2007 steering feels notchy?
 

I have a 2007 Eddie Bauer 4X4 that the steering feels notchy on. It does not have a liner feel to it. You can really feel it when making 120 degree turns in parking decks, taking slight turns to merge onto roads, or in general, when you turn the steernig wheel. It feels this way both when initially turning the wheel and when it is returning to center. Best way to describe it is it is kind of like a ratchet tie down strap, it is difficult to make small steering input adjustments. This becomes a problem when cruising doen the interstate, or any road, if entering a turn and going over bumps, such as as metal strips on an overpass or manhole covers, the steering wheel wants to move in the direction it is being turned an excessive amount, almost to the point of upsetting the vehicle. I relaize a LITTLE movmement is normal, but I would consider this excessive. Has anyone else experienced this, I am going to take it back to the dealer to have it checked out, but thought I I would ask here to get ya'lls input.

Don't know if it's the same, but my buddy's '04 silverado ss was almost the same thing. Except he described it as worn ball joints. turns out that with the chevy, he needed to take it in to have the steering column greased.

Definitely have the dealer look at this. Offer to ride with the service tech so you can pinpoint the problem to him. This eliminates 'could not duplicate'.

My 08 is buttery smooth. I would agree with everyone....take it in.

My 07 steering is smooth and trouble free so far. It was a little tight at first but now at 4000+ miles seems to be ok. I would have it looked at.

Well, I took it to the closest Ford dealer over lunch today and I rode with the service tech and he could feel what I was talking about - very slightly though. This is not what I consider a huge problem, it is more of an anoyance than anything - the steering just does not feel linear. He had no idea what it could be, air in lines, who knows and did not want to start throwing parts at it. I am going to drive it a little more, it only has about 1800 miles on it and see what happens.

Its good you got it documented with the dealer. Now if anything comes up later no one can play the game of "when did this start?..Oh we might have a problem" Good move but too bad they could give you a solution.

UPDATE: The expedition has around 8,000 miles on it now and I got fed up with this problem - especially after driving an '08 expedition and my dads new 07 F150 that had a COMPLETELY different steering feel. My wife claimed I was crazy, she could not notice a thing and thought it drove great, but having owned numerous Fords over the years, it did not feel right to ME. So, I took it back to the dealer, the service guy I was dealing with vowed to fix it so he and the mechanic put thier geads together and agreeed on the only part it could be. They ended up replacing the "steering gear". I asked, are you talking about the rack, they said no, supposedly this is a seperate part...... Anyway, this completely fixed it, I could tell as sson as I was ulling out of the aprking lot with it, they also performed the transmission TSB and I am love this SUV now.

-----------------Do you know or can you find out which TSB update they used????

Ut Oh!!!!
 

Guess what? My 07 is starting to do this too!

It feels like something in the steering needs a shot of grease as there is sticking and a grinding noise in the steering that is getting worse by the day. The noise seems to be coming from the steering wheel, but hard to tell. I am going to the dealer on this as this could be safety related if something jambs up while going around a corner.:confused:
7600 miles.

OK I went to the Ford dealer today and they told me that the steering gear was causing the problem.
Cause: SOP Rack and Pinion.
I don't think so, I still think the problem is in the steering wheel bearings or in / under the steering wheel itself. Thats where the noise seems to come from, but they say it is the steering unit. They said the noise was coming up through the steering shaft to the steering wheel. They said that some Ford trucks and T Birds have had this problem. Guess I will find out. They had to order a new part and I will go back Wed. morning to have it replaced.
I was thinking if 70Boss 302 had the TSB or part # that his dealer used to repair his, it would be helpful. The Expedition, other than the sticking/ grinding sound from the steering wheel tracks straight down the road. My fear now is with a new steering assembly, my front end will be out of alignment and I will be taking it in for that problem. I would think they would check the alignment when replacing the steering assembly, but......

Here is something else. The sound I am hearing is very similar to the sound I had on my 94 Bronco right before the "clock spring" assembly broke under the steering wheel.
The first time it broke I took it to the dealer to be repaired. The second time it broke I replaced it my self. Here is what I found, the grease in the "clock spring" had dried out and the plastic wire coil was sticking together and rubbing until it broke into. When this happens the cruse control, air bag and the horn stops working.

The Expedition has that same sound and sticking feeling in the steering. So I am betting that it is not the steering gear. But I could be wrong.
Will keep you posted.

Off subject, sort of
 

Speaking of steering problems. My former supervisor during 1982 drove a 1974 I H Scout II for a work truck. The steering box had been replaced once because it was worn out, but the second one broke also. The second steering box went out when he was going around a corner and locked up causing him to take out a sign post.
The point is that steering boxes can and will lock up when they break down.
So I think that my current 07 Expedition steering problem could be a safety issue. I don't need to have a pile up due to a broken steering box.:-huh

I will check my paperwork for you. I had no sound coming form the steering wheel or any other issues than, what I can only describe, as a notchy or grabby steering. It was most notciable when cruising down a 4 lane at 65 or so and you tried to make very minor steering adjustments or when towing and weight was taken off the front end of the vehicle. It also had a very high steering effort. I can tell you that they had to reset the toe on my vehicle once they had replaced the steering gear. I can only assume something got out of tolerance during the manufacturing process.

As far as which transmission TSB they perfomred, I will check. The only complaint I had about the transmission was bad a tip in hesitation and a tendency to downshift into first when it should not at low speeds and it caused the vehicle to be real touchy due to the low 1st gear combined with the 3.73s out back.

70 boss 302

Thanks for the information. My steering effort is normal, but it feels like sticking and noise is at the steering wheel, but it is hard to tell. This is why I don't think a new steering assembly will solve the problem. I would like to take the whole thing apart to track the problem down, but I am sure it would affect the warranty, so I will have Ford work on it.
Before the sticking problem started, there was a rubbing noise at the steering wheel, just like when the "clock spring" went out on my 94 Bronco.

Here is something else I noticed, temperature seems to make a difference.
When cool not much noise or sticking, but when sitting out in the Sun for a while, the noise and sticking becomes worse. So I don't know whats going on.

It is now repaired.
 

Ok I got the 07 back today and it seems to be fixed. I was wrong as usual. It seems to be the steering gear that was defective.

Here are the details: Part# FMC 8LIZ 3504A Gear assembly steering $353.93
Alignment $34.56
Total parts and labor warranty cost to Ford $666.66
Two hours labor.

Drove 5 miles, seems to be ok now.
I hope this is the end of the problem.:)