2003 FORD F-250 SD Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 228,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE PITMAN ARM. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (16515) FOR THE PITMAN ARM AND THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

THE FRONT END VIBRATES AND OSCILLATES WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 50 MPH. THERE IS MORE SLACK IN THE STEERING, AND I HAVE TO SPEED UP ABOVE 50 MPH OR SLOW DOWN BELOW 30 MPH OR JERK THE WHEEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN ORDER TO STOP THE SHAKING. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THE TRUCK. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN CHECKED, AND FROM RESEARCHING, IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS A FAULTY STEERING BOX, BUT FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT. *TR

I READ OF YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO 05 AND LATER FORD TRUCK "DEATH WOBBLE" SHAKING CAUSING MASSIVE INSTABILITY WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEM GOES BACK WAY FURTHER BUT I HAVE AN 03 F-250 TRUCK (AND IT IS TOTALLY STOCK) AND IT BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AT ABOUT 50 MPH ON ANY SURFACE WHETHER IN STRAIGHT LINE OR TURN. I HAVE HAD MANY THINGS LOOKED AT (ALIGNMENT, WHEEL AND TIRE BALANCE, BUSHINGS, TRACK BAR, TIE-ROD ENDS, ETC.) AND "REPAIRED" WITH NO FIX. FORD SAYS EVERYTHING IS WITHIN "SPECS". THE FACT REMAINS THAT IT IS A VERY, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO DRIVE WITH ESPECIALLY WITH CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC. I DON'T THINK FORD WANTS TO OWN UP TO IT BECAUSE OF THE HUGE FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF DEALING WITH THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES WHEN IN AN ALREADY FINANCIALLY CRIPPLED STATE. GUESS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT BUILDING A MORE STABLE VEHICLE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS RATHER THAN THE...

FORD F-250. LEAKING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE FROM BOSTER PUMP DRAINED FLUID. WHILE EXITING INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, LOST BOTH BRAKES AND STEERING. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP AND STEER. REPLACED FLUID TO GET TO DEALER, MEEGAN FORD IN MT. PLEASANT PA. HIGH PRESSURE HOSE REPLACED. I PAID. I HAVE OLD PART. FITTING RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER COMING TO A STOP UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED; THE STEERING WOULD NOT TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE BUILD OF THE VEHICLE WAS NORMAL, AND THEREFORE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE CONTACT FOUND COMPLAINTS ONLINE SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEMS THE VEHICLE HAD. UPDATED 12/5/2006 - *NM

ON GOING PROBLEMS WILL STALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAN'T PULL ACROSS INTERSECTION LOSS OF POWER TRANS WILL SHIFT OR NOT STEERING ALL OVER ROAD SMOKES BADDLY WHEN STARTED

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME WHIEN HIS VEHICLE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. AT THIS POINT HE COULD NO LONGER CONTROL THE VEHICLE. HE THEN SLAMMED INTO A LARGE ROCK IN THE SIDE OF AN EIGHT FOOT BANK. THE VEHICLE THEN FLIPPED ONTO ITS SIDE AND SLID ANOTHER 20-30 FEET. OUR VEHICLE IS A 2003 FORD F250 AND NOW HAS $20,000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE. WE TRIED TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER WITH A FEW OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FORD DEALERSHIP WE INITIALLY BOUGHT IT AT. SOMEONE IN SERVICE TOLD US SOMETHING DEFINATLY DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT WITH THE STEERING. THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP THEN TOLD US WE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME PROVING THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE THAT IS NOW DONE TO THE VEHICLE. WE ALSO TRIED DISCUSSING THIS MATTER WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. OUR INSURANCE ADJUSTOR TOLD...