Re: Advice Requested / Power Steering

[Ambitious1]

I would like to ask some advice from anyone who may experienced the same. I'm retired, I don't drive that often and I only drive my MM about fifteen minutes at a time. Fifteen minutes to the grocery store, post office, etc. For the first time in a long time, I took the car for a longer trip, about half an hour. I noticed the steering became very stiff after the first fifteen minutes. I forgot about it until it was time to go home. Again, after the first fifteen minutes of normal driving and steering, I had to use both hands to drive the car home. After about a week or so, the steering is now stiff from the minute I start driving. I don't see any leaks under the car. Am I correct to assume the power steering pump needs to be replaced? Before I start buying parts, has anyone experienced the same thing and was it anything else other than the power steering pump? Thank you in advance.

[justbob]

Sounds like your steering shaft. The one on my F150 did this to the point of almost locking up with no notice, sometimes right in the middle of a turn. Scary!


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[Prospect62]

Sounds like your steering shaft. The one on my F150 did this to the point of almost locking up with no notice, sometimes right in the middle of a turn. Scary!


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Likewise. Check that intermediate steering shaft for sure. Replacements are cheap and can be replaced in the driveway. Can't recall a time where I heard the problem only developed after the car got warm, but it could be the engine heat is exacerbating the problem and only making it noticeable after the car gets up to normal operating temps.

Amazon.com: Dorman 425-360 Steering Shaft for Select Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Models , Black : Automotive (https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-Solutions-425-360-Intermediate-Steering/dp/B00GJ1DCMM)

Intermediate Steering Shaft Replacement - 2003 Town Car and other Panther Chassis Cars 2003 - 2011 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsRFlXoJ8Ho)

Replace that and maybe lube up the joints on the steering shaft up near the brake booster (use a spray lubricant of some kind, but not white lithium grease). You should be back to smooth sailing. Luckily the 03-04 Panthers have a different column design that does not rely solely on the troublesome plastic retainer to hold the column assembly together. When (not if) the lower shaft starts binding, you'll only notice the binding - the column won't subsequently collapse like 05+ Panthers will.

[gdmjoe]

Before you give-up on the existing steering shaft try lub'ing it with (say) differential gear lub'. *Any weight will do.

And... If that does the trick, make it a part of your regular maintenance routine.
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