NHTSA Complaint #753204 — 1997 FORD EXPEDITION

IT TOOK SOME TIME BEFORE I COULD DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE SQUEAK BECAUSE IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE OEM PITMAN ARM IS A SEALED UNIT WITH INSUFFICENT LUBRICATION & NO PROVISION FOR LUBRICATION. THIS IS A STEERING COMPONENT & SHOULD BE RECALLED. ALL STEERING & SUSPENSION MOVING COMPONENTS SUCH AS TIE-ROD ENDS & BALL JOINTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE PROVISIONS FOR LUBRICATION. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BUT I HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM DURING PARKING LOT TURNS. THIS IS A STEERING COMPONENT & SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL, NOT A TSB. THERE IS NO SAFE SUBSTITUTE FOR PROPER VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, NO MATTER WHAT THE MANUFACTURERS TELL YOU ABOUT SEALED COMPONENTS. MOVING PARTS WITH GREASE FITTINGS ARE SEALED ALSO. IF FACTORY SEALED COMPONENTS WITHOUT GREASE FITTINGS WERE ADEQUATE THEN THE BEARING HUBS ON MY BOAT TRAILER WOULDN'T HAVE GREASE FITTINGS. I HAVE BEEN AN ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN SINCE 1977.*AK