NHTSA Complaint #10494795 — 2008 FORD F SUPER DUTY

I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT A FRONT END ALIGNMENT BECAUSE I HAD NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT MY STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE TURNED ABOUT 30 DEGREES COUNTER CLOCKWISE. CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS INDEED OUT OF ALIGNMENT BUT BARLEY AND GAVE ME THE OPTION TO LEAVE AS IS OR REPAIR...PERMISSION TO REPAIR AND COMPLETED, ON MY WAY HOME I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS AGAIN NOT CORRECT AND HANDLING HAD NOT IMPROVED AND DECIDED I NEEDED TO RETURN WHEN I HAD TIME OFF FROM WORK TO GET REALIGNED AND RECHECKED. A FEW DAYS LATER WHILE ON MY STREET, PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY I HAD LOST ALL STEERING AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN CONTROL I HEARD A LOUD POP IN OR ABOUT MY STEERING WHEEL AREA AND MY HORN WENT OFF TILL I UNHOOKED THE BATTERY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A 4 X 4 REPAIR SHOP AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING GEAR BOX HAD FAILED AND THE CLOCKWORK SPRING MECHANISM HAD FAILED AS WELL, PROBABLY WHILE TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER VEHICLES AND THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED WITH TECH SPECS ABOUT IT ( REPAIRMAN WAS A FORMER FORD MECHANIC) TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS AND LABOR WAS $1225.39. NOT INCLUDING ORIGINAL $69.95 ALIGNMENT FROM FORD. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND EXPLAINED TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP OF THE INCIDENT AND COST OF REPAIRS...WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY RECORDS OF SUCH INCIDENTS, SERVICE BULLETINS NOR RECALLS, SO THEY WOULD NOT OFFER REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY KIND. I WOULD LIKE FORD TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS INFERIOR PART AND PERFORM A SAFETY RECALL, HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THIS INCIDENT MAY HAVE PROVED TO BE FATAL TO MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND THOSE IN THE LANES AROUND ME. *TR