Steering Tie Rod Assembly problems of the 1998 Mercury Mountaineer

The contact owns a 1998 Mercury Mountaineer. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the tire rods, wheel bearings, and the tires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 210,000.