Certain vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the left and/or right front lower insulator to cradle centre metal sleeve is collapsed, which can result in loss of clamp load in the joint. If the clamp load is reduced or lost, the bolt can be lost or broken and the joint can separate. If not repaired, separation of the opposite side joint could occur and result in steering shaft separation. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the left and right front lower cradle to suspension insulators and the attaching bolts.
On certain vehicles located in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador, the lower sub frame mount plate nut may corrode and fail due to exposure to road salt. This could result in loss of structural integrity of the subframe mount attachment. Detachment of the body mounts at the rear corners of the sub frame which supports the engine and transmission, allows the rear corners of the sub frame to drop. Should both rear corners drop, steering control would be adversely affected.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will install subframe rear mount bolts, reinforcement plate and plate nuts.
On certain vehicles, the steering wheel could become loose on the steering shaft due to insufficient torque on the steering wheel retaining nut. This could result in loss of steering control and a crash without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the steering wheel retaining nut for correct torque and tighten as necessary.
Certain vehicles have lower than specified torque on all three of the steering gear to frame attachment bolts. In this condition, the bolts may loosen during the life of the vehicle. Relative movement of the steering gear to frame may wear and/or fatigue the attaching bolts to the point of breakage or the bolts backing out. This would result in steering gear separation and loss of steering control.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Steering gear to frame bolts will be torqued to the proper specification.
THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY LOOSEN AND CAUSE AN ABNORMAL STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS. IF THE OWNER CONTINUES TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION, THE NUT MAY EVENTUALLY COME OFF, AND THE STEERING WHEEL MAY SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING SHAFT. THIS WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
STEERING WHEEL SET NUT WILL BE TIGHTENED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.
ONE OR MORE OF THE RIVETS ON THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT FLEX COUPLING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN STAKED (FLARED OVER) DURING THE SUB-ASSEMBLY PROCESS. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN ONE OR MORE RIVETS SEPARATING FROM THE FLEX JOINT RESULTING IN A REDUCTION OR LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT AT THE STEERING GEAR AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT.
A DEFECTIVE YAW RATE SENSOR MAY BE AFFECTED BY CERTAIN ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES SUCH AS FROM A CELLULAR PHONE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VSC) TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY AND CAUSE THE BRAKES TO APPLY UNEXPECTEDLY, AFFECTING STEERING AND SPEED CONTROL (AND HENCE VEHICLE STABILITY) AND MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
YAW RATE SENSOR WILL BE REPLACED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.
On certain motorcycles, the tall handlebars may crack and could eventually become detached from the cuff which provides attachment to the front fork tubes. This could result in loss of steering and a crash without prior warning.
THE STEERING COLUMN COUPLER MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED WHEN THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SEVERE IMPACT TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THIS WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
STEERING COLUMN COUPLER WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT COLLAPSES ON IMPACT.
On certain vehicles, the rack and pinion steering gears may have damaged input shaft bearings. This condition could increase steering efforts, potentially affecting steering control.
On certain vehicles, the lower steering shaft to steering gear pinch bolt may be "finger loose" or missing. A "finger loose" bolt could continue to loosen and fall out. With the bolt missing, the steering shaft yoke could wear and jump spines on the steering gear shaft causing an off centre steering wheel. Relative movement between the chassis and cab could cause the steering shaft to separate from the steering gear resulting in loss of steering control.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for the presence of a pinch bolt and ensure it is torqued to specification.
On certain vehicles, the pinion bearing cage in the steering gear could separate under high steering load conditions. This could result in the pinion gear disengaging from the rack, causing degradation or loss of steering control and could result in a crash without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the manual steering gear assembly.
On certain motorcycles, front wheel oscillation and rapid side to side handlebar movement may occur when the front wheel is slightly loaded and hits a bump or surface irregularity. This may occur when accelerating on a rough road or when accelerating out of a turn and hitting a bump. This oscillation and handlebar movement can reduce the rider's ability to control the motorcycle.
THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING SHAFT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
THE STEERING COLUMN LOWER PINCH BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION. THIS COULD RESULT IN RATTLE AND LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM. IF THE PINCH BOLT WERE BACKED OUT OF THE JOINT COMPLETELY, ROTATION OF THE STEERING SHAFT AGAINST THE CONNECTOR IN HIGH EFFORT STEERING MANEUVERS COULD CAUSE INCREASING LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING AND A CRASH.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
STEERING COLUMN PINCH BOLT WILL BE INSPECTED AND IF NECESSARY TIGHTENED TO SPECIFIED TORQUE.
The steering wheel armature stamping may crack and separate from the centre hub of the steering column. This could adversely affect steering control and result in a possible crash without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Steering wheels exhibiting cracks will be replaced. All other involved vehicles will have a anti-separation plate installed to prevent separation of the steering wheel from the steering column.
On certain vehicles, the plastic pins and metal clip that retain the steering column lower shaft could break, causing the lower shaft to separate from the upper shaft. This would result in loss of steering control and a possible crash without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
A restraining sleeve will be added to the intermediate shaft to limit the amount of axial steering column shaft movement possible in the event the plastic pins and metal clip are broken.
On certain vehicles, the steering linkage relay rod tapered stud attachment nut may not have been torqued to specification. This could eventually lead to fracture of the relay rod stud resulting in loss of steering control and a possible vehicle crash.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will remove the existing tapered stud crimped nut and install a new nut torqued to specification.
NOTE: CROWN VICTORIA POLICE INTERCEPTORS AND UNITS FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS. TOWN CARS WITH LIMOUSINE BUILDER PACKAGE OR TRAILER TOW PACKAGE. THE PITMAN ARMS ON THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT FULLY LUBRICATED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. IF NOT PROPERLY LUBRICATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, THE PITMAN ARM BALL JOINT MAY BECOME CONTAMINATED AND CORRODE. THIS COULD RESULT IN ABNORMAL WEAR AND POSSIBLE PITMAN ARM BALL JOINT SEPARATION CAUSING SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
PITMAN ARMS WILL BE INSPECTED AND THOSE WITH SIGNIFICANT WEAR WILL BE REPLACED. THOSE PITMAN ARMS NOT REPLACED WILL HAVE THE BALL JOINT FULLY GREASED.
