1998 Ford Explorer: loss of power steering

Filed Aug 15, 2007 · Steering · 121,916 miles · NY · crash

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. While driving 30 MPH, the contact lost steering ability and defective parts punctured the front passenger side tire. The failure caused him to crash into another vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local body shop. The contact felt that the cause of failure was due to a failed steering knuckle. The body shop repaired the steering knuckle and all related parts. No other failures have occurred since the repair. The failure mileage was 121,916 and current mileage was 123,000.

Filed May 14, 2007 · Engine · 101,000 miles · OH

My wife was just leaving our house and the crankshaft broke. This happened without any warning and LED to sudden loss of power steering. She was able to get it to the side of the road without mishap. This was at a low speed. This failure at highway speed could resulted in an accident.

Filed Mar 29, 2007 · Steering · 140,000 miles · NJ

On 2/22/07 I was driving to work in my 1998 ford explorer xlt 4dr. I had just come off the nj turnpike and was driving through union city at 6:45 in the morning when I stopped at a red light. When the light turned green I accelerated and attempted to turn the vehicle to the left to follow the road. To my shock and horror the steering wheel spun freely without changing the direction of my vehicle. I had absolutely no steering with barely any resistance on the steering wheel itself. My vehicle went straight across the road; I stopped the vehicle up on a sidewalk just before a building. Thank god there was no one walking there at that early hour. After I managed to compose myself I tried turning the wheel and found that it would just continue to spin freely either left or right, with nothing stopping it. If I turned the wheel hard and let go the steering wheel would spin completely around 5 or 6 times before coming to a stop. I called the union city police and told them what occurred and that the car was up on a sidewalk with no way to steer it. They told me to call aaa and sent a car by. Aaa came with a flat bed and after a long time managed to get the vehicle off the curb and on the truck. The driver had a very difficult time because there was no way to steer the vehicle. I accompanied my vehicle as it was towed to my local repair station 30 miles away. The station found that inside the drivers compartment the steering column is two separate shafts that are held together by a single bolt ( no nut ). The bolt had backed out of the connection and the shafts had become separated. The mechanic found the bolt under the driver's seat. The mechanic told me that once the shafts became separated there was no way to steer the vehicle. He expressed great concern that the bolt did not have a nut or some kind of pin to keep it from falling out. The mechanic put some 'thread locker' on the bolt and put it back in the steering shaft, which fixed the problem.

Filed Jun 6, 2002 · Steering · AZ

While driving 20 MPH and without warning, power steering failed, causing loss of vehicle control. After inspection of vehicle by dealer it was determined that power steering pump needed to be replaced. *ak

Filed Feb 28, 2002 · Steering, Suspension · OH · crash

Vehicle was approximately going 60mph when a loss of steering caused vehicle to jerk side to side and roll over. Metal fatigue caused the hydrualic rack and pinion to burst and leak fluid. This manufacturer was notified, and vehicle was totaled.

Filed Sep 21, 2001 · Steering · NJ

Rack and pinion steering failed. While driving would feel like vehicle had flat tires. Would have to overcompensate for steering. The steering was very difficult to control. Took vehicle to an independent mechanic, who indicated there was no rack and pinion steering left. *ak nlm

Filed Dec 18, 2000 · Steering · MA

While backing out of driveway there was a sudden loss of steering. Dealer has been contacted.

Filed Aug 10, 2000 · Tires · FL

I was driving north on I-75 approx. 8 miles north of gainesville,fl on 7/31 & experienced a complete tire failure at 70 MPH. The sensation was of having hit something in the road, but I saw nothing in the rear view mirror (except lots of big trucks bearing down on me). Almost immediately, I began to lose steering ability. I was able to control and stop the vehicle with great difficulty. The car swung out as far as one-quarter turn to the left in heavy traffic but I was able to countersteer and get off the road. The aaa wrecker attendant told me that he had seen "lots" of these blowouts and that the tread usually ripped all the way off and tore up the undercarriage of the car. Luckily, I had about 4 inches of material holding the tire together when I finally was able to stop. This incident occurred on an extremely hot day at about 3:00 pm. Please note that the dot# on this tire is not vd, but vn. I am very concerned that firestone has not been totally forthcoming about the safety of this tire. *ak( dot number: vnhl 1py tire size: 235/75r15 )

Filed Sep 17, 1999 · Steering · NY · crash

R/f/tie rod broke off spindle causing loss of steering and plowing into 2 parked cars

Filed Feb 1, 1999 · Steering · CA

Power steering failed. Yh

Filed Oct 28, 1998 · Engine · NY

When driving and stopping for a light and pulling off, the vehicle gave no prior warning and started to stall. When driving down a hill the vehicle lost all power, causing the consumer to lose steering and brakes. The consumer put the vehicle in neutral to get the vehicle to come to a stop.

Filed Feb 9, 1998 · Steering · NY

Vehicle lost steering control resulting in a collision.