NHTSA Complaint #727162 — 2000 FORD F-250

AFTER WAITING FOR A STEERING GEAR BOX TO ARRIVE AT THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, MY TRUCK WAS RETURNED TO ME. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES RATHER HARD TO AVOID RUNNING OVER A BOTTLE ION THE ROAD. AS I HIT THE BRAKES, I TRIED TO TURN TO GO AROUND THE BOTTLE. I NOTICED THAT STEERING THE TRUCK IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WHEN THERE IS PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES. WHEN I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, NORMAL STEERING RETURNED. AS I WAS TREATED POORLY (TO SAY THE LEAST ) BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THIS INVOLVED A 120 MILE ROUND-TRIP DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME TODAY. WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK BACK, THE SERVICE MADVISOR, JACK DUGAN, TOLD ME THAT THIS IS "A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TRUCK" AND THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. HE ADDED THAT IF I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY IT HANDLED, CONTACT FORD. MY RESPONSE IS, WITH ALL OF THE PRESS ABOUT THE F-250, (THANKS TO NHTSA) WHY DO FORD MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES DENY THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, MIKE VAUGHN, OF FORD MOTOR CO., SPOKE WITH NHTSA AND SAID THAT FORD IS COOPERATING WITH THE INVESTIGATION. ALSO, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY FROM DRIVER'S EDUCATION, IN THE EVENT OF A SKID, YOU SHOULD STEER IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SKID. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO WITH THIS TRUCK. I CAN FORESEE MANY ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO JACK DUGAN, THE BRAKES AND STEERING USE THE SAME POWER BOOSTER. I TOW A 23' TRAVEL TRAILER THAT WEIGHS ABOUT 5,000 LBS. I AM AFRAID TO TOW THE TRAILER BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION. THIS HAS PUT QUITE A DAMPER ON OUR SUMMER ACTIVITIES. CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THE INVESTIGATION IS GOING AND WHAT I SHOULD DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM? I LIKE THE TRUCK OVERALL, BUT CANNOT BELIEVE THE RUN-AROUND I GET FROM FORD AND CASA FORD IN EL PASO. BORMAN AUTO PLEX HAS TREATED ME VERY WELL THROUGHOUT THIS DILEMA. PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I GAVE A COPY OF THE NHTSA PRINTOUT TO JACK DUGAN AT BORMAN AUTO PLEX.