NHTSA Complaint #755593 — 2000 FORD F-250

AT VERY SLOW SPEED WITH THE BRAKE APPLIED (SUCH AS FRONT & BACK PARKING MANEUVERS, OR JACKING A TRAILER INTO A TIGHT SPOT), THE STEERING HAS ALMOST NO POWER ASSIST. I DIDN'T MENTION IT TO THE DEALER UNTIL FEBRUARY OF 2001,AND HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL" AND GAVE ME A COPY OF A SERVICE MEMO FROM FORD STATING THAT THIS IS NORMAL AND "NO REPAIRS SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED". AROUND NOVEMBER OF 2001 I RECEIVED A SURVEY FORM FROM FORD ASKING BASICALLY HOW I LIKED MY TRUCK. I TOLD THEM ABOUT MY CONCERN WITH THE STEERING. I ACTUALLY RECEIVED A CALL FROM FORD ABOUT MY PROBLEM. THEY ALSO CALLED THE DEALER AND WE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE DEALER TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. ON 12/11/01 THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER PERSONALLY CHECKED-OUT THE PROBLEM (WITH ME ALONG), AND AGREED THAT THE STEERING PROBLEM WAS NOT NORMAL AND HIS COMMENT WAS "IT'S LIKE THE WHEEL IS AGAINST A ROCK". HE SAID THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, AND WOULD CALL THE FORD ENGINEERS. HE CALLED ME LATER THAT SAME DAY AND INFORMED ME THAT FORD WAS ADAMANT THAT THE CONDITION IS "NORMAL" AND ABSOLUTELY NO REPAIRS SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED. THEY SAID THAT HE COULD CHANGE ALL THE POWER STEERING PARTS, AND THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY HIM TO DO ANY WORK ON THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY THE HYDROBOOST SYSTEM DIVERTS ALL OF THE POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKES AT LOW SPEED AND NOT TO THE POWER STEERING, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS DESIGN. THE FORD ENGINEER GAVE THE DEALER A REPORT NUMBER TO USE IF THERE IS ANY FURTHER REFERENCE TO THIS SITUATION. THE REPORT NUMBER IS "1LKEB013" DATED 12/11/01. ON 12/12/01 I CALLED BACK TO THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PERSON THAT ORIGINALLY CALLED ME (ROSA AT 1-800-393-3673X2452) AND REPORT THE RESULTS. SHE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THAT SHE COULD DO BECAUSE THE FORD ENGINEER DECLARED THE PROBLEM TO BE NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS.*AK