My son has a 97 Mountaineer AWD that makes a creaking noise when the steering wheel is turned slowly left or right. I crawled under it and listened/looked while he turned the wheel and I cannot pinpoint the source. Since there are no grease fittings we cannot grease it. It sounds like maybe the noise is coming from the steering rack. Any suggestions?

 

I had my 97 explorer in for this reason about a year ago. Was told it needs the updated power steering hose and y-brace and u-bolt kits installed. I have not done it yet and it doesn't seem to make a difference with function. Could be this....

 

I have a 2001 sport trac 4x4 with the same problem. It sounds like the noise is coming from the power steering pump,but it's not.I brought this to the attention of my ford dealer, they said there are rubber bushings in the steering column which may be making the noise. They sprayed it with lubricant, and the noise seems to have vanished. It made the noise more often in cold weather, now that it's warming up; I may not find out if it really works till cold weather gets back.mike j.,nj.

 

Do you know if it makes the noise when you push up and down on the suspension? If it does, you may have a bad ball joint. My 96' Explorer was making a screeching sound when I turned the steering wheel and when the suspension went up and down. I hear the lower right hand side goes first and that was the one that went bad on my truck. The boot looked like it disintegrated. Good luck.

 

I HAD BOTH BALL JOINTS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY @ 34,000 MILES. IT WASN'T THAT.THERE'S SOMETHING RUBBING INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN, WAY DOWN INSIDE OF IT. IF YOU TOOK TWO RUBBER GASKETS AND APPLIED MUCH FORCE/PRESSURE AND TWISTED THEM, IT WOULD MAKE A NOISE SIMILAR TO A POWER STEERING PUMP GOING BAD. THAT IS WHAT THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE. I NOTICED WHERE THE SOUND WAS COMING FROM WHEN THE TRUCK WAS PARKED AND NOT RUNNING WITH THE KEY TURNED IN THE IGNITION, TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT TO RIGHT. I REALLY THOUGHT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS GOING BAD, BUT NOT THE CASE.ANYHOW, I'M CERTAIN MY S T WAS BUILT ON A FRIDAY, DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE WARRANTY WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS.AFTER FORD REPLACES EVERYTHING THREE TIMES , I'LL HAVE A NEW S T (HAHA).THERE IS ALSO A VERY LOUD THUMP UNDER THE FRONT CHASSIS WITH THE TRUCK RUNNING IDLE FOR 5 MIN. OR MORE.IF I PLAY MY MACH SYSTEM ON FULL VOLUME, ALL THE FORD MYSTERY NOISES SEEM TO DISAPPEAR; CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT(HAHA).MIKE J

 

sifisto, thanks for the info. That's really interesting about the cold effect. Mine is the same way. Now that it's warmer it hasn't done it for a while. Sounds just like the ford garage to tell you it's a more costly fix than it is. Always after the buck. It SICKENS me.

Where do I need to spray?

 

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FORD TECH SPRAYED, SOMEHOW HE MUST HAVE TAKEN APART THE STEERING COLUMN SOMEWHAT;MAYBE THE ACCESS IS IN THE AREA WHERE YOUR KNEES ARE. TAKING APART SOME OF YOUR DASH MAY EXPOSE SOME SOME OF THE COLUM.I JUST DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. ONE OF MY NUMEROUS WARRANTY VISITS HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE STEERING WHEEL REPLACED, AFTER THAT VISIT THE NOISE WAS GONE??????OR AT LEAST I HOPE SO.MIKE J.