Well, Guess what. They didn't fix it !!! After all this time without my Expy I picked it up today. The story goes we balanced the tires put 1 new one on BLAH, BLAH, BLAH ....same problem only now it pulls to the right along with the shimmie and the steering wheel is turned a little left. I'm disgusted, I don't even enjoy driving it. Sorry Guys just had to vent a little. They did fix my mirrors though

 

Bro,

Tell they you want the tires broke from the rims and turned 180 degrees. Then you want them to pay for an on vehicle balance. It's expensive but you'll get a VERY good balance that way. Also, if the dealership's machines haven't been calibrated, they won't give a good balance. I'll be honest, I've never, besides Cook County Ford in Adel Georgia, run into a Ford dealership that had a good service department. They do as little as possible to assist you unless you're related or know the owner. They're out for the almighty dollar...

Sorry for your trouble. It may be worth the money to go to Sears and get some Michelin XC LT4s for your vehicle. They are, in my opinion, the best tires made for SUVs. Stay away from the LT2657017 and ensure you get an "S" rated P2657017. Then if it fixes the problem you can file a grievence with Ford and see if they'll pay for the tires. Best of luck brother.

v/r

 

Back to the dealer Monday. We'll see what happens

 

I said the same thing about the General's and now I had a tire separate on me and cost me $500 in a deductable. I have a 2001 with 17" rims and it happened at 23,000 miles. I hope that this does not happen to you.

 

Same problem as everyone else...
I recently got a 2003 Expedition that I noticed an obvious vibration in the steering wheel at high speeds (55 + MPH). I returned it to the dealer and here's their attempts to fix it each time with no luck:

1. Balanced the wheels.
2. Adjusted the torque bolts.
3. Replaced the rack & pinion. (said it was too small?)
4. Replaced the front wheels and tires with Conti's (at my recommendation)
5. Had 2 regional reps drive it 40 miles and say there's a problem but they don't know what to do.
6. Filed for the Florida Lemon law : Last attempt to fix and now they say it " Operates as designed" all the sudden,and that all Ford Expeditions have vibration in the steering wheel.

I was hoping Ford wouldn't want to go to arbitration/court and would just give me another vehicle, but it looks like they are willing to go to arbitration and fight. Any ideas of what I can use as "ammunition", etc... to fight so I can simply get a brand new truck that doesn't shake...which I don't think is asking too much. Thanks!
BTW - it's an Eddie Bauer 2WD 4.6L
Going to arbitration in 1 week...wish me luck!

 

Here's what I am planning on doing after they try and fix it this time. I'm going to go to a local tire shop and buy a set of wheels and put a good tire on them and see what happens if this fixes it. I'll still have the other wheels and the Conti tires for arbitration. I don't know what else to do. I was going to just trade it off but of course they say it's lost 19k in value in 2.5 months

 

It seems that new (better) tires fix the problem. I only read one post where someone got Michelns and that fixed the problem.

Has anyone received new tires (non conti's) and it did not fix the problem?

I can't believe that Ford will rebuild you front-end and not jut put on new tires?

I've go just over 2000 kms on my truck now and I'm going to take it in for the first time next week.

 

UPDATE on my 03 Exp EB.

If you didn't read my earlier posts in this thread... I had the same shake at 65 mph. The service dept balanced the tires. The shake now happens at 75-80 mph. I took it back. They rebalanced, realigned. Still shakes. They measured the heaviest side of each wheel and set the heaviest side of each tire opposite that. Now the shake is hardly noticeable, but it is still there. The service department is contacting Ford to get authorization to replace my tires. We'll see how it goes...

 

Feetfxr,
Make sure you keep us updated after your meeting

 

Update.... Dealer called and said they had tech drive all new Expys on the lot and they all shimmie. Now they don't know what to do. They will call tomorrow Stayed tuned for tomorrows episode of "As the Steering Wheel Shakes" Starring "03 EXPY EB"

 

Just got home from the arbitration meeting and I won!!! All 3 members of the panel agreed that the shaking affects the safety, resale value and use of the Expy. So, now I have to decide if I want to try another EXPY or take my money and run to another brand. Thanks for all your advice. Anyone going to arbitration that wants my few words of advice let me know.

Finally happy with my Expedition

 

Yes, I would like your advice. I don't have any idea what the dealer is doing to my Expy now they have had it this time for 7 working days and I called yesterday and they told me they have no news so her I am driving a rental still.

 

I have my new 20" wheels with 305/50 Kumho STXs...guess what? No high speed vibration! Wow, this is how the truck is supposed to feel!!!

I told my service department and do you think they cared? Not. I am going to wait a month until I put the stock wheels back on, then I will bitch till they replace these crappy Contis...

 

I am sure most are familiar with the TSB that has been out since June to address this problem, but I have not seen a specific reference to it, so here it is. Bottom line - problem may have as much or more to do with the rims (wheels) as it does with the tires themselves. If you can read the entire TSB, you will see that one of the main procedures for diagnosing/resolving the problems involves checking the front wheel bore to hub clearance. The procedures outlined in the TSB range from rebalancing the wheels/tires, to replacing one to all four wheels and tires, to replacing the Steering Gear.

