance drive and 3 of my children were in the back seat. After crashing head on into the dirt wall I was pinned in between the dashboard and seat. I suffered serious life changing injuries as a result. One of the firefighters who arrived in the scene inspected and confirmed the steering was broken. I was sent by helicopter to Flagstaff regional medical center where I spent 10 days. The truck was towed to an impound yard in St John's, az. I was able to retrieve my personal belongings but was not able to afford the tow truck drivers verbal quote of the charges due nor the cost to tow the totaled truck back home to snowflake. The truck had a lien and I assumed the lienholder would be notified to collect the vehicle. They were not notified and t ownership was transferred leaving me an abandoned vehicle fee and hold on my registration privileges in AZ. The truck is likely still at the tow yard which may allow an inspection if requested, however I no longer own it as a result of the circumstances. My 9 year old son was injured in the accident as well as my own informed which included a shattered patella and fractured acetabulum, after orthopedic surgery I was made to deliver my unborn son via C-section, thankfully the baby suffered no physical injuries.

NHTSA ID

11527817

Incident

Mar 5, 2022

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE, HEARD A LOUD POP. LOST ALL STEERING ABILITY. STEERING BOX SHAFT SHEARED IN HALF. I WAS PULLING A 18' EMPTY TRAILER AT THE TIME. TRUCK BLOCKED BOTH WESTBOUND LANES ALMOST CAUSING LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. BOTH COUNTY SHERIFF AND VA STATE POLICE CAME TO SCENE.

NHTSA ID

10954995

Incident

Feb 13, 2017

Mileage

180,000 mi

MY VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN OUT MY DRIVEWAY WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THEN TO THE LEFT THE SAME. WHILE SITTING STILL I COULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT NONE STOP. FLUID IS FULL. WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT STEERS FINE UNTIL I TURN A LITTLE TO RIGHT OR LEFT THEN IT GETS TIGHT. I NOTICED FROM 2002 TO 2006 THEIR WERE STEERING PROBLEMS UNSOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10936032

Incident

Dec 18, 2016

Mileage

180,000 mi

[XXX] THE STEERING BOX CONSTANTLY FAILS. BECOMES LOOSE INSIDE. VEHICLE WANDERS SEVERELY. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW. I'M PUTTING IN THE 3RD STEERING GEAR. FORD MECHANICS WOULD NOT CONSIDER THE BOX BEING BAD. IT WAS MY FAULT. EXCUSES WERE BALL JOINTS, KEEP THEM GREASED. I GREASED IT ONCE A WEEK PRIOR TO IT BEING IN THE DEALERSHIP. AS IT WOULDN'T STAY ON THE ROAD. THEN IT WAS THE NATURE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY ALL DO IT. WHAT? IT HAS NEW MOOG BALL JOINTS. SO THAT'S OUT. VERY WELL GREASED. SO THAT'S OUT. BEING THE 3RD BOX IN 89K, JUST ISN'T RIGHT. VEHICLE IS STOCK. NO LIFTS, NO OVERSIZE TIRES. I DID A WEB SEARCH. MULTIPLE FOLKS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM FROM 01 TO 08 F SERIES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10583233

Incident

Apr 16, 2014

Mileage

89,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND REQUIRED HIM TO PUT BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC TWICE FOR THE STEERING WHEEL FAILURE. THE STEERING BOX GEAR BOX WAS ALSO ADJUSTED TWICE; HOWEVER, IT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE AND THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUED TO BE LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 142,000. UPDATED 7/26/13 *CN THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SECOND OPINION, AND WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE BALL JOINTS.

NHTSA ID

10520857

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

Mileage

12,500 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F250. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE CONTACT MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO PULL THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THE FIRST TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER ONE WEEK. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE OFTEN AT LOWER SPEEDS THAN HIGHER SPEEDS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,080 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 166,000.

NHTSA ID

10402181

Incident

Apr 28, 2011

Mileage

165,080 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F250. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE INTERTWINED WITH THE STEERING EQUIPMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 83,000. UPDATED 02/02/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING IN A 35 MPH ZONE, ON A CURVED ROAD, HE HEARD A NOISE COMING FORM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A STRONG RIGHT TURN WHEN SUDDENLY HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE WITHOUT EXTREME EFFORT ON HIS PART. WHEN THE STEERING FAILED HE TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THEY ALSO FAILED. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, WAS THE POWER STEERING HOSE CHAFFED AGAINST THE STEERING SECTOR AND RUBBED A HOLE IN THE HOSE, ALLOWING FLUID TO ESCAPE, DISRUPTING THE STEERING CONTROL. UPDATED 02/04/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10277491

Incident

Jul 20, 2009

Mileage

83,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION DRIVER HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. DRIVER HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10111804

Incident

Aug 2, 2002

WHILE PARKING CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER ENCOUNTERED STEERING WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK. *LA

NHTSA ID

10071609

CONSUMER LOST CONTROL ON LOOSE GRAVEL, VEHICLE ROLLED OVER, THEN HIT A DITCH HEAD ON. DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS SHUT OFF. CONSUMER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8010625

Incident

May 24, 2002