2000 Ford Expedition Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to prevent oversteering. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the steering shaft. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred because the aftermarket replacement part was too short. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 315,000.

I WAS DRIVING THE DOWN THE STREET GOING TO WAL-MART ON PENDLETON PIKE IN INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA THE CAR SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN. I SHIFTED IT BACK IN GEAR DROVE ON TO WAL-MART THEN TO WENT TO ALDIS. WHEN I CAME OUT OF ALDIS ALSO ON PENDLETON PIKE THE CAR WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK WITHOUT KEY BEING IN ACC POSITION FOOT ON BRAKE AND PLAYING WITH GEARSHIT FOR APPROX 15 MINS IT WAS LOCKED. THEN THE POWER WINDOWS ALSO WENT OUT IN THE SAME TIME THAT THIS ALL HAPPENED. NOW MY CAR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR WITHOUT MESSING WITH GEARSHIFT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND MESSING WITH IGNITION SWITCH MUTIPLE TIMES BEFORE I CAN GET CAR INTO MOTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, AN ABNORMAL BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM UNDER THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY VEERED INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND NEARLY CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MOVED TO THE SHOULDER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVE SHAFT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRANSFER CASE, SHAFT LINKAGE AND OXYGEN SENSORS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 196,000.

2000 FORD EXPEDITION, WHILE DRIVING STEERING WENT OUT. *BF THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A CEMENT WALL. OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT # 10-0688-91. *JB UPDATED 04/14/10 *BF

DRIVING ON 4 LANE TWISTY PARKWAY, THE LEFT TIE ROD BROKE WITHOUT ANY WARNING, LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL, APPLIED BRAKE AND TRIED TO CONTROL VEHICLE, TOOK ABOUT 200 YARDS TO COME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHERE CAR IS ALWAYS SERVICED AND MAINTAINED, AND REPLACED ALL 4 TIE RODS. *NM

IN EARLY JAN 2006, WE HAVE A POPPING SOUND AND MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING WHEEL OF OUR 2000 EXPEDITION. WE COULD FEEL IT MOVING IN THE STEERING WHEN DRIVING AND WERE CONCERNED. WE HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON OUR EXPEDITION SO WE TOOK IT TO GERMAIN FORD IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. THEY SAID THE LEFT FRONT STABILIZER LINK BOLT HAD BROKE IN HALF AND THE STABILIZER BAR WAS SLIPPING ON AND OFF CAUSING THE MOVEMENT AND SOUND. THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. MY EXPEDITION HAS ONLY 51,000 MILES AND IS DRIVEN BY MY WIFE TO WORK. AT THE SAME TIME THE DEALER TOLD ME BY BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I SAID HOW CAN A STEEL BOLT IN THE STEERING LINKAGE ACTUALLY BRAKE AND NOT BE COVERED? I ASKED FOR THE SERVICE MGR AND HE ACTUALLY SAID TO ME "THEY DON'T MAKE THINGS LIKE THEY USE TO". I THEN RECALLED A SERVICE NOTICE SOME TIME BACK ABOUT SOMETHING IN THE FRONT END OF EXPEDITIONS SO I LOOKED THROUGH MY FILES. SURE ENOUGH, FORD SENT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN IN 6-04 "TITLED TIE ROD INSPECTION PROCEDURE". WHILE THE SERVICE BULLETIN COVERS A COUPLE ITEMS IT BELIEVE IT SHOWS FORD KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT ENDS AND SENT OUT A SERVICE NOTICE TO EXCUSE THEMSELVES AND TO AVOID PAYING FOR REPAIRS. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT COVER, I CALLED THE WARRANTY HOTLINE. THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME "BALL JOINTS ARE WEARING OUT SOONER THEN THEY WOULD EXPECT" BUT IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM SO I HAD TO GET THOSE REPAIRED AS WELL. IN SUMMARY, I BELIEVE THE BOLT BREAKING COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT FOR A CUSTOMER TO SPEND $800 TO REPLACE A BROKEN BOLT IN THE FRONT LINKAGE AND BALL JOINTS ON AN EXCELLENT CONDITION VEHICLE WITH ONLY 51,000 MILES IS OUTRAGEOUS. I AM GUESSING OTHER EXPEDITION OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT FOR GETTING FORD TO REIMBURSE THE $800 I HAD TO SPEND IN REPAIR. *JB

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN DRIVING 45-50 MPH AND THE TIE ROD BROKE ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT. WHEN THE CONSUMER SPOKE TO FORD, THEY STATED IT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN WITH THAT VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT FORD 7 MONTHS AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. THERE WAS NO WARNING, IT JUST HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED JULY 9, 2005 AT 5:30 PM. THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE REALIGNED AND THE OTHER TIE ROD NEED TO BE CHECKED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNSTEERABLE AND IT PULLED ABOUT 3 FEET TO THE RIGHT. AT THAT TIME, THE CONSUMER STOPPED THE VEHICLE. *NM

