Steering Problems of Ford F-150 - part 2

Sudden total loss of power steering on 2019 Ford F-150 xl regular cab 2wd, 3. 3l v6 (VIN [xxx] , 170,000 miles). Purchased used in 2024 with clean carfax — no accidents, no damage, no odometer issues. Sarasota Ford diagnosed multiple internal lost communication codes and failed pinpoint test — requires epas rack replacement ($2,700). Ford denied goodwill case xxx (escalated to supervisor shaniqua) — based solely on mileage, despite: • TSB 19-2306 • ssm 51226 • 1,200+ NHTSA complaints for 2015–2019 F-150 epas • Lincoln v. Ford lawsuit (case 1:19-cv-02741) covering 2019 models rep haley stated “safety is not a deciding factor”. High crash risk — nearly lost control in traffic. Clean carfax proves no abuse — mileage must not override a known safety defect. Sincerely [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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On October 8, 2025, my wife and I purchased a 2025 Ford F-150 lariat, 3. 5l full hybrid, with Ford's bluecruise hands-free driving feature. As first-time users, I reviewed the owner's manual and Ford’s videos to understand bluecruise. After several uses, I noted unpredictable behavior and now report a serious safety issue warranting federal investigation. On October 15, 2025, while driving north on I-95 near boston with bluecruise engaged in hands-free mode on an approved route, I pressed the memory 1 recall button to adjust my seat. A chime sounded, and the instrument panel stated that memory recall is not active while the vehicle is moving. Unexpectedly, pressing the button deactivated bluecruise, causing immediate deceleration and returning steering control to me. During a shallow left turn, the vehicle proceeded straight, almost deviating from the lane. I quickly regained control, preventing a lane departure. The owner’s manual and Ford’s resources do not mention that memory recall can deactivate bluecruise. This undocumented behavior is highly concerning. On October 20, I contacted Ford (reference number [xxx] ), but their response was inadequate, offering only a generic process without technical team access or follow-up commitment. Bluecruise’s lane-centering struggles with unclear or conflicting lane markings. On I-95 sections under resurfacing, temporary markings are placed 1-2 feet from fainter original lines. Bluecruise inconsistently tracks either set, causing unpredictable lateral movements, including sudden lane-edge excursions or rapid shifts over bridges where markings misalign. When another vehicle overtakes closely, crossing into our lane, bluecruise momentarily loses lane-keeping ability due to obstructed markings, resulting in rapid steering movements. While such overtaking reflects poor driving by others, an automated system must handle these common scenarios reliably. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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On October 13 at 9:23 pm in seguin, TX, with Ford bluecruise hands?free engaged, the vehicle abruptly steered strong left and headed toward the left barrier. I immediately overrode the system and steered back to avoid a collision. No impact occurred. The maneuver was sudden and without adequate warning, presenting a serious crash risk.

While driving, my 2020 Ford F-150 suddenly displayed a warning on the dashboard that read “steering assist fault – service req’d. ” moments later, the truck completely lost power steering, and the steering wheel began to lock up while the vehicle was still in motion. I, (the owner of the vehicle), was able to muscle the steering wheel just enough to safely get us off the road and home. Had he not had the physical strength and experience to manage the vehicle manually, this could have resulted in a major accident or fatality. The truck was towed to duval Ford on October 13, 2025, where it was diagnosed as needing an electronic power steering rack replacement, with a total repair estimate of $4,049. 70. The vehicle is not under warranty, and Ford has informed us there is no recall currently associated with this issue. This is a critical safety failure of a steering system and should not be happening at any mileage. We are reporting this incident to request a formal NHTSA investigation into this issue, as it could easily lead to severe injuries or death in other cases.

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At a stop light vehicle will turn off and nothing electrical will work. It will have to be restarted, while turning at low speeds the electronic steering completely stops working and almost hit another car. All electrical power failure until modules reset then will start. This all happens randomly so it could happen at any point and cause serious injury. Ford can't seem to find a repair for the intermittent issue.

