Ecoboost Performance Forum

So far I haven't had any real problems with my 2011 SHO until yesterday.

What happened:
After the minus degree weather on Friday here in Cleveland, the steering column was locked up when I went to leave for work!
Weird thing is the car started with no problem. I let her warm up for like 5 mins and came back out to leave for work. I put it in reverse, and proceed to back up only to discover that I couldn't turn the wheel left or right!? Put it in drive and pulled it back up to the spot it was at in the driveway. Shut her off and came inside to ponder a bit because:

• I know there isn't power steering fluid so there couldn't be frozen lines. At least I think so.
• I always park the car with the wheels straight and the steering wheel was dead nuts centered so it shouldn't have locked the steering column.
• There are no dash lights on and there are no codes when I use my scan tool.

Needless to say I was baffled, I searched the forums and didn't find anything which had me worried.
I looked at my battery and figured it needed to be changed anyways since it was the battery that came with the car when I bought the car a year and a half ago and I don't know when the battery was changed.
I went out today and bought this baterry https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/autocraft-gold-battery-group-size-65-850-cca-65-2/2040468-P?navigationPath=L1*14920%7CL2*15000 (https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/autocraft-gold-battery-group-size-65-850-cca-65-2/2040468-P?navigationPath=L1*14920%7CL2*15000) that has 850 cold cranking amps which should help come the deep freeze we are going to get in Ohio.

Put the battery in and I started her up and the steering column is not locked anymore and all is well!! What a scare that was haha.
I figured I would post this because it is supposed to be arctic cold this week here in the midwest and I am not sure if that was what caused the issue I was having, but it was the only thing different that I could think of. 

If any one else has had this issue with the steering column be locked like I have, please let me know!

-Mo-

Any type of electronic glitch, we look to verify the battery first for this very reason.

Sometimes there actually are issues with the steering gear or module, so if the battery checks out great, it's down to the nitty gritty, or should I say, rusty dusty.

Yup, changed the battery and that resolved the problem.

I hope it's a permanent fix to your issues especially with the cold weather and all! It sounds like you reset the battery adaptives by installing a new battery,but would monitor it for the time being IMO!  Z

Definitely will keep an eye on it. I just don't want to be chasing electrical gremlins haha. 

Follow up report... This morning the steering column locked up on me today on my way out of the driveway! Luckily that's as far as I went and not in traffic. I backed it back into the driveway and had the car towed to the local ford dealership. They called me and said that they are updating and reprogramming the power steering control module which will take all day. Tomorrow they will see if that fixes the issue, if not they will do some more testing and said hopefully they won't have to replace the whole steering column because the the PSCM is apart of the column assembly. Needless to say I am glad I am not the one digging for electrical gremlins.

It sounds very similar to your issues.  Z

NHTSA ID Number: 11154014

Incident Date November 25, 2018

Vehicle Identification Number 1FAHP2KT2BG****

[Summary of Complaint]
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD TAURUS. WHILE EXITING THE DRIVEWAY AT A LOW SPEED, IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE MOTOR COMPANY (LOCATED AT W 1680 US-41, MARINETTE, WI 54143, (715) 735-7474) WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V340000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: CAS-16452991. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/FORD/TAURUS/4%252520DR/AWD#recalls (https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/FORD/TAURUS/4%252520DR/AWD#recalls) .

https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2
(https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/FORD/TAURUS/4%252520DR/AWD)

Yup ZSHO! That is exactly what is happening!! The car is at the dealership now. So far they tried updating the Power steering Control Module computer, which they told me resolved the issue. They said their tech turned the car off and in the morning they started the car and tried to move it out of the service garage and once again the steering was locked up. They told me that they cannot just replace the steering modules because they are built into the steering rack and column which means they have to replace the steering rack and column. Hopefully my extended warranty covers the repair, but I know how that can go from other cars I have had haha. Either way the car will be back to normal soon enough. I just hope no one else has this issue with their SHO.

-Mo-

Quote from: Moisme33 on January 29, 2019, 06:23:16 PM
Yup ZSHO! That is exactly what is happening!! The car is at the dealership now. So far they tried updating the Power steering Control Module computer, which they told me resolved the issue. They said their tech turned the car off and in the morning they started the car and tried to move it out of the service garage and once again the steering was locked up. They told me that they cannot just replace the steering modules because they are built into the steering rack and column which means they have to replace the steering rack and column. Hopefully my extended warranty covers the repair, but I know how that can go from other cars I have had haha. Either way the car will be back to normal soon enough. I just hope no one else has this issue with their SHO.

-Mo-

True indeed! The only and proper way is to replace the entire Rack.  Z
BTW make certain they perform a 4 wheel alignment.