Steering Column

Bruinzfan

Bruinzfan

New member
Please forgive me in advance. I have been looking around most of the day and am not clear on whether my problem with the column needs a full replacement or just the motors cleaned.
I have seen the cable under the dash that was put there as Fords fix, so the previous owner must have taken it back for that.

At this time the column is fully extended. I hear a clicking and what I would describe as the motor briefly trying to go. I was a couple of years ago able to bang the wheel while operating the button and got it to retract. It worked pretty well and as intended for quite a while. Then the fatal mistake, I opened the car with my spare keys. Aparently the setting for those keys called for the full extension again. Now no matter what I do I can not get it to retract. Like I mentioned, it clicks and sounds like it briefly wants to operate. Any ideas/help would be appreciated. I am going to fix the blend door and figured I would replace the column or fix it at the same time.

Thank you very much.

Keith
 
budpytko

budpytko

Super Senior Associate
I had much the same problem with mine a few years back except it was the tilt motor. I took it apart and found the mechanical stops weren't stopping the motor so it traveled beyond the stops and bound up.. I knocked out the old stops and used a drill bit to make new stops. Used one just a hair larger in diameter than the holes. Broke the bit off so about 1/16" protruded on each side. Filed the sharp edges and put everything back together....like new again. Oh yeah, I did both the up/down and in/out motors while I had it out.....

Be careful not to let the steering wheel turn taking it off or you will damage the clockspring.
 
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Lownslowlsc

New member
If all else fails you can drop the column, remove the top cover to adjust it manually and unplug the motors so that you'll never have to worry about it again.
 
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