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Truck has 74,000 miles when I notice truck having issues prior to this my front wheels wearing unevenly truck eletric steering light up im being told has to be replaced from what im reading up on this shouldnt be having this type of issue and some models in 2021 did have issue.

I am the lessee of a 2024 Ford f?150 lightning XLT, VIN [insert VIN], and I am submitting this description due to repeated failures, recalls, and safety-related defects that have significantly impacted the safe operation, reliability, and value of my vehicle. Since taking delivery, the vehicle has experienced multiple malfunctions in critical systems that have been confirmed by the dealership and addressed through official recalls, yet problems persist. The primary components affected include the park pawl/park position system, which has intermittently failed to reliably lock the vehicle in park, creating a risk of unintentional rolling that endangers my safety, the safety of passengers, and the safety of others in the vicinity. This component is available for inspection upon request at the dealership. The front suspension upper control arm ball joints have also demonstrated premature wear or defects, reducing steering stability, affecting handling, and increasing the risk of loss of control, particularly in turns or under braking. Additionally, the high-voltage battery system has a documented recall due to a manufacturing defect affecting charging safety, posing risks of overheating, electrical hazards, or fire. All these defects have been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer during service visits, and the vehicle has been inspected by certified Ford technicians, with repair attempts documented in service records. Warning indicators and messages appeared prior to failures, including park and transmission warnings first noticed on [insert date] and battery system warnings appearing on [insert date]. Other symptoms included abnormal noises and handling issues linked to the front suspension, first observed on [insert date]. Despite following all recommended repair procedures, these defects have persisted, indicating a systemic problem likely rooted in manufacturer design or component failure. The vehicle has experienced repeated service downtime, inconvenience, loss.

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Subject: safety defect report – 2015 Ford F-150 clock spring failure to whom it may concern at NHTSA, I am writing to report a safety defect in my 2015 Ford F-150 (VIN: [xxx] ). The steering wheel clock spring has failed, which prevents the use of steering wheel controls to cycle through and monitor critical vehicle information. This creates a safety risk because the driver cannot access important vehicle data while driving. I contacted Ford motor company to request assistance, as the repair was quoted at $700. Ford acknowledged my request but refused to provide assistance, stating the vehicle is outside of warranty. However, the clock spring is a safety-critical component that should not fail under normal use. Ford has issued recalls for clock spring failures on other vehicles, which indicates this can be a systemic safety issue. This failure compromises safe vehicle operation and should be investigated as a potential recall matter. Thank you for your attention to this issue. Sincerely, [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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September 2025, we were on a vacation when we noticed that the column gear shifter on our 2021 Ford f150 seemed a bit "loose" when shifting. No issues getting into the appropriate gear…but a weird loose feeling. My husband pulled off the leather boot on the column (not sure if this is what it is called, I believe it keeps dust out) and found the problem. Two missing bolts! earlier that year, I had found a bolt in the floor of the truck, and, unable to find where it came from (or did it even belong to the truck? I did not know) I put it in a ziploc bag, into the glove box. Turns out that bolt fit. So we had one bolt, and the shifting felt okay. But we still needed one bolt, so I did some internet sleuthing. I found the part (w790628s900) and ordered it, and we installed it when we got home. We theorize that the “ziploc bolt” came loose early in 2025, and the second bolt (never found) came loose on our trip. We know that up until this problem, we had never, ever, removed that dust cover, so we were not responsible for the two bolts coming loose. Components: that "failed" would be the two bolts on the column gear shifter (under the dust cover) safety: we were very worried that without the two bolts, we would not be able to shift at some point! confirmed: no, because we were camping on vacation, and did the troubleshooting ourselves inspected: we will ask our mechanic when we next take the truck in warning: no, just that we noticed that the column gear shifter was "loose" (again, likely that this was after the 2nd bolt came out).

