1998 FORD WINDSTAR Steeringrack And Pinion Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND MADE A WINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS FOR INSPECTION AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RACK AND PINION FAILED AND WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

STEERING RACK FAILURE. *JB

WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE DRIVER HAS DIFFICULTY MAKING TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

I HAVE REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING TWICE AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP ONCE ON MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR.*AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED AT 50,000 MILES AT DEALER FOR A COST OF $1,500, AND IT FAILED AGAIN. STEERING RACK SHOULD NOT MALFUNCTION IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ALSO, BOOT LEAKS CAUSED POWER STEERING PUMP TO MALFUNCTION. *AK

SUDDEN POWER STEERING LEAK. MAIN LEAK FROM LOW PRESSURE HOSE, BUT FOUND THAT RUSTED HIGH PRESSURE HOSE FITTING ALSO LEAKING A BIT; AND SEAL(S) OF RACK & PINION LEAKING INTO DUST BOOT(S). HAD TO REPLACE HOSES & RACK/PINION AT 81,000 MILES -- 98 WINDSTAR. *JB

RACK AND PINION STEERING HAS FAILED. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED ON THE DESCRIPTION, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE, RACK AN PINION STEERING LOCKING.*AK

CONSUMER STATEED BOTH FRONT TIE RODS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED, ALSO THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED.*YH

RACK AND PINION STEERING IS LEAKING FLUID, AND IS CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING. IT WILL BE HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH RACK AND PINION STEERING AS STATED IN RECALL # 97 V165 000. BUT, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

WHILE DIVING AND MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS STEERING WHEEL WILL MAKE A LOUD NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MECHANIC STATED BOLTS ON RACK AND PINION STEERING ARE COMING LOOSE.*AK

I HAVE HAD 5 STEERING RACKS REPLACED SINCE SEPT 2000. I CANNOT GET ANYONE TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM.*JB

RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY BEGAN LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. HAD TO REPLACE RACK-AND-PINION ASSEMBLY AND POWER STEERING PUMP.*AK

THE STEERING RACK AND PINION FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I AM TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THIS IS UNUSUAL FOR A VEHICLE WITH THIS MILEAGE. I ALSO FOUND THAT FORD HAD A RECALL FOR THE STEERING RACK, PUT INTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN SEPTEMBER 1997. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACURED IN JUNE 1997. PERHAPS I HAD ONE ON THE BAD ONES PUT IN BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS CAUGHT. ANYWAY IT COST ME $667.00 FR THE REPAIR.*AK

FORD IS SAYING ITS MY RESPONSIBILITY CAUSE THE WARRANTY HAS LAPSED BUT THE CAR IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK

INTERNAL RACK AND PINION PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, DIFFICULTY ALIGNING THE VEHICLE, AFTER TWO ALIGNMENT STEERING STILL SQUEALING AND PULLING TO THE LEFT.

IT WAS HARD TO STEER VEHICLE, AND IT WAS NOISY. CONSUMER WENT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO FOUND THAT FLUID IN RACK AND PINION WAS VERY DIRTY. SHAFT BEARINGS AND GEARS WERE DAMAGED BY FLUID AGAIN AFTER THEY TEST DROVE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD REGARDING RECALL 97V165000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 97S85. BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED, DUE TO VIN.*AK *JB

RACK AND PINION STEERING MAY HAVE A DAMAGED INPUT SHAFT BEARING FROM A SERVICE BULLETIN OWNERS LETTER # 97S85 .ALSO, BULLETIN WAS GIVEN BY THE DEALER. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS, BUT FORD STATED NOTHING COULD BE DONE UNTIL THERE WAS A RECALL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, VEHICLE RIDES EXTREMELY ROUGH, AND AT TIMES IS HARD TO CONTROL. DEALER STATES THAT PROBLEM OCCURS WITHIN RACK AND PINION. *AK

CONSUMER STATES POWER STEERING FLUID STAYS LOW, CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT IT BE CHECKED FOR LEAKS, MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING FROM LEFT BOOT AREA, THIS PART HAS FAILED 4 TIMES. *JB

THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING SLOWLY AND MAKING A TURN. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIE RODS WERE DEFECTIVE. A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO RACK AND PINION STEERING. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 97V165001; HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT IT WILL MAKE A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE. DEALER HAS REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING, BUT NOISE HAS REOCCURRED AGAIN.*AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN TURNING TO LEFT OR RIGHT THERE WAS LOUD GRINDING NOISE. CONTACTED GARAGE, AND GARAGE ORDERED A NEW PART, PROBLEM WAS REMEDIED.*AK THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FAILED AFTER TWO YEARS AND POOR DESIGN IS THE CAUSE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THIS EQUIPMENT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *YH

RACK AND PINION STEERING GEARS MAY HAVE DAMAGED INPUT SHAFT BEARING. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V165001. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING BROKE WHEN TRAVELING, CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. ALSO, TIE RODS MALFUNCTIONED, ALMOST WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

RACK AND PINION FAILED. YH

VAN STARTED TO MAKE LOUD GRINDING NOISES WHEN TURNING WHEELS AND ALSO GETTING HARD TO TURN. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS TOLD BY SERVICE DEPT. THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VAN. AS I WAS LEAVING I SPOKE TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE THERE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS SUCH A PROBLEM WITH THAT YEAR VAN. I THEN REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND THE PRICE TO FIX IT WAS ABOUT 1000.00 I WAS NOT ABLE TO AFFORD IT SO I HAVE DRIVING IT , HOWEVER NOW THE VAN WILL SOMETIMES SHUT OFF WHEN YOU PROCEED TO MAKE A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. I HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. I TOOK IT...

WHENEVER STEERING WHEEL IS BEING TURNED, LEFT OR RIGHT IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT DEAL OF NOISE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS & WAS INFORMED IT WAS THE TIE ROD. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT IT WAS THE RACK & PINION THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER.