NHTSA Complaint #10820349 — 2004 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

VEHICLE BECAME INCREASINGLY HARD TO STEER AT ALL SPEEDS OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BIND AND BECOME STIFF AT MULTIPLE POSITIONS DURING TURNS, BUT COULD STILL BE STEERED WITH ADDITIONAL EFFORT. DURING LOW SPEED TURNING IT WOULD TAKE AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. INVESTIGATION AND INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE MULTIPLE UNIVERSAL JOINTS ON THE STEERING LINKAGES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE HEAVILY RUSTED AND CORRODED, RESULTING IN POOR MOVEMENT AND THE STIFF STEERING. LINKAGES WERE CLEANED AND LUBRICATED AND STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. DURING REPAIR IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD WAS ALSO HEAVILY CORRODED AND BEGINNING TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOUNTING HARDWARE. IF THE HEAT SHIELD SEPARATES FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IT WILL INTERFERE WITH THE STEERING LINKAGES. THE HEAT SHIELD WAS REMOVED. I BELIEVE THAT OTHER MODEL YEARS WERE RECALLED FOR BOTH OF THESE ISSUES. ACCORDING TO NHTSA THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE.