AU steering rack recall, who's done it?

[12]

Who has been to Ford for the recall? I'm not sure if I want to take the TS50 to Ford to get it "fixed".Received my third letter from Ford on Friday about taking the TS50 to have the recall work done. What I've heard and read is that after the work has been performed, it'll make the steering rack almost impossible to be removed by itself. Also heard of a few racks been stuffed by the technicians when carrying out the work and needing replacment. So what is everyones thoughts? Is it as bad as the recall letter makes it out to be? Is it worth doing?

[buickman]

Had mine done months ago by Knox Ford. No issues with the work performed.

buickman

[loxxr6]

Had mine done and it seems so far that any worries about the work that gets done to the car are unwarranted. No probs here.

[Tornado]

My brother inlaw had his done on his AU1 XR6 and has had no issues.

[FRDGAL]

I got a letter from Ford on Friday aswell (via Registered Post) "3rd and FINAL notice". I had an appt last year but cancelled it because of all the negative things I heard from people that took theirs in to have it done. I have enough issues with the car as it is - the absolute last thing I need now is for something to go wrong after I take it in.

I honestly don't know what to do used:

[Au2falcons]

I had mine done by thomson ford in Sydney, even though i've had bad experiences with them in the past, i've had no problems with this, mine was done when the recall first came out. It's for your own safety, get it done.

Cheers,
Adrian

[XR8GRL]

Originally Posted by Fairmont_Krissy

I got a letter from Ford on Friday aswell (via Registered Post)

Same here. Don't know why tho, seeing as I sent back their first letter they sent me stating I don't own the car no more _

[sbutler]

As far as I know, Its not the rack, its the bolts or fittings thats the trouble, Its only in AU1/2, AU 3 is not affected. Hope this helps........

[rag top]

Had the wife's wagon done a while ago. No issues and they did it while I waited - took a total of 20 mins...

[Casper]

Got my letter on Friday too. I'm holding off for the same reasons as Augzmk and Krissy.
What I think I'll do is get a mechanic I trust to insect it prior to any work being done to assure me the steering rack was in good condition. That way if it goes to crap I'll hopefully have someone to back my stry about Ford mechanics screwing yet another thing up.
As you may notice, I think Ford mechanics are incompetent, overpriced, fools and generally I wouldnt let then anywhere near my car. This of course is always a generalisation and I'm sure there are competent Ford mechanics.... I simply dont care to gamble on finding one.

[neil101]

They don't touch the rack they put a dab of weld on the stud on the x-member steering rack can still be removed. Had it done to my Dad AU XR when it was first recalled and to my ute, steering rack can still be removed no hassles replaced the rack on Dad's only last week. If you don't get it done what happens is the stud work it's way out the x-member and stripps the thread on it's way out which then means you need a x-member so get it done asap will be a lot cheaper in the long run. This has only happened to 1 AU but ford are just playing it safe. One of my customer is a technician at thompson ford he explained the whole thing to me nothing to worrie about you won't have any dramas.

Neil

[Stav]

DO NOT TAKE IT TO FORD!!!!!

Get your mechanic to do the job!!!Put loctite on and leave the thing.

I had mine done ..they weld the bolt to the thread. Yes they did that and I got home to find power steering fluid everywhere.When I took it back they denied everything.."sir it must have been leaking from before"" . In the same breath I got quoted by them for another rack!!! The rack which they wrecked was only 7 months old!!

Also to remove the rack now with the recall the crossmember must be removed.

I dont want to label ford at all.But that was a bad experience.!! Finally its up to you what you choose.

If they were to to do a proffessional job they should remove the rack ,cross drill the thread and put on a castle nut with a split pin.But I do believe it is the easiest way out!!


My thoughts are take it to a proffessional mechanic not ford and get a proper solution to the problem. Dab of solder indeed!!!

Originally Posted by useless

DO NOT TAKE IT TO FORD!!!!!

Get your mechanic to do the job!!!Put loctite on and leave the thing.

I had mine done ..they weld the bolt to the thread. Yes they did that and I got home to find power steering fluid everywhere.When I took it back they denied everything.."sir it must have been leaking from before"" . In the same breath I got quoted by them for another rack!!! The rack which they wrecked was only 7 months old!!

Also to remove the rack now with the recall the crossmember must be removed.

I dont want to label ford at all.But that was a bad experience.!! Finally its up to you what you choose.

If they were to to do a proffessional job they should remove the rack ,cross drill the thread and put on a castle nut with a split pin.But I do believe it is the easiest way out!!


My thoughts are take it to a proffessional mechanic not ford and get a proper solution to the problem. Dab of solder indeed!!!

You have no idea do you, there is no way that the ford dealer could of caused the power steer leak. All they do is weld the studs on the front side of the crossmember, so you can still replace your steering rack without any dramas. There is no reason to replace your crossmember unless your stud has come out, which should of been fixed with the recall (SRCC300)

[AU:PROJECT:UTE]

Originally Posted by holdon

You have no idea do you, there is no way that the ford dealer could of caused the power steer leak. All they do is weld the studs on the front side of the crossmember, so you can still replace your steering rack without any dramas. There is no reason to replace your crossmember unless your stud has come out, which should of been fixed with the recall (SRCC300)

holdon; Useless is not talking about replacing the crossmember only removing it in order to replace the steering rack. Which once the dodgy half arsed recall is performed is the route to follow. It is pathetic and I completely agree with Useless, do not get this done at a Ford dealer unless you want hundreds of labour costs added to your bill if and when you have to replace/remove your steering rack.

holdon perhaps you could read a post completely before flaming a member that has been here and contributed a heck of a lot more to this forum than you have in your five (5) posts!
Constructive critiscism is widely and easily accepted whereas being a fr*gging know it all straight off the bat isnt taken at all. /rant

Originally Posted by AU:PROJECT:UTE

holdon; Useless is not talking about replacing the crossmember only removing it in order to replace the steering rack. Which once the dodgy half arsed recall is performed is the route to follow. It is pathetic and I completely agree with Useless, do not get this done at a Ford dealer unless you want hundreds of labour costs added to your bill if and when you have to replace/remove your steering rack.

holdon perhaps you could read a post completely before flaming a member that has been here and contributed a heck of a lot more to this forum than you have in your five (5) posts!
Constructive critiscism is widely and easily accepted whereas being a fr*gging know it all straight off the bat isnt taken at all. /rant

Ther is NO need to remove the crossmember to replace the rack before or after recall SRCC300. Yes a know it all, well i seem to know more than you two guys.

[GK]

G'day everyone. This is my first entry as I just joined this morning!

I had my recall work done and it was fine. I've seen up close what it's all about and it's no big deal, pretty simple and quick to do. I cannot see how the work Ford does would alter the rack in any way as the rack itself doesn't appear to be touched.

I wouldn't hesistate to recommend you wait in getting it done.

Blessings.

George

[SVR73]

Ford still think I have the AU1 forte which is now probably parts for somebody elses AU, especially the custom interior

Have yet to tell them that it was written off

[Scruba]

I had the AU1 Fairmont done and ever since the steering shudders over 90klm/hr.

Could be something else but only happened after the rack was fixed.

[xceler8shun]

I had mine done 2 weeks ago,

A week later the clutch cable wore a hole through a power steering line and my mechanic had to reposition the clucth cable, so my mechanic told me.

Dont know if Ford service stuffed around with the clutch cable while doing the recall, but I only got problems after it went into them.

[GK]

Originally Posted by Xcel

I had mine done 2 weeks ago,

A week later the clutch cable wore a hole through a power steering line and my mechanic had to reposition the clucth cable, so my mechanic told me.

Dont know if Ford service stuffed around with the clutch cable while doing the recall, but I only got problems after it went into them.

Man! It seems that nearly everyone has a different story. No wonder so many say "yeah get it done" and others cry in anguish "don't let Ford get near it!"

George

[FRDGAL]

Don't suppose anyone's had it done at Westpoint Ford to give us an idea of how it went and if there were any problems afterwards??

[LUXO_8]

my parents got a letter aaaages ago for their S2 Fairmont, and the car was checked and i think something replaced at the next service...

[12]

Oh man, I'm more confused than ever now. Interestingly, why is it just AUI's and not AUII/III's? I mean, the AUII/III's have the same aluminium crossmember and steering rack don't they? What did the AUII/III's have different to rectify this issue that the AUI's didn't. Surely it's not a dab of weld to the bolt and the crossmember? Why can't a AUI adapt whatever Ford did to the AUII/III's? Even if it costs a little bit more. Can't be that much of a difference I would think. I'm not too keen on this quick fix weld dab job offered by Ford. Seems exactly that, a quick fix.

I'll be writing a list of these questions and taking them to my closest Ford dealer for some answers. Unless someone knows the answers out there.

[FRDGAL]

Originally Posted by AUGZMK

Oh man, I'm more confused than ever now

I'm still worried about this myself but I've gone ahead and booked mine in. I sat down and looked at it like this - if I have problems after it's done, I'd rather that than to have a loss of steering especially since I have 3 kids in the car all the time. But I am having the car checked before it goes in to Ford so I guess if I have problems afterwards, I can atleast show them that there were no existing problems before their "fix".

[GK]

Originally Posted by Fairmont_Krissy

I'm still worried about this myself but I've gone ahead and booked mine in. I sat down and looked at it like this - if I have problems after it's done, I'd rather that than to have a loss of steering especially since I have 3 kids in the car all the time. But I am having the car checked before it goes in to Ford so I guess if I have problems afterwards, I can atleast show them that there were no existing problems before their "fix".

As a family man myself, I reckon that's a very good idea.

George

[lukey]

My brother got his done nps. It was a quick job... just a lose bolt that needed to be tightened i believe.

[12]

Originally Posted by lukey

just a lose bolt that needed to be tightened i believe.

Nope, a bit more to it than just tightening a loose bolt, but yes, it IS a quick job.

[Au2falcons]

Ok the problem which sparked the recall is this,

These bolts that attach the steering rack to the crossmemeber are studs. These studs are inserting into threaded holes in the cross member, loctite or similar was applied to the stud to prevent them from coming out. On the cross member is written the max torque that is to be applied when tightening the steering rack nuts. During servicing vehicles have bolts & nuts retightened, and these may have been tightened beyond the specified which destroys the loctite, so with vibration the studs can wind there way out. So i've been told by ford that what they are doing is checking to see if the projection of the stud from the crossmember is within specs. If it is, that are tack welding it in to prevent the possibility of it coming out, if it's not they will replace the stud then tack weld. This problem didn't affect the series 3 AU's because the method for fixing the studs had changed.

Sorry it was a bit long, but it think that it explains it.

My opinion, i can't stand ford service depts, they have stuffed me around so much, though i wouldn't muck around, there letter warns that this fault can lead to steering failure, they're not joking. But if you don't want ford doing it, well then have someone else come up with a solution are give it a go yourself.

Cheers,
Adrian

[12]

Thanks for explaining that Adrian.

Originally Posted by Au2falcons

This problem didn't affect the series 3 AU's because the method for fixing the studs had changed.

Do you know what that method of fixing was?

[Au2falcons]

nope, i don't, i'll see if i can find out