NHTSA Complaint #10560235 — 2006 FORD F-350

DRIVING VEHICLE WITH FIFTH WHEEL 31 FT CAMPER IN TOW VEHICLE LURCHED TO THE LEFT AND ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT FOUND GREAT RESISTANCE IN STEERING RESPONSE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE AND AT NO SPECIFIC SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL LURCH TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT OR SHIMMY TO THE POINT THAT STEERING BECOMES ALMOST UNRESPONSIVE. I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AND WAS ADVISED NOTHING WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THEN I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR CO DESCRIBING THE EXACT STEERING SITUATION THAT I AM EXPERIENCING ALONG WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO KEEP TIRES INFLATED PROPERLY, WHICH I HAVE AND CONTINUE TO HAVE CORRECT. I CONTACTED FORD TO VOICE MY CONCERN AND WAS ADVISED THIS IS "JUST A NORMAL QUALITY OF A SOLID FRONT AXEL 4 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK". I USE THIS VEHICLE TO PULL A CAMPER AND WHEN THIS "SEVERE VIBRATION AND OSCILLATION" OCCURS IT CAUSES THE TRUCK/TRAILER TO LURCH SO FAR AS TO CAUSE IT TO SHIFT LANES. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS, EVEN HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 70MPH. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE LETTER WAS ONLY A "NOTIFICATION OF THE SITUATION AND HOW TO AVOID" AND NOT A RECALL. FURTHERMORE, FORD ADVISED THAT I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO A FORD DEALER AT MY COST TO ENSURE THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS SITUATION IS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT IT COULD AND PERHAPS HAS BEEN THE CAUSE OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. HOW LONG WILL THIS BE ALLOWED TO GO ON BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED? HAVING IDENTIFIED A VEHICLE STEERING PROBLEM, THAT IN MY OPINION COULD BE LIFE THREATENING, SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT CAUSE FOR A RECALL TO BE ISSUED. *TR