NHTSA Complaint #10282346 — 2005 FORD F-250

STEERING ISSUE WITH MY FORD SUPERDUTY F250. SINCE DAY 1 THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE TENDS TO WANDER. FEELS LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING A BUMPER CAR IN TRAFFIC ONLY HOPING YOU DO NOT HIT ANYONE. FORD ENGINEER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM THEY SUPPOSE TO HAVE FIXED. IT HELPED FOR A WHILE APROX. 21/2 YEARS BUT AS THE TRUCK GETS OLDER IT IS STARTING TO WANDER MORE. HAS ABOUT 1-1 1/2" OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. ITS LIKE DRIVING A 1968 FORD. HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER FORD BUYERS WITH SAME ISSUE. FORD SENT A NOTIFICATION A WHILE BACK AND STATED THAT WHEN THIS WANDERING OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING TO JUST SLOW DOWN. WELL THAT'S ALL FINE AND DANDY EXCEPT MY WIFE AND I TOOK OUR 2 HORSES TO FLAGSTAFF ,AZ. A FEW WEEKS AGO FOR A TRAIL RIDE COMING UP FROM PHOENIX, AZ. WE HAD TO DRIVE UP THROUGH STEEP MOUNTAINS AND THEN COME BACK DOWN STEEP MOUNTAINS. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 75 BUT WE WERE ONLY DOING 60-65 MOST OF THE TIME. MY TRUCK IS RATED TO PULL 12500 LBS. AT ONE POINT THE TRUCK DECIDED ON ITS ON TO WANDER ABOUT 2 FT. TO THE RIGHT COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN AT THIS POINT I WAS ONLY DOING ABOUT 60 FORTUNATELY SINCE I WAS CONSTANTLY HAVING TO WORK THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH I WAS ABLE TO EASE OFF THE THROTTLE AND BRING IT BACK IN LINE AFTER AWHILE. AGAIN FEELING LIKE WE WERE PLAYING BUMPER CARS ONLY THIS TIME WITH 2 HORSES IN THE TRAILER WHICH THE WEIGHT WAS ONLY ABOUT 6000LBS. THE HORSES WERE NOT MOVING AROUND AS THEY WERE BEAT FROM THE DAYS PLAY. THE WHOLE ORDEAL REALLY RATTLED US.THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME AND IS ONLY GETTING WORST. I KNOW I AM OUT OF WARRANTY BUT SINCE FORD SUPPOSEDLY FIX IT BEFORE I THINK IT IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. IT ALL POINTS TO A BAD STEERING BOX OR BAD FRONT SUSPENSION. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED HAD I NOT GOT THIS TRUCK UNDER CONTROL AND THE HORSES WERE NOT SAFE THEN. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED AS FORD HAS NOT BEEN MUCH HELP TO ANYONE. THEIR LITTLE NOTIFICATION TO ALL OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A REPAIR. *TR