NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA13-004: Loss of Steering Control
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA13-004 on April 26, 2013, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE12-025, whose summary cites it, and closed it on November 15, 2013. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Ford Crown Victoria and Cvpi for it and links recall 13V-385 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA13-004 (also written EA13004)
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
- Status
- Closed November 15, 2013
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Components
- Steering; Steering — Column
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 13V-385: Steering Column Lower Bearing May Separate, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Ford Crown Victoria and Cvpi
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA13-004.
In its recall notice dated August 26, 2013, Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified NHTSA of a safety defect condition that may result in loss of steering in approximately 355,000 model year (MY) 2005 through 2011 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles built at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant, MY 2005 through 2007 Lincoln Town Car vehicles built at the Wixom Assembly Plant, and certain MY 2008 through 2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles built at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant and that are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin (NHTSA Recall 13V-385, Ford Recall 13S08).
Ford's recall addresses a corrosion related defect in the lower intermediate shaft that may result in separation of the steering column lower bearing and loss of steering control.
Ford's recall will remedy the defect condition by instructing dealers to replace the lower intermediate shaft and to inspect and repair the upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing as necessary.
A retaining clip will be installed if the lower bearing has separated.
Ford's investigation of steering column separations in the subject vehicles identified a defect condition in the lower intermediate shaft that could result in separation of the column lower bearing.
According to Ford's August 26th defect report, severe corrosion of the lower intermediate shaft may cause the lower intermediate shaft swing link joint(s) to stiffen or seize.
Ford determined that forces acting on the upper intermediate shaft because of seized swing links may eventually cause the upper intermediate shaft to collapse, which may result in separation of the column lower bearing and loss of steering control.
Analysis of ODI complaints and Ford complaints and warranty identified 22 incidents of steering separation (12 complaints and 10 non-duplicative warranty claims) that may be related to the lower intermediate shaft defect condition.
All 22 incidents involved vehicles in the recall region, where 419,210 or roughly half (52%), of the subject vehicles were sold.
Ford's investigation also determined that column lower bearing separation may occur in vehicles that experienced upper intermediate shaft collapse in prior frontal impact collisions if the shaft was not properly diagnosed and repaired.
Ford identified 13 steering separation incidents outside the recall region (6 complaints and 7 non-duplicative warranty claims) where 386,003 of the subject vehicles were sold.
Ford did not find evidence of the lower intermediate shaft corrosion issue in these vehicles.
Six of the vehicles had known prior collisions and the histories of the remaining 7 were unknown.
To address concerns with possible steering separations in vehicles outside the region for safety recall 13V-385, Ford is conducting a Regional Program (13R01) to inspect and repair the steering assemblies of those vehicles as necessary.
The lower intermediate shaft will be replaced only if it fails the inspection, the upper intermediate shaft will be repaired if it fails a Ford-specified measurement test.
In the event the steering column lower bearings are found out of position, they will be re-seated and secured with a retaining clip.
Based on Ford's field actions, this investigation is closed.
The VOQs cited above can be viewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10505992, 10479893, 10477192, 10475950, 10474596
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA13-004. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA13-004
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.