NHTSA Complaint #10542968 — 2003 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

STEERING THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD WHEN MAKING TURNS, AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT OPERATING. AFTER MAKING TURNS, THE WHEELS DID NOT STRAIGHTEN BY THEMSELVES, AND TURNING THEM BACK HAD TO BE DONE MANUALLY, AS IF NO POWER STEERING WAS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS STANDING STILL. I SEE THAT THE RECENT RECALL IS ONLY FOR 2005-2001 CROWN VICTORIAS (AND SIMILAR PANTHER PLATFORM VEHICLES), BUT THIS FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED MY 2003. A VIEW UNDER THE HOOD SHOWED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN UNIVERSAL JOINTS, LOCATED IN 2 PLACES ON THE SHAFT, WERE RUSTED AND DRY. AFTER FIRST APPLYING SILICONE SPRAY TO LOOSEN THEM UP (WHICH RELIEVED THE APPEARANCE OF POWER STEERING FAILURE), I APPLIED VERY GENEROUS AMOUNTS OF LITHIUM GREASE TO BOTH JOINT LOCATIONS. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED, BUT POSSIBLY ONLY TEMPORARILY IF THE SHAFT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED LIKE ON THE 2005-2011 VEHICLES. I REPORT THIS TO SHOW THAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE LARGER THAN ONLY WITHIN THE SELECTED RANGE OF VEHICLES. *TR