2007 Ford F-150 steering problems

“After making a sharp right turn tie rod came loose from steering rod. After inspection the threads on the steering rod seem to be too small for the tie rod. The truck has been taken care of and only has 75000 miles on it. The new tie rod I installed was also loose on the steering rod. The threads were not stripped, rusty or damaged in anyway. This truck has never had any work or been damaged. I have never had front end lined up because tires have not had any wear indicating misalignment.”

“Transmission and rear end jerking when putting in or taking out of park, reverse or drive and now doesn't want to go forward when putting it in drive and I can't get it to shift out and transmission fault light came on and I re set it by taking black cable off battery and put transmission fluid in it and it still does it and also headlights doesn't work on bright and power steering pump makes noise and it's full of fluid I don't know if it is leaking or what small stuff I can deal with but major transmission and engine stuff on truck I can't.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE PEDALS, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES ALSO OCCURRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING, TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT WAS ABLE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST THREE OTHER TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.”

“STEERING BINDS SO TIGHTLY WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THAT IT TAKES SIGNIFICANT FORCE TO TURN WHEEL. ONCE WHEEL GETS PAST AND FREE OF THE BINDING POSITION IT TRAVELS TOO FAR CREATING A NEED FOR A STEERING CORRECTION. I BELIEVE THAT THE TWO PIECE STEERING SHAFT AND THE TWO UNIVERSAL JOINTS ARE WORN AND CAUSING THE PROBLEM. IT FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE LOST POWER STEERING, HOWEVER NOT THE CASE. AS THE POWER STEERING FLUID IS AT THE PROPER LEVEL. THERE ARE NO FLUID LEAKS, FORD HAS RECALLED EXPEDITIONS AND LINCOLNS FOR THIS ISSUE, WHY NOT THE F-150 PICKUP TRUCKS?”

“WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH OR LESS THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY MAY EMIT AN INTERMITENT GRINDING NOISE AS IF THE HUB IS TRYING TO LOCK INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. GRINDING NOISE STOPS WHEN VEHICLE IS SLOWED TO 15MPH OR LESS. SOMETIMES FULL STOP IS NEEDED TO CEASE GRINDING NOISE. WHEN NOISE STOP A JERK CAN BE FELT AS IF THE HUB LOCKS BACK INTO ITS PLACE. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY RECOMMENDED BRINGING VEHICLE IN WHEN GRINDING NOISE WAS PRESENT. THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE NOISE WILL STOP WHEN I SLOW DOWN. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT RECOMMEND ANY WAY TO DIAGNOSE IT WITHOUT PAYING TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT 3 YEARS AGO AT 43K MILES AND HAS APPROX. 80K CURRENT MILES. NOISE IS INTERMITTENT WITH OCCAISIONAL LONG PERIODS BETWEEN OCCURENCES. CAN HAPPEN WITHIN 5 MILES OF DRIVING OR AFTER 500 MILES OF DRIVING.”

“WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT (ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANES) THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AFTER ROTATING ONLY A FEW DEGREES. THIS WAS SUDDEN AND ABRUPT WITH NO PRIOR SYMPTOMS. SUBSTANTIAL FORCE WAS APPLIED IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE THE TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME FREE AND ROTATED A FEW MORE DEGREES BEFORE SEIZING AGAIN. AS BEFORE, SUBSTANTIAL PRESSURE WAS APPLIED AND I BELIEVE SOME BACK ROTATION (WIGGLING) WAS INPUT. THE STEERING FINALLY BECAME FREE AND FELT NORMAL. THIS DID NOT REPEAT AGAIN DURING THE USE OF THE VEHICLE THAT DAY. THE SEIZURE DID NOT FEEL LIKE A FAILURE OF THE STEERING ASSIST (PUMP) SYSTEM AS THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE ROTATED AS IT CAN BE IF THE STEERING PUMP ISN'T RUNNING. SOME RESEARCH FOUND REFERENCE TO BINDING OF THE U-JOINTS ON THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. EXAMINATION OF THESE JOINTS FOUND THAT THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED BY RUBBER BOOTS AND SHOWED EVIDENCE OF CORROSION. A SPRAY LUBRICANT WAS USED IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THE ISSUE FROM RECURRING. THE INABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE IS, IN MY OPINION, A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. ANY NUMBER OF SCENARIOS COULD BE IMAGINED, BUT IN MY PARTICULAR CASE,…”