NHTSA Complaint #10615584 — 2005 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

I WAS RESPONDING AS A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE EMT FROM MY RESIDENCE TO THE FIRE STATION FOR AN EMERGENCY CALL WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP. I TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AND IT BEGAN TO STEER AGAIN. I CONTINUED TO THE STATION ABOUT 3/4 MILE AWAY, MADE THE AMBULANCE CALL. UPON COMPLETION OF THE CALL I LIFTED THE HOOD AND OBSERVED THE LOWER JOINTS OF THE STEERING SHAFT WERE RUSTY AND CORRODED. I SPRAYED THE JOINT WITH WD-40 AND TURNED THE STEERING BACK AND FORTH. IN PREPARATION FOR A TRIP TWO DAYS LATER I WAS CHECKING THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE "EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD" LYING ON THE FRAME BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND FRAME. IT WAS THEN I FIGURED THE PART HAD COME OFF AND JAMMED BETWEEN THE STEERING SHAFT AND THE FRAME CAUSING A MOMENTARY LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE HEAT SHIELD. AFTER A FACTORY RECALL REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER SHAFT RESULTED IN THE CAR STEERING LIKE NEW WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT FOR A MONTH OR SO. I THEN NOTICED THE STEERING SEEMED TO BIND AGAIN AT TIMES. I LOOKED AND THE UPPER STEERING SHAFT IS CORRODED SO I SPRAYED THE U JOINT CONTAINED IN THE UPPER SHAFT WITH LUBRICANT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO SAID THE UPPER SHAFT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL SO I CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. THE UPPER SHAFT JOINT IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS THE LOWER SHAFT. CORROSION IN THE U JOINT IS CAUSING THE NEEDLE BEARINGS TO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY RESULTING IN MORE DIFFICULT TURNING OF THE STEERING. I LUBRICATE THE JOINT AT TIMES. I BELIEVE THE "UPPER STEERING SHAFT" SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL DUE TO CORROSION EFFECTING THE PARTS DUE TO DESIGN NOT SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT CONTAMINATES FROM ENTERING THE STEERING U JOINTS. THE "EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD" WAS DETERIORATED DUE TO CORROSION OF THE MOUNTING HOLES USED TO SECURE THE SHIELD TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD MOUNTING BOLTS. *TR