Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 04257 | 01/01/2006 | 06122 | 10014252 | Vehicle/steering wheel vibration at 50 mph (80 km/h) or higher - steering wheel nibble at 65 mph (105 km/h) or higher. *tt | 04/29/2005 |
| 03208 | 01/01/2006 | 06124 | 10004891 | Steering wheel shimmy/nibble at 100 km/h (60 mph) and greater speeds on vehicles built prior to 8/20/2003. *tt | 01/14/2004 |
| 17169 | 09/01/2003 | 10004062 | Steering wheel nibble at 60 mph and higher. *tt | 11/17/2003 | |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | |||||
| 17823 | 05/01/2004 | 10008572 | Power steering leak - service tip. *tt | 08/05/2004 | |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||||
| 17731 | 04/01/2004 | 10008232 | Whine from power steering. *tt | 07/23/2004 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 03/30/2010 | 79000 | 1 | |
| 2004 ford f-150 vin#[xxx]. i was having a problem steering the vehicle and thought it was the steering fluid/pump. pump and fluid were find but, they problem continued and i was having considerable issues trying to steer. vehicle was taken to my local repair shop. all tire on staten island new york. phone# 718 447-3400. the problem was diagnosed and repaired. the lower steering assmebly was broken. this shaft is part #8l3z3b676b. i was informed by one of the shop managers that this is a common problem and that he was repairing a second ford a ford excursion with the same shaft. he further stated that he has repaired several in the last few months. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr | |||
| 03/17/2008 | 1 | 05/01/2004 | |
| 2004 f150 triton needed to have steering shaft assembly replaced. strong burning smell. difficulty steering. leaking steering fluid. part #8l3z*3b676*a was removed and replaced @ c wimerley..49047. *tr | |||
| 10/26/2005 | 8016 | 6 | 10/20/2004 |
| Terrific vibrations/shimmies at speeds from 55-70 mph. steering wheel shakes and vibrations felt through out the vehicle. have had vehicle in to ford for warranty repair 6 times. the vehicle is at the dealer right now and has been there 3 days. (10/17-10/18-10/19 and who know how much longer.) when it vibrates and shakes we have to slow down and pull off the freeway. this has been ongoing since the vehicle had only 8,000 miles on it and it only has 20,500 on it now. the incidence of vibrating/shaking is getting more and more frequent.--this vehicle is not safe in this condition. | |||
| 08/06/2007 | 41050 | 0 | 08/06/2004 |
| I have owned the truck for approx. 7 weeks. during the test drive i noticed a vibration starting around 55 mph. the truck had 41000 miles on it. the dealer agreed to balance the tires. after balancing the problem still occurred. it gets severe around 70-74 mph with steering wheel vibrations. i will be taking the truck into the shop for the 45000 mile service within two weeks and will be talking to the service dept. *jb | |||
| 11/01/2005 | 24600 | 1 | 06/28/2005 |
| Dt: the consumer lost control of the truck when driving at 20 mph and hit a lamp post. the steering bolt joint came off and the wheel turned to the right, hitting first the curb then the post . the wheel reached the right one pointing to the right, and the left one pointing to the left. the post was not damaged, but the truck was lightly damage due to the low speed. *ak updated 12/07/05. *jb | |||
| 07/02/2005 | 10464 | 6 | 08/31/2004 |
| 2004 f150 super crew 4x4 with vibration and tension changes in steering wheel. have taken to two different dealerships multiple times each without resolution. tires have been rotated and balanced numerous times, road force tested, damper kit installed, drive shart re-indexed, tried new tires but made problem worse. also told by dealership to drive it for awhile and see if it goes away. *jb | |||
| 06/10/2005 | 74 | 1 | 10/22/2004 |
| 2004 f150 xlt severe driveline vibration between 40-60 mph. this vibration is more pronounced when towing or hauling a heavy load. this vehicle has been to back to the dealer 9 times in the last eight months for this condition. three sets of tires and two sets of wheels have been on this truck, road force tire balancing has been tried several times with no apparent correction for this condition in sight. | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 200 | 0 | 08/30/2004 |
| Steering wheel vibrates at speed range 60-75 mph. so far all attempts at repair by ford dealership have failed. last attempt was to road force balance tires. truck has approximately 8000 miles | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 2 | ||
