NHTSA Complaint #10889081 — 2009 FORD F-150

I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF A 2009 FORD F150 WITH JUST OVER 42K MILES. THE STEERING HAS INCREASINGLY BECOME MORE-AND-MORE DIFFICULT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN FOR THE MOST PART- PAMPERED. I DO PULL A SMALL UTILITY TRAILER AND THE TRUCK IS NOT A DAILY DRIVER. I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE LAST MARCH (2016) AFTER SITTING FOR 6-WEEKS AND THE STEERING DIFFICULTY HAS BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED. THE POWER-STEERING FLUID IS AT THE PROPER LEVEL, THERE ARE NO LEAKS AND TIRE PRESSURE IS NORMAL. YET THE TRUCK STEER'S AND HANDLES AS THOUGH I HAVE LOW/NO AIR IN THE FRONT TIRES AND/OR THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS FAILING. I PLAN ON TAKING THE TRUCK INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. MY OVERALL CONCERN IS TO COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE THAT STEERING AND HANDLING IS VITAL TO THE "SAFE-OPERATION" OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ESPECIALLY A TRUCK. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1999 F150 AND EVEN WITH OVER 100K MILES, STEERING WAS NEVER AN ISSUE. IN FACT, I HAVE OWNED AND OPERATED MANY VEHICLES WITH OVER 100K MILES BOTH IN THE MILITARY AND IN CIVILIAN USE AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED "STEERING" ISSUES OF THIS NATURE. I AM THEREFORE CONCERNED AS TO THE NATURE OF THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT SEEN HEAVY DUTY USE OR BEEN DRIVEN EXCESSIVELY. RESPECTFULLY YOURS, MADE-IN-AMERICA - PLEASE DON'T FAIL ME.