NHTSA Complaint #10839117 — 2006 FORD F-150

DROVE F-150 NORMALLY DURING WEEK. ON WEEKEND MORNING WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY AND SPORADICALLY BEGAN RESISTING EFFORT TO TURN CAUSING TRUCK TO SWAY UNPREDICTABLY DURING TURNS. RESISTING DRIVER INPUT. WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. AFTER REVIEWING BLOGS ONLINE I REALIZED A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO DRIVE THIS ERA F-150 HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT TURNS OUT THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT CONTAINING THE U-JOINTS USES DEFECTIVE MATERIALS OR HAS BAD DESIGN. THE U-JOINTS ARE BINDING UP DURING DRIVING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE PARTIAL CONTROL OVER DIRECTION OF VEHICLE. TEMPORARY FIX MAY BE TO SPRAY WITH ANTI-CORROSIVE SPRAY, THEN LUBRICATING SPRAY, WHICH I DID. THIS LASTS ONLY A SHORT TIME SO THE LOWER SHAFT WITH U-JOINTS MUST BE REPLACED. FORD KNOWS OF THE DEFECT FOR THIS ERA F-150 AND HAS REDESIGNED THIS LOWER SHAFT TO ELIMINATE THE BINDING. THIS NEW DESIGN IS WHAT THEY SELL YOU AS A REPLACEMENT, NOT THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. IF YOU TRY TO BUY ONE ONLINE IT COSTS AT LEAST $245 FOR THE O.E.M. PART. IF YOU BUY ONE OF THE 2 AFTERMARKET KNOCKOFFS IT'LL SET YOU BACK APPROX $125. THE AFTERMARKET SHAFT ADVERTISING TOUTS THE FACT THAT IT HAS A DESIGN THAT WILL NOT BIND LIKE THE ORIGINAL FORD SHAFT DOES. THIS TRUCK HAD APPROX 69,700 MILES ON IT WHEN THE SHAFT BEGAN BINDING UP.