2006 FORD E-350 Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD E-350. WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING SOUND NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

DRIVING ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUR BEGAN TO CHANGE INTO LEFT LANE TO GO AROUND CAR AS LIGHT WAS TURNING GREEN. HEARD A LOUD SOUND THINKING MY TIRE BLEW. SUDDENLY STEERING WENT OUT OF VAN. COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE AS STEERING WHEEL WAS IN 360 DEGREE MOTION. HIT BRAKES TO STOP UNFORTUNATELY REAR ENDED A LADY. SHE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. WITNESS ALSO HEARD THIS LOUD SOUND THINKING IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM. THIS IS A 2006 E 350 FORD CARGO VAN. *TR

THIS VEHICLE IS THE CHASSIS FOR A 2006 PLEASURE WAY INDUSTRIES EXCEL TS MODEL CLASS B VAN CONVERSION. THE MAINTENANCE OF THIS VAN HAS BEEN EXCELLENT WITH RECORDS TO PROVE SUCH. SINCE OUR PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2012, WHEN IT IS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 50 MPH, THE STEERING BECOMES "LOOSE" AND THE FRONT END WEAVES BACK AND FORTH. THE STEERING ALSO PULLS TO THE RIGHT EVEN WITH PROPER ALIGNMENT. TWICE THE DRIVER NEARLY LOST CONTROL DUE TO THE UNRESPONSIVE STEERING. THE REAR END IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE WEIGHT IT MUST BEAR THUS CAUSING A "WHEELY" EFFECT ON THE EXTREMELY LIGHT FRONT END. THIS CAUSES THE REAR END TO BASICALLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THE FORD E350 SUPER DUTY VAN. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS MADE TO PLEASURE WAY REGARDING THE MODEL YEARS FROM 2004 THROUGH 2011 AND...

THE STEERING ON OUR 2006 PLEASURE-WAY RV VAN CONVERSION MODEL EXCEL TS ON A FORD E-350 CHASSIS COMPLETELY GAVE OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. FORTUNATELY, THIS OCCURRED ON A RESIDENTIAL SIDE STREET NEAR OUR HOME AFTER A STOP SIGN, SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE SLOWED TO A STOP WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL RV REPAIR SHOP, AND THE COMPLETE STEERING MECHANISM - STEERING GEAR AND CORE FOR STEERING BOX - HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT A TOTAL COST OF $1,603.96. THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. A LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO FORD, WITH A COPY TO YOUR AGENCY, NOTIFYING THEM OF THIS STEERING FAILURE AND REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT.*TR

STEERING IS VERY SLOW TO CENTER AFTER MAKING A TURN; AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WILL NOT CENTER. *TR

UPON RECEIPT OF THE VEHICLE FROM MY VAN POOL OFFICE IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS STIFF AND DID NOT SELF CENTER AFTER MAKING LANE CHANGES. THE STEERING WILL CONTINUE TO GO IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LANE YOU MOVED INTO. IT ALSO HAS A CONSTANT PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN GOING STRAIGHT. IN 7/06 IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE SIDE DOORS MADE A LOUD POPPING SOUND ONCE EACH WAY WE DROVE TO/FROM WORK. AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE TOP LATCH BECOMING DISENGAGED. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DOOR RATTLES. *NM