| While driving in heavy traffic the steering wheel locked up and the vehicle veered to the right. *nm the engine light had come on another occasion. *sc *jb | |||
| 07/20/2004 | 4 | 1 | 07/09/2004 |
| Steering wheel vibration at 65 to 70 mph. followed tsb 4-25-8 which did not resolve the problem. ford dealers have been unable to fix the vibration issue. experiencing excessive tire wear, ford has extended tire warranty to 36,000 miles. *jb | |||
| 09/25/2004 | 25 | 1 | 07/20/2004 |
| Hood appears to be loose enough to fly off vehicle at highway speeds. weak hinges. steering wheel vibration/nibble at any speed. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 3000 | 9999 | 10/18/2003 |
| Vehicle vibration and very noticeable steering wheel shimmy/nibble at highway speeds above 45 mph. bad vibration when braking. in february 2004, beginning at approximately 3000 miles, i had vehicle checked/serviced several times by ford dealership service department. was told to keep driving it until it gets broken in (suggested about 12-15,000 miles). diagnoses ranged from warped brake rotors to tires slipping on the rims. vehicle now has 31,000miles and the problem still has not been resolved. *jb | |||
| 04/05/2004 | 6 | ||
| The vehicle has extreme vibration at 60 miles per hour causing the steering to shake making the ability to control the vehicle difficult. the consumer has taken the vehicle to the dealer for repair for a total of 6 times, but the cause is undetermined. | |||
| 08/15/2004 | 4 | ||
| I have a 2004 f-150 supercrew, from day one i have noticed a vibration in the steering wheel between 55-70 mph, i have had it in for service now four times in 3 months. dealership indicated that it was road force bad tires. after replacement vibration still existed. *jb | |||
| 08/05/2004 | 120 | 6 | 08/05/2004 |
| Purchase a brand new 2004 ford f150 xlt supercrew 4x4. vehicle had steering wheel vibration. i was assured by the sales and service staff that it was a wheel balance issue. if they could not fix it they would give me a new truck. the truck has been back to the shop 6 times for this vibration problem and numerous parts have been replaced. the truck has spent several weeks at the dealership for this problem. after meeting with the ford field service engineer he told me that this was a characteristic of these trucks and they cannot fix it because nothing is wrong with it. all this after they replaced the drive shaft, all the wheels, tires, added a steering damper, replaced front hub, hunter road forced the truck at least 3 times and the vibration is still there at highway speeds. very annoying, uncomfortable to drive and completely unacceptable for a brand new vehicle. the dealership misrepresented themselves by telling me it was a wheel balance issue. now, ford is in breach of contract for not fixing the problem under the factory warranty. i gave them a fair chance to do the right thing and stand by their word and replace the vehicle with one that does not have the vibration. they did not. now i want them to buy the vehicle back and pay all of the associated costs involved with dealing with this issue and ownership.*ak | |||
| 07/10/2004 | 4 | ||
| Vibrating/oscillating steering problem between 60-70mph. had it serviced 4 times with no resolution. rotors have been replaced. nibble has been replaced. tires have be replaced with better brand (nitto 404s, p275-55r-20). had stock and good year gtii's prior). tires have been road forced balanced many times with little impact.*ak | |||
| 06/09/2004 | 2000 | 1 | 11/12/2003 |
| 2004 f-150 scab 4x4, steering wheel vabration at 50 + mph, dealer has attempted to repair this 7 times with no results, truck has been at dealer from may 20th to date unsafe to drive due to vibrations, dealer has replaced the tires 3 times, steering rack 2 times, numorus tire ballances, drive shaft. asking ford to replace the truck, but all of the trucks on the dealer lot have the same problem in some degree . *ak | |||
| 04/01/2004 | 17300 | 1 | 09/13/2003 |
| While driving at highway speeds, the steering wheel vibrated violently. *ak the entire vehicle would shake. *sc *jb | |||
| 05/11/2004 | 15 | 4 | 05/11/2004 |