After making a sharp right turn tie rod came loose from steering rod. After inspection the threads on the steering rod seem to be too small for the tie rod. The truck has been taken care of and only has 75000 miles on it. The new tie rod I installed was also loose on the steering rod. The threads were not stripped, rusty or damaged in anyway. This truck has never had any work or been damaged. I have never had front end lined up because tires have not had any wear indicating misalignment.

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Steering is binding during turning. Very scary. Beginning at startup and continuing while driving.

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Driving about 10 mph when steering lockup shop replaced rack opinion.

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The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to auto zone, and dtc: p0720 was retrieved, which indicated a failure with the output shaft speed sensor. The contact was informed that the output shaft speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with rack and pinion failure. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that neither repair was covered under the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

This is the 2nd time this has happened in 2 years. I have my truck turned off completely and locked and go to get back in it a few hours later and I open my door and the gas from the airbag has completely filled up the cab of my 2015 f150. I turn the truck on and it’s like it’s been in a wreck, all the lights on the dash are on, and it’s saying my airbags are deployed which the gas that fills the airbag did deploy, and it keeps telling me to contact 911. How does this keep happening without Ford making a recall or not taking responsibility. It could seriously hurt or I hurt me or my family.

Was in a car collison not wherein setbelt and airbags did not deploy or come out at all.

While driving today, my Ford f150 manual light came on while I was driving and then break assistance. Light came on, and it told me to check the brake system. And immediately immediately the truck slammed on the brakes while driving. I almost wrecked with my two year-old daughter who is autistic in the vehicle. This needs to be fixed ASAP. This is very dangerous and could’ve been a lot worse this morning.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the seat belt warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clockspring. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v847000 (steering, air bags); but the VIN was not included. 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 68,000.

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I had several instances where my electronic power assist steering (epas) has failed resulting in advance trac and other errorson my information screen. This has resulted in effectively no steering. Thank goodness I was in a parking lot or going slow otherwise may have resulted in severe injury or death. This appears to be a problem with my make and model of truck based on what I have read on the internet and my personal experiences. I am in shock that there has not been a proper recall as of this date. I am having dealer put in a second epas unit in less than 2 years and considerable cost to me.

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Power steering rack failure, while driving though a puddle less than 6 inches deep. Cost over $1900 to replace. My wife's 2014 Volkswagen passat is able to drive though deeper water. . On 8/13 I was unable to move over on a road that had some puddles due to oncoming traffic. After driving though the small puddle my power steering went out. Took to the mechanic and he said its a known issue due to how Ford did not seal their wiring well under the trucks and it hangs lower allowing the water to seep into the cables and cause the powering steering rack to fail. . This is unacceptable its a truck a puddle should not cause a truck to loose power steering.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the steering wheel seized, with the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electronic power steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

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Random times my clockspring makes clicking sounds and the car iant able to be driven. Getting many messages about issues with the vehicle.

I brought my 2020 F-150 XLT to cook Ford texas city for a recall (24e12 pm reprogramming) and a steering issue that have happened while driving and making me loose control, almost hitting the vehicle front! after spending over $3,400 to get the whole steering system changed, I picked up my truck thinking everything was good. Within one day of the recall being done, my check engine light came on with an emissions fault. When I asked about it, I was told this was "normal" after the recall because now the pcm is able to read codes. But it feels shady that a brand-new problem shows up immediately after a recall reprogramming. Now, I'm being told I might have to pay for even more expensive repairs like a catalytic converter (5k for both) - right after just spending thousands. It's frustrating, stressful, and feels like a never-ending cycle. After looking online, I found many other Ford owners sharing the same experience with this recall on forums like reddit. That makes me believe this is not an isolated case.

Short loss of control with a short period of excessive play and a slight shimmy/shaking sensation when turning left into a curve. The issue seems to only occur when turning to the left.

First experienced slight steering weaving for a week. Then electric power steering assist completely went out. $2,450 bill to replace. This issue has been to common with f150's and should be a recall fix for free issue. Requesting assistance.

