There are 28 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2001 Ford F-350in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Was driving down the rd came to stop light and I had nothing for breaks. I quickly pumped brake and got it to slowdown and made the turn. Went to pull into hospital and had no breaks even tried pumping it again and still had no breaks.
The bracket on the passenger side that is welded to the bottom of the front axle is rusted completely through to the point that the u-bolts that secure the leaf springs to the axle have pulled through the bracket. It appears to be a significant safety issue due to the fact the front axle is no longer secured to the vehicle.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-350. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON ANY INCLINE, THE STEERING WHEEL LOST POWER, LOCKED UP, AND DID NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER STEERING GEAR BOX, AND CHECKED ALL COMPONENTS IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,400.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT AND THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND INDEPENDENTLY MOVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE STABILIZING BAR HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED WITH THE IGNITION ON, HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE WHEELS DID NOT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT TIE ROD WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
STEERING GETS HARD AND FEELS LIKE IT LOCKS WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, AND COULD NOT TURN TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. DEALER ADMITTED THERE WAS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK STEERING LOCKED ALSO AT HIGH SPEED. *LA
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE THE STEERING LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STEER OR MOVE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH
WHILE AT STAND STILL WITH FOOT ON BRAKE CAN NOT TURN WHEEL AND AT SPEED WHILE APPLYING BRAKES CAN NOT STEER. 3RD STEERING BOX TO BE REPLACED DOES WANDER WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. FORD DEALER SAYS ITS NORMAL. FORD MFG SAYS SAME. DT
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT LOW SPEEDS OR HIGH SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, AND CONSUMER CANNOT CONTROL VEHICLE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, IF ENGINE IS IDLING AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED FORD, WHO ADVISED CONSUMER THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR ISSUE.*AK *TT
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES OR WHEN GOING AT SLOW SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL BECOME HARDER TO CONTROL. ALSO WILL BECOME DIFFICULT TO STEER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES HARD AT ANY SPEED STEERING LOCKS UP, EVEN AT STAND STILL. DEALER STATED VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY, AND THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO.*AK
AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR A DRIFT IN THE STEERING, FORD HAS TOLD ME THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT CURRENTLY THERE IS NO FIX. THIS PROBLEM COULD LIKELY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE TRUCK WILL DRIFT THE MOMENT THE STEERING WHEEL IS RELEASED. I HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE TRUCK WAS DESIGNED TO RESPOND. NOW FINALLY THEY ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM. KEEPING CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSES ME TO SUFFER FROM PAIN IN MY ARM AFTER A LONG DRIVING TRIP. IT ALSO CAUSES GREAT FATIGUE AND I AM AFRAID TO LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THE VEHICLE.*AK
DANGER!!! WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND AS A RESULT THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHERE A DRIVER MAYBE REQUIRED TO STEP ON THE BRAKES AND TURN TO AVOID AN ONCOMING CAR. FROM READING THE FORD-DIESEL WEBSITE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BOTH TO FORD AND NHTSA BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTION TAKEN BY EITHER PARTIES. FORD TELLS THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT THIS IS NORMAL. PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT AND TAKE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW WHICH IS A SITTING TIME BOMB AND AS DANGEROUS AS HAVING BAD TIRES. BECAUSE EVERY FORD TRUCK HAS THIS PROBLEM IT DOES NOT GIVE FORD THE RIGHT TO SAY IT IS NORMAL AND THEIR IS NOTHING WRONG. I WILL AWAIT A RESPONSE FROM YOU BEFORE GOING TO THE FORD DEALER. THANKYOU.*AK
WHILE SETTING STILL WITHOUT BRAKES YOU CAN NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL, AND SOMETIMES WHEN THE TRUCK IS COLD THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AT ALL. THIS IS DIFFERENT TO THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH WHILE ON THE BRAKES MOVING SLOWLY YOU CAN NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL UNTILL YOU START TO MOVE ALITTLE FASTER. ALL OF THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN YOU CAN TURN OR NOT .*AK
TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING UPON BRAKING. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN ROAD, DRIVER ENTERED INTO CURVE AND HAD NO STEERING, THEREFORE LEAVING THE ROAD AND HITTING A TREE. AFTER INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A COMPLETE BREAK IN STEERING SHAFT, THUS CAUSING THE ACCIDENT.*AK
WHILE GOING AROUND A CURVE THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING POWER AND CRASHED, THE CONSUMER SUFFERED SEVERAL INJURIES. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *YH
Showing 1–20 of 28 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026