2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED Steering Problems

GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND RIGHT MIRROR WAS FULLY BROKEN. RIGHT SIDE OF THE BODY WAS ALSO SMASHED IN. LEFT BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AND ENGINE MAKES WEIRD SOUNDS.

INSTRUMENT PANEL SHUTS OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DAYS LIGHTS FLICKER.

AS MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING THE CAR ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS WE NOTICED INCONSISTENCY IN THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE STEERING WHEEL. SOMETIMES IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN, OTHER TIMES IT TURNED FREELY. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. NOW THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN AT ALL TIMES. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT COUPLING AND IT WAS NEARLY LOCKED UP. HE INFORMED US THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD PRODUCTS. IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY FORD PRODUCTS, WHY ISN'T IT BEING RECALLED? THIS IS A POINT OF FAILURE THAT COULD COST AN ENTIRE FAMILY THEIR LIVES. FORD REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THIS MATTER BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST DUE TO POOR DESIGN AND INCOMPETENCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

STEERING BINDS WHILE TURNING FORCING DRIVER TO "MUSCLE" THE STEERING WHEEL THROUGH THE REST OF THE TURN; ALSO STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN BACK TO STRAIGHT POSITION WITHOUT DRIVER ASSISTANCE. *TR

FRONT END HAS NO LUBRICATION POINTS AND TENDS TO BIND AND GETS TO A POINT THAT YOU CANNOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

IN JUNE 2007, MY WIFE TOOK OUR 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED (SEL) TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. SHE WAS INFORMED AT THE TIME THAT SHE NEEDED TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED. THE CAR HAD ONLY 26,800 MILES ON IT. I WAS IN DISBELIEF AND TOLD HER NOT TO ALLOW THE WORK. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO SERVICE CENTER THAT I TRUSTED THE NEXT DAY. SURE ENOUGH, THE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THEM DO THE WORK. I THEN COMPLAINED TO THE LOCAL DEALER THAT THIS WEAR RATE WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND CARS NORMALLY GO SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER BEFORE NEEDING REAR PAD REPLACEMENT. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM STATING THAT THE "BRAKE WEAR ON YOUR VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED TO BE WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS" . I KNEW THIS WAS NOT TRUE. IN JULY, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR CO. STATING THAT THEY...