Steering became stiff. Vehicle was hard to maintain even on straight road. After my inspection, I found that the steering shaft was horribly corroded at the universal joint. I will not drive this vehicle until I repair it. It is at the point where it could break and loose all control of steering. Very dangerous. I have been a mechanic for over 30 years I have never seen this in any vehicle, no matter what age.
2008 Ford F-150: loss of power steering
9 of the 369 complaints about the 2008 Ford F-150 describe loss of power steering.
- owner complaints
- 9
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- typical mileage
- 80,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 1 service bulletin covers this area of the car. See below
Loss of power steering by model year
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford f-150. While driving 35 MPH, the power steering failed. There were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failure. The vehicle was able to be driven back to the contact's residence. The contact called mercedes-benz of caldwell (230 bloomfield ave, fairfield, nj 07004, (973) 227-3600) and was advised to call back on march 19, 2018 to inquire about having the vehicle towed back to the dealer for repair. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Steering got very hard while making a turn on an off ramp. Almost veered into oncoming traffic! Power steering pump and lines were replaced one week prior...
Steering became very heavy, almost like power steering was gone. Very hard to turn and control the truck while moving. Suddenly loosens up and works as normal. Dealer says it is the steering shaft and now refuses to fix it. I see a lot of the same complaints here, why isn't ford being held responsible? This is very dangerous and life-threatening. I'm glad it happened to me and not to my wife; I don;t think she would have had the strength to control the truck and could have killed or severely injured herself or others. This needs to be addressed!
As my wife was turning a corner the power steering failed on her. She crossed the center line and nearly hit vehicle that was waiting at a stop sign. She had to jerk on the steering wheel very hard to get the truck back in the proper lane. Mechanic indicated this is fairly common and ford dealers are keeping the lower steering shafts-u-joints in stock due to older ones locking up. No recalls have been issued to this point however, I had it replaced at a cost of $490.00.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 ford f-150. While driving various speeds, the driver lost steering control and crashed into a tree. The crash was contributed to a medical condition. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact was fatally injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage facility. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Steering is heavy and binds, especially during cornering and braking. Feels like power steering is failing and truck is difficult to steer, control and maneuver at all speeds and directions. Steering shafts and joints are completely rusted and seizing and will not release with lubricant. Power steering fluid and lines are fine and dealer states that steering shafts and joints must be replaced. I was trailering a boat at 50 MPH and steering was seizing, very heavy, and seemed to be binding while going around bends in the road and then the steering would suddenly release - or unstick - and become responsive again. I crossed the center line as the steering suddenly got very heavy, sluggish and unresponsive, and then released and became responsive again. I almost drove directly into oncoming traffic. This steering issue is now a constant and happens while driving or towing, at all speeds, and in both forward and reverse. This steering problem is extremely unpredictable, unsafe, and very dangerous. It also seems to be common problem with numerous complaints and reports of this issue being reported to the federal safety agency, ford, ford dealers, and discussed in online forums.
Steering got very hard to turn. This has happened on numerous occasions now. Use wd-40 to loosen the knuckle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford f-150 sd. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the power steering failed as the steering wheel tightened. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where it was stated that the steering shaft needed to be replaced and steering line had a leak. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. Updated 11/15/13
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2008 Ford F-150 power steering loss
Is loss of power steering a common problem on the 2008 Ford F-150?
9 of 369 owner complaints about the 2008 Ford F-150 (2%) mention loss of power steering. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2008 Ford F-150?
There are 0 recalls and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2008 Ford F-150
Engine failure 16Stalling 15Sudden acceleration 14No deployment 13Check engine light 12Fuel pump 11ABS 9Fire or smoke 8Jerking 8Airbag light 7Knocking 7Steering lock-up 7Tire blowout 7Transmission failure 7Adaptive cruise 6Hesitation 6Loss of power 6Won't start 6Fuel smell 5Misfire 5
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