Here is an excerpt from the TSB:


Article No.
03-12-7 STEERING - STEERING WHEEL NIBBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS - VEHICLES PRODUCED BEFORE 6/13/2003 ONLY

Publication Date: June 16, 2003

FORD: 2003 EXPEDITION
LINCOLN: 2003 NAVIGATOR


ISSUE:
Some vehicles built before June 13, 2003 may exhibit a steering nibble condition. This condition typically occurs on smooth roads at highway speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h), and is felt in the steering wheel as a side-to-side, or rotational, oscillation. When measured with an Electronic Vibration Analyzer (EVA), the measured frequency is between 10-16 Hz.

ACTION:
Refer to the following Service Information for details.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Before driving the vehicle, verify cold tire pressure on all four tires is 35 psi, and review the tires for signs of unusual wear.

Visually inspect for worn suspension parts such as shock absorbers, ball joints or bushings. (Refer to Section 100-04 in the Workshop Manual as necessary). Service and/or replace worn parts. If repairs are made, drive vehicle to see if condition is corrected.

If the condition is due to temporary tire flat spotting, driving the vehicle for 5-10 miles at highway speeds will eliminate the condition, and no further service action is required.

If the recommendations above do not resolve the condition, follow the procedure in this article to diagnose and service. Using properly calibrated road force measurement equipment such as the Hunter GSP 9700/9712, as described in Procedure A (Figure 2), is the most reliable method for balancing the wheels and tires on this vehicle. Refer to TSB 02-1-6 for more information on use of the Hunter GSP 9700/9712. Proper wheel and tire balance on this vehicle is critical to eliminating the nibble condition.

If you do not have road force measurement equipment, but you have a like vehicle with identical wheels and tires, follow Procedure B (Figure 3). If neither of these options is possible due to equipment and/or vehicle availability, follow Procedure C (Figure 4).

Drive Diagnostic Procedure
Drive the vehicle to evaluate and confirm the condition. Note the speeds where the condition exists and if the vibration is steady or phases in and out when driving at a steady speed. Nibble phasing occurs because of slight front tire circumference differences between the right and left tires. Because of this phenomenon the nibble might, at times, seem to go away and later return. For adequate assessment of nibble, include several right and left hand turns during the diagnostic drive.

If the vibration condition is present at the beginning of the drive and goes away after driving several miles, the condition was due to flat spotting of the tires and no further service action is required. Tire flat spotting is a normal characteristic on most tires and usually works itself out after the first few miles of driving. If the condition is still present as nibble (and not another vehicle vibration), refer to the flowchart (Figure 2) for proper service actions.

NOTE 1
Navigators equipped with the Euroflange chrome wheel, 2L1Z-1007-AB, use a saddlebag type of wheel weight (see Figure 5) on the outboard flange. This square flange is located on the inside of the wheel assembly and exists for the purpose of maintaining the appearance of the chrome wheel by enabling placement of the weight in a hidden location. These wheel weights may be ordered in bulk by calling 1-800-ROTUNDA. Part numbers are listed in Figure 1. Stick-on weights are not recommended, as they do not adhere well unless the surface is at room temperature, and is thoroughly cleaned of all contaminants, including brake dust. The inboard flange of the chrome wheel, and all other OE wheels used on the 2003 MY Expedition/Navigator, use standard weights. These may also be ordered through Rotunda.

NOTE 2
Using a grease pencil, mark any wheels replaced as a result of following this TSB with the TSB number and the hub-to-bore clearance measurement. This will help aid processing at the Warranty Parts Return Center (WPRC) should the wheel be requested by the WPRC.

NOTE 3
Do Not replace the steering gear if the production date reflects a build date of June 6, 2003 or after. The production date for the steering gear can be determined from the 10 digit lot code stamped into the gear. It is adjacent to the left-side bushing where the gear attaches to the frame, and faces the car-forward direction. The first character of the lot code will be A, B, or C. The next six digits are the date code, mmddyy. For example, 061303 will indicate June 13, 2003. The last four digits are the time.

PART NUMBER PART NAME
3L1Z-3504-AARM Steering Gear - Expedition
3L7Z-3504-AARM Steering Gear - Navigator



OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES:
02-1-6

WARRANTY STATUS:
INFORMATION ONLY

OASIS CODES:
303000, 306000, 703000, 703300

 

Having my EXPY back at the Dealership for the third time today for shaking in steering wheel at highway speeds (65-80). First time they did not feel any thing. Second time they balanced the tires. Third time Hmmmm. I suspect they will do somthing that does not quite fix the problema and hope I am tired of driving the horrible ford focus they give me every time. I will update when I get the results. I hate buying a new car that has mulitple problems with under a thousand miles on it. Agrrrrrrrr. Jim