NHTSA Complaint #10560260 — 2004 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

BEGINNING IN SUMMER 2013, STEERING BECAME NOTICEABLY TIGHTER WHEN MAKING SLOW SPEED TURNS. NOVEMBER 2013 THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE AN ALIGNMENT DUE TO TIRES CONTINUOUSLY WEARING ON INSIDE WALLS, WHICH I SUSPECT IS DUE TO THE STEEL WHEEL RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V079000) BUT FORD WILL NOT HONOR IF THE CAR IS IN PRIVATE POSESSION. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, I WAS ADVISED THE STEERING SHAFT WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. UPON RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED OTHER OWNERS EXPERINCING THE SAME ISSUES. FORD ISSUED A RECALL (FORD RECALL #13S08) TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER STEERING SHAFT ONLY FOR 2005-2011 MODELS. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME TO CONTACT FORD DIRECTLY, AND I DID. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS THAT THIS IN AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY CONCERN AND FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I WAS ADVISED BY FORD THAT THEY SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP AND VERIFIED THAT MY CAR IS INDEED HAVING ISSUES THAT ARE EXACTLY LIKE THE RECALL INCLUDED. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL AND THAT THEY WOULD KEEP MY INFORMATION ON FILE FOR THEM TO REVIEW IN THE EVENT OF A FUTURE RECALL. I AM HAVING AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER SHAFT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CHANCE IT COULD BECOME DISENGAGED AND RENDER THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. I STRONGLY URGE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND OTHER CASES OF 2004 CROWN VICTORIA (CVPI) OWNERS WHO COMPLAIN OF BOTH THE STEERING ISSUE AND THE RECALL THAT FORD FAILS TO FIX ON THE STEEL WHEELS. THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN FLEET USE, BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM OF THE DEFECTIVE STEEL WHEELS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FORD. THEY NEED TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WHEELS JUST AS THEY WOULD FOR ANY OTHER RECALL REGARDLESS OF THE CURRENT OWNER, HOW A RECALL SHOULD WORK. *TR