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Getting multiple messages like service advancetrac, pre collision assistance not available, and steering assist fault. Vehicle makes noice randomly when turning but not every time.

The power steering goes out randomly. While driving forward , backing up, parking, turning. Very dangerous to drive.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that three months after purchasing the vehicle, while her husband was driving, the vehicle was driving roughly, and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was unaware whether any warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that there was a misfire in cylinders #1, #3, #4, and #6. The spark plugs were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, a month after the repair, there was an abnormal sound coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the wheel bearing and axle had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. In addition, the steering failure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

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When driving across railroad tracks, or at lower speeds primarily when turning sharp or into parking spaces, a power steering assist fault light flashes and steering becomes difficult unless truck is moving. The only remedy that I know is to put the truck in park, turn off, and restart. This corrects the issue until the criteria mentioned above is met and then it happens again, and again. . . . . . The vehicle has been taken to a repair shop where they recommended a new rack and pinion. They mentioned this is a very common issue with Ford vehicles. This vehicle has 34k miles and has been well maintained. I'm very disappointed that it consistently has this issue and worry about the loss of steering at a higher rate of speed.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v316000 (steering), but the VIN was not included. 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 268,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at 40 mph, the steering wheel independently steered to the right and the vehicle independently drove off the road and into an embankment. The advanced tracking warning light illuminated, however it went off. The contact stated the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle came to a stop in a leveled field. The contact stated that the power steering faulty assist warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed electronic power steering module. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed gear box. The contact was informed that the gear box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact was advised that the vehicle was manufactured 31 days outside the manufacturer's recall date. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.

Trucks steering randomly goes out mainly when backing up or right after backing up and start to move forward.

For the past 3 days, I have had intermittent loss of steering from a power steering failure while driving on interstates/highways. Almost completely unable to steer it to safety on the side of the road. Ford has a recall(15s18), but I was told its VIN-specific. My truck's VIN does not fall under the recall, yet im having the same problems as the recall claims. Reaching out to see if this can be resolved and have a recall initiated. Thank you.

The steering had a failure while driving on the highway. Driving straight, not making any turns, and a steering error came across the dash for the failure. Complete loss of steering functions. This happened at 58000 miles. The problem is now occuring daily and is thought to be the power steering module. All steering control is lost.

I purchased a 2017 f150 in March of 25’. Miraculously no issue started until approx 4000 miles after the purchase. The dealer warranty was good for 3500. In the months that preceded issue after issue began to arise. First and least important in my personal opinion. I get in my truck to head to work and my sliding back glass is laying in backseat, completely intact with the track it slides on. One would initially think the GA sun maybe warmed the adhesive to such a temp that it came loose but my truck is parked in the shade every day at work & at home. Insurance won’t cover it because they say it’s on Ford. Next I have lost power steering, when loosing it I have apparently lost all of steering, uphill downhill assistance an approx 10 other warnings that come every time I crank it. I have been driving the truck 7 months now with no power steering. Lastly and most important, the 10 speed transmission is completely faulty. The problems with it started in July. When accelerating from a stand still, like pulling on the road or highway, over 50% of the time the transmission just fails and you are a sitting duck for any oncoming traffic. Typically 2-4 secs later, the truck will catch of sudden with such a jerk it will give you whiplash. So once you made it through getting on the highway without dying, every shift of the transmission from 4th to 10th, the truck shutters and shakes so bad it seems like it will fall apart. The engine light will start flashing and you can’t go faster than 40-45 for about 15 secs until the engine light is solid again. Then while shuttering you can’t attempt to increase speed. I contacted Ford, I was completely blown off, they denied that 2017 f150 have any transmission issues. I’m forced to drive this daily because I spent all my savings on this truck. Oil change, along with oil filter have been kept up every 5,000 mi. I out everything into this truck and now I have a duct tape back window, no power steering and a transmission faulty.