1999 Ford F-150 steering problems

“APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO (10/2014) I NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 1999 FORD F-150 WERE NOT WORKING. A FEW TIMES ONCE I RETURNED TO HOME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I SHIFTED THE TRUCK INTO PARK, THE HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO MATTER IF THE HIGH BEAM OR LOW BEAM LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. I STARTED TO INSPECT THE HEADLIGHT OPERATION AND NOTICED THAT WHEN I TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL TO IT'S LOWEST POSITION, TYPICALLY IT'S OPERATING POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. WHEN I TILTED THE WHEEL UP SLIGHTLY TO THE NEXT POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON. TODAY, 10/19/2014 I REMOVED THE TRIM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN AND NOTICED THAT THERE ARE TWO WIRES THAT HAVE BROKEN AND SEPARATED FROM THE WIRING HARNESSES THAT ATTACH TO THE TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY AND SEVERAL CONTACTS THAT ARE LOOSE IN THE UPPER HARNESS. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS AND A VIDEO SHOWING THE PARTS THAT ARE LOOSE AND OR BROKEN. BECAUSE THESE BROKEN WIRES AND CONTACTS ARE LOOSE AND AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE HEADLIGHTS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK OF A SHORT OR SPARKS THAT THEY COULD CREATE AND WITHOUT FULLY OPERATIONAL HEADLIGHTS, THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE TRUCK…”

“FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN ENCOUNTERING SUCCESSIVE DIPS OR POTHOLES AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 40 AND 60 . REPLACED TIRES,SHOCKS, TIE ROD ENDS, STEERING BOX, AND LINKAGE. CONSTANTLY VERIFYING TIRE PRESSURE, WHEN THIS OCCURS DAILY I MUST SLOW TO A CRAWL OR SHAKE THE STEERING WHEEL FROM TEN TO TWO TO MAKE IT QUIT. CANT AFFORD TO REPLACE ANYTHING ELSE THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK TOTAL THUS FAR IS IN THE 900'S. *TR”

“DT: THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE TIE ROD ENDS BEING DEFECTIVE. HE WAS TOLD THE TIE RODS ENDS WERE CORRODED AND WORN OUT. *AK”

“MY 1999 FORD TAURUS WITH ONLY 59,371 MILES ON IT HAD THE RACK AND PINION TO GO OUT, ISN'T IT A LITTLE TO SOON FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN? WITH ME LIVING ON GUAM PARTS ARE HARD TO COME BY, BUT I AM SEARCHING THE WEB. *NM”

“DT: BOUGHT A USED TRUCK, AND AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED HAD TO REPLACE THE STARTER/THE BALL JOINTS/HE UPPER TIE RODS, AND THE CONTROL ARM ON BOTH SIDES. ENGINE MANIFOLD SPLIT, AND EXHAUST SYSTEM RUSTED. LATER, WHILE DRIVING TIE RODS CAME OFF. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DROP AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING LOT, AND AS VEHICLE WENT BACK UP THE DROP, IT SLID AND THERE WAS AN IMPACT. GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND SAW THAT THE TIE ROD CAME OFF AND GOUGED INTO THE PAVEMENT. SPOKE TO THE MANAGER OF COUNTRY CLUB CHEVROLET, AND HE SIMPLY GAVE CONSUMER A DISCOUNT ON PARTS AND LABOR. YESTERDAY HE WENT TO A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE DEALER AND ASKED FOR THE 88-POINT INSPECTION,, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. *AK”

“PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT I HAD NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING OR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 9, 2005 AS I WAS BRAKING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK SEEMED TO SKID. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ABS SYSTEM SINCE THE ROAD WAS WET. THERE WAS A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT RUNNING INTO ANY OTHER VEHICLE. BECAUSE I DID NOT REALIZE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AT THAT TIME I CONTINUED INTO THE PARKING LOT, AND MADE ANOTHER RIGHT TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE. AT THAT TIME THE TRUCK DID THE SAME THING; IT FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS SKIDDING. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER TIRES WERE POINTED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, SO I KNEW THAT A TIE ROD HAD COME DETACHED. AFTER TOWING THE TRUCK HOME I INSPECTED IT, AND REALIZED THAT THE PASSENGER INNER TIE ROD HAD SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT. INSPECTION OF THE JOINT REVEALED THAT BOTH PIECES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RUSTED. I HAVE REPLACED THE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS ON BOTH SIDES AS A PRECAUTION, SINCE I DID NOT KNOW IF THE OTHERS WOULD DO THE SAME THING.”