| Test drove new f-150 super-crew-cab 4x2, at 60 mph experienced a terrilbe shimmy in steering wheel and bad vibration from left rear of truck. returned truck to lot and test drove new f-150 super-crew-cab 4x4, experienced the same problem at 30 mph and 60 mph. bought 4x4, salesman said the truck most likely needed wheel ballancing, or it was out of round. we made an appointment for two days later to address the shimmy/vibration problem.the mechanic had the truck on lift for twenty minutes. result, dealer has to order a part for a service bulletin that requires a vibration dampening device to be installed. this is interesting, ther is a whole lot of new f-150 trucks at this dealership. i drove two and both had same problem. they (ford), have a known service bulletin for this problem and yet as plentiful as this problem is on the lot they have to order the part, again for a know problem documentd by their bulletin that this part is required and they don't have it in stock to fix my truck or the other one i test drove on their lot or the next one and so-on and so-on.....after reading all of these complaints there had better be a fix for this or i will surely deliver my $40,000 worth of inquiries and advertisements. motor trend truck of the year...or not!!! *ak | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 250 | 22 | 04/05/2004 |
| Vehicle has vibrations at different speeds. service manager and ford engineer concur with my perception and are trying to remedy situation. rear-end of vehicle bounces wildly over bumps, displacing the rear from the desired driving line, resulting in a dangerous situation. | |||
| 02/01/2004 | 6000 | 10/08/2003 | |
| Steering wheel nibble at highway speeds 65-75. steering wheel shakes back and forth at highway speeds. | |||
| 02/04/2004 | 5 | 1 | |
| Vibration in the steering wheel above 55 miles hour,less control of truck. *nm | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 11/28/2004 | 0 | 2 | 11/15/2004 |
| Purchased 2004 ford f-150 supercab 4x2 at hub city ford inc in crestview, florida on november 15, 2004. after heavy rains the pickup cab flooded, covering the rear seat back, bench, and carpeting in large puddles. upon further inspection, noticed the brake pedal rod, steering column, and all bare metal was severely rusted. *ak took vehicle to the dealership and was told that it was normal and would be painted, and detailed to clean the carpets. was also informed immediately that the cause of the leak was a faulty seal around the top cab rear brake light. appointment was made for tuesday november 30th, 2004. inspected the cab further on sunday (today) november 28th, 2004. rust is covering all exposed metal, including the seat brackets (which hold the seats to the frame) all bolts, and most of the rear cab metal behind the rear seats. water is still covering the rear floor pans and side pans under plastic side steps (under which is bound wiring relating to forward to rear electrical functions). the damage from rust is not surficial, but deep, cracked and pitted. will attempt to have dealer replace vehicle entirely. | |||
| 08/23/2004 | 5 | ||
| While driving between 55 to 75 mph steering column vibrated back and forth. dealership inspected vehicle four times, but problem recurred. *ak | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 0 | 1 | 01/01/2004 |
| My steering wheel is shaking back and forth at approximately 55 mph since purchasing the vehicle. the balance job, trip to the dealer, and new rims and tires have not fixed the problem. *jb | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 11/24/2004 | 14670 | 12 | 03/13/2004 |
| This will be the third time advising nhtsa and ford concerning the same problems stated before.those are the the rear end shuddering upon acceleration,the whining noise from the rear end, the automatic transmission slippage, the whining noise from the power steering unit and last but not least the brakes constant squealing.i have gone to three different ford service centers in three differeent states.ny,nj,nc.of all the dealerships svc centers mahwah ford in nj spent the most time investigating these problems.shultz ford ny and cella ford nc forget them (no help what so ever just a bunch of lame people with lame excuses)total visits 6 and nothing has been replaced even upon my insistance. i owned a 1998 f-150(best truck to date) i'm sorry that i traded it in for this 2004 bucket of bolts. *ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 450 | 1 | ||
| Consumer complained about steering problem. while driving about 76 mph vehicle inadvertently changed lanes. driver turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction, and vehicle felt like it was going to roll over. consumer took vehicle back to the dealership, and traded it after only 10 days of ownership. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| 10/30/2007 | 41000 | 1 | 07/01/2005 |
