1993 Ford Crown Victoria: ball joint or control arm failure

Filed Sep 15, 2010 · Suspension · 140,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns 1993 ford crown victoria. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH the front driver's side ball joint broke, causing the lower control arm to collaps. The driver's side upper control arm was also damaged as well, causing the contact to lose control of the steering ,which almost caused a crash. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact repaired the front passenger side control arm. He referenced the recall for the suspension:front:control arm:upper arm (95v194000) however, his VIN was not included in the recall. The contact stated the manufacturer should honor the recall on this vehicle since this is a manufacturer defect. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Filed Feb 28, 2008 · Suspension · 172,000 miles · TX

Tl*the contact owns a 1993 ford crown victoria. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact noticed that the vehicle sporadically veered to the right. The dealer stated that although he was experiencing the same failure as noted in the federal safety agency campaign id number 95v194000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper arm), the VIN was not included in the recall and they would not repair his vehicle for free. The vehicle is currently being repaired. The failure mileage was 172,000 and current mileage was 173,000.

Filed Jun 8, 2004 · Suspension · 170,421 miles · KS

On june 6, 2004 while driving at approximately 35 MPH the passenger side front end dropped down and scraped the pavement, the steering wheel jumped around and the right front tire blew. Looking under the car revealed that the lower control arm ball joint had separated and pulled free from the control arm. The lower control arm had been forced into the sidewall of the tire and gouged a huge hole in it. Had this happened at highway speeds it could have been catastrophic with loss of control of the vehicle. The exposed ball joint end was dry (no lubricant) and I could see galling on the upper top half of the "ball". These are sealed ball joints that have no grease fitting and thus no provision for lubrication. The car had to be towed. It is sitting in my driveway at this time available for inspection by anyone. I looked up recalls on the internet and found the federal safety agency recall history listing "1992-99: bearing within lower ball joint can weaken slowly during use and eventually crack; could result in separation, allowing control arm to drop to the ground" and elsewhere recall no. 1998251 refers to crown victoria " bearing loads can lead to thinning and eventual cracking of the lower control arm ball joint" . I also found the federal safety agency records of ball joint failures under the odi id numbers of: 835503, 713546, 505865, 700771, 714657, 710815. I also found at alldata.com under automotive recalls a tsb no. 98s37 of dec. '98 "recall - front lower control arm ball joint replacement". I called ford on june 8, 2004 and talked to a rep named norman (I.d. No. 2357) and case reference no. [xxx] and he told me that my car [xxx] had no recall notices and therefore it's not a problem. I told him that this defective vehicle situation could cause a fatal vehicle accident and asked to talk to his supervisor. He told me that there wasn't a superior I could take the matter up with. *ak updated 07/25/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Filed Nov 19, 2003 · Steering · 123,000 miles · KY

While driving front passenger side tie rod snapped. Consumer lost steering control. Consumer managed to pull over, and had vehicle towed to dealership.

Filed Apr 10, 2001 · Steering · CT

While backing out from a parking space from a stand still, left tie rod broke without warning. Vehicle could not be steered and had to be towed.

Filed May 8, 2000 · Steering · NY

While backing out of the garage and without warning inner tie rod broke, cause unknown.

Filed Oct 19, 1999 · Steering · IL

Left tie rod end fell apart, socket from ball. Extreme wear from lack of lubrication. No lube fitting engineered into part. Total loss of car control. How many cars are out there with this problem undiscovered? Dealer failed to compensate for cost or replacement for this mis-engineered or mis-manufactured part.

Filed Sep 1, 1999 · Suspension · WI

I purchased this car used 03/97 87,000 miles. When you would turn to the left sharp, it always made a clunk and the car would shift over. The clunk continued, so I took it to my local ford dealer, rudig-jensen in new lisbon, they found that the bolts that attach the upper control arms to the frame were loose. The loose bolts had worn out the bolts and the upper control arm. They found that while replacing the parts, that the bolt holes in the frame mounting bracket had worn and had fractured. They were unable to repair the car, and called gary's autobody of new lisbon to look at the frame mounting bracket . Gary's have repaired the bracket by welding it , as the ford dealer told myself, that they could not repair it. I would have to buy a new car. I called the ford motor company, and was told that the car had been in for the recall 95v194000 the federal safety agency at norris vernier ford in tomah, wi. And that ford motor company would not pay for the repairs, because the vehicle had already been in for the recall. The damage done to my vehicle is from the loose bolts, and I feel that ford's faulty product caused this, and that they should repair the damage, as it is due to their problem with these vehicles. The bolts can loosen even after being checked under the recall.

Filed May 10, 1999 · Steering, Suspension · MI

Ball joints & tie rod ends would make groaning noises in the front end. Its an intermittent problem. Took vehicle to dealer & nothing found. Took to another garage & mechanic noticed tie rod end was shot, and that ball joints were rusty & pitted. Therefore, vehicle was making noises when being driven.