CONSUMER STATES THE SUSPENSION ON THE FRONT END PASSENGERS SIDE FAILED. THE TIE ROD END BROKE AND THE WHEELS WERE UNCONTROLLABLE. WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED THERE WEREN'T ANY LIGHTS OR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED 800 MILES AGO AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A FUTURE PROBLEM. *JB THE OUTER RIGHT TIE ROD CAME APART. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE RIGHT INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD. THE BROKEN PART OF THE ROD DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF RUST/CORROSION OR LACK OF LUBRICANT.*SB *NM

THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD BROKE AT 65 MPH, CAUSING CONSUMER TO STRIKE A BRIDGE. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK THE INSURANCE COMPANY INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD WAS SEPARATED. FORD SENT OUT LETTERS TO OWNERS OF THESE TYPE VEHICLES TELLING THEM IT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE THE STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION INCLUDING THE TIE RODS INSPECTED EVERY 15,000 MILES. PRIOR TO ACCIDENT BRAKES WERE REPLACED WITH NEW COMPONENTS AND A FULL SAFETY INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. *TT

VEHICLE IS 2000 FORD EXPEDITION APPROX. 60,000 MILES. TOOK A TRIP AROUND 150 MILES, MOST OF WHICH AT 70-72 MPH. STAYED THE WEEKEND, THEN SUNDAY ON THE WAY HOME AT ABOUT 35 MPH PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD BROKE, FRONT END OF THE TRUCK BOUNCED UP AND DOWN UNCONTROLLABLE WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC, SLOWED DOWN QUICKLY AND PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. DROVE SLOWLY 5 MPH TO NEAREST SERVICE GARAGE, LEFT VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, MECHANIC REPLACED THE TIE ROD. I DO HAVE OLD PART.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND HIT A PARKED CAR. THE CONSUMER THEN STEERED TO THE LEFT BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND HIT MORE PARKED CARS. THE RIGHT WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WENT OUT. *AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE TO UNCONTROLLABLY. *BF AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OUTER TIE ROD END ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE STEERING. *JB

FORD FAILED STEERING ON 2000 EXPEDITION. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAD A TIE ROD FAILURE AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT A RECALL BE SENT OUT FOR HIS VEHICLE. A REVIEW OF DATABASE RELATIVE TO TIE ROD FAILURES ON 2000 FORD EXPEDITION VEHICLESREVEALED INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO WARRANT OPENING A SAFETY DEFECT INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME. *TC

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FRONT TIE ROD SEPARATED AND THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER PROPERLY AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. 4 DAYS LATER THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE FROM FORD WARNING HIM ABOUT POSSIBLE TIE ROD FAILURE, THE CONSUMER STATED THE VIN AND OTHER INFORMATION WAS WRONG WHICH MAY HAVE DELAYED RECEIVING THE MAIL. *JB

THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A RATTLE AND LOOSE. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT IT MAY COME OFF. *JB

A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD CAUSED LOST OF STEERING AND IMPACT INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS BETWEEN 20 AND 25 MPH. A COMPLETE DISCONNECTION OF THE TIE ROD END, WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD, CAUSED COMPLETE LOST OF STEERING. AUTOMOBILE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE NEW TIE RODS WERE INSTALLED AND A SUBSEQUENT BODY SHOP WHERE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. PHOTOS OF THE FAILED COMPONENTS ARE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS PHOTOS OF THE SITE OF THE FAILURE. *JB

TIE ROD BROKE WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS.*AK

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN IT FELT LIKE THE TRUCK WAS SKIPPING. CONSUMER THEN PULLED OF THE ROAD. UPON EXITING THE TRUCK CONSUMER NOTICED THAT 3 OF THE WHEELS WERE FACING FORWARD, AND THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS TURNED INWARDS. THE TRUCK WAS THEN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE STEERING LINKAGE, AND INDICATED THAT A TIE ROD HAD FALLEN OFF, AND THE OTHERS WERE LOOSE, ALL 4 TIE RODS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY ALSO HAD TO REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. *AK

I HAD JUST HAD MY 2000 EXPEDITION INSPECTED THE MONTH BEFORE. I WAS DRING UP AN ON RAMP TO AN INTERSTATE AND MY CAR SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL. I WENT OFF THE ROAD. SEVERAL CARS ALMOST HIT ME AND I THEM. IT TURNED OUT THAT MY TIE ROD ON MY FRONT LEFT TIRE HAD BROKEN. VERY DANGEROUS. VERY UPSETTING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND WOULD START TO TURN STEERING WHEEL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, IT WOULD ALMOST BECOME FREE WHEELING. THIS CAUSE THE DRIVER TO ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE STEERING WHEEL CHECKED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. *NLM