| 2004 f-150 with 41,000 miles has a bad shimmy around 55 mph and wears tires every 8,000 to 10,000 miles. recently truck became very hard to steer so i took it to a local mechanic where it was discovered that the steering intermediate shaft was falling apart. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2006 | 27500 | 1 | 01/20/2005 |
| I have a ford regency f-150 with a factory 6 inch lift done by regency. when the lift was done the steering linkage is in contact with the brake line so when the steering wheel is turned a hole was worn in the brake line causing a loss of brake pressure. i talked to regency and rick said it was the second he had heard of. mine is being fixed now but anyone else who owns one of these vehicles is at risk of an accident. i am reporting this in the hopes no one is hurt unnecessarily. *nm | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 06/15/2005 | 10000 | 4 | 11/13/2004 |
| Dt: the vehicle has been to the dealer 3 times. they didn't know what was wrong with it. there was bad vibration ,like a tie rod end going bad or the wheel coming off. they replaced all the tires , and put a new rim on the passenger's side, and put in a new driveshaft. this started around june 15, 2005. the vehicle was going back to the dealers for the fourth time. haven't contacted the manufacturer but got information on the lemon law. *ak *nm | |||
| 06/15/2005 | 10000 | 4 | 11/13/2004 |
| Dt: the vehicle has been to the dealer 3 times. they didn't know what wrong with it. there was bad vibration , felt like a tie rod end or wheel was going to come off. they replaced all the tires, put a new rim on it, and put in a new drive shaft . this started around june 15, 2005. the vehicle was taken back to the dealers today for the fourth time. haven't contacted the manufacturer but have checked the information for the lemon law. *ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 1 | 09/01/2004 | |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2004 ford f150 super cab. the contact complained about steering problems. took vehicle to the dealership several times, and they have been unable to correct the problem. vehicle will shimmied while going down the road, they replaced the rack and pinion and it helped some. the tires have been changed, realigned, and balanced, and nothing helped. he did know of other people that also had this problem. a friend said that they knew over 500 reports on a website of these problems as well. this problem has been occurring since the vehicle was purchased in september 2004. *ak *nm | |||
| 03/23/2004 | 7 | 01/10/2004 | |
| Vibration in steering wheel. replaced front/rear rotors, rack and pinion, steering gear and balanced all tires. *bf steering vibration at hwy speeds. steering shakes when braking. *tc *jb | |||
| 04/14/2004 | 3400 | 5 | 02/02/2004 |
| Brakes & rack and pinion bar. *ak | |||
| 05/28/2004 | 1 | 5 | 05/28/2004 |
| Tailgate straps are the same length, but when you put pressure on the tailgate, only the lh tailgate strap supports the tailgate. the truck has vibration and steering wheel nibble problems. they have balanced the tires 4 times, replaced the tires. the fse from ford took the vehicle for a ride and said it needs a new driveshaft. the brake dust is a big problem. you need to wash the wheels daily. ford now has updated pads. i hope they replace them under warranty. two of the rotors are also grooved. the truck has 3000 miles on it. it has been in 5+ times now! the ac unit only had 22 ounces of fliud in it. it is supposed to have 30+. my air was verified to be 8-10 degrees warmer than spec. the gas door (spring) broke. the paint on the hood is flawed. it didn't get fully sprayed on the right front of the hood. both sides of the rear diff. are wet. something is leaking. the seatbelt stitching is coming apart.*ak | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 12/18/2004 | 37 | 1 | 11/09/2004 |
| Steering wheel nibble/ vibration/wheels vibrating. *ak | |||
| 09/08/2004 | 17 | 1 | 06/30/2004 |
| Vibration in vehicle at highway speeds. *ak | |||
| 03/18/2004 | 25 | 2 | 03/18/2004 |
| I have a 2004 f-150 supercrew and have noticed a vibration/shudder in the rear end between speeds of 25-45 mph since inception. once over 50 mph it seems to disipate. also experiencing the occassional nibble at the steering wheel. i was planning on taking it in but i don't think i'll waste my time since ford hasn't been able to make an exact determination of its cause according to the other complaints i've read on your site. love the truck-hate the shudder/vibration!!! | |||