NHTSA Complaint #10479369 — 2008 FORD E-350

I WAS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEMS. HE INSPECTED THE CONTROL ARMS, BALL JOINTS AND REBALANCED THE TIRES. HE BASICALLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE THE PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY I WAS DRIVING THE VAN TO WORK AND NOTICED THE FRONT END GETTING WORSE. I THEN CALLED INTO THE SHOP TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO THE MECHANIC THE VAN STEERING WENT AND THE VAN BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE, SINCE I WAS ONLY A FEW MILES AWAY I MANAGED TO GET IT TO THE SHOP. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE MECHANIC HE TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING BOX WAS BAD AND INDICATED IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL FOR A 2008 WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES. I TOLD HIM TO FIX THE VEHICLE AND WHEN HE WENT TO THE PARTS DEALER TO PICK UP A NEW STEERING BOX THEY INDICATED THEY ARE SELLING ALLOT OF THESE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WHEN HE REMOVE THE STEERING BOX FROM OUR VEHICLE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION HE NOTICED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A FRACTURED MECHANICAL PART. WHICH MEANS IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, USUALLY A STEER BOX WILL GET LOOSE DUE TO WEARING COMPONENTS AND EVENTUALLY FAIL...THIS BROKE!!! HE ASKED ME TO CHECK WILL FORD TO SEE IF THIS STEERING BOX IN 2008 E350 VANS IS A RECALL ITEM, WHICH IT WASN'T. HE TOLD ME IF THIS FAILURE WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT AND MAY HAVE BEEN FATALITY. I LOOKED FOR RECALL INFORMATION AND FOUND NOTHING, I'M NOW REACHING OUT VIA THE NHTSA TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ISSUE IN HOPES THAT THEY CAN ALERT PEOPLE AND BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MANUFACTURER. I ALSO WOULDN'T MIND SOME PAY BACK FOR THE $1,200 BILL I RECEIVED FROM OUR MECHANIC. *TR