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'99 escort zx2 steering issue
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simplicity05
New User
Mar 9, 2008, 1:30 PM
Post #1 of 7
(2402 views)
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'99 escort zx2 steering issue
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Hoping someone can give me a definitive answer to this problem:
Last night it was snowing decently out, enough to cover the road. Took an on-ramp on the way to a restaurant and dropping my right tire off the side of the road due to poor visibility. Gave the wheel a small pull to the left to get it back on track and everything seemed fine.
Left the restaurant and was heading down an empty frontage road when I heard a loud noise. Turned a corner and the car wanted to jump towards the ditch. Got out and checked everything, and found out my front left wheel no longer would respond to the steering wheel. The right side still acts fine, but the left just doesn't respond, yet I CAN still turn the wheel by hand. We had to get the car to a safe spot, and driving it was a constant struggle to keep the wheel straight; it wanted to just turn whichever way the road wanted it to.
I wasn't able to actually see what was broken behind the wheel - this all happened at 3am. At one point I reached behind the right side of the wheel and felt what seemed like a ball joint with nothing attached behind the right half of the wheel, but I very well could be wrong.
After about 3 hours of looking last night, and another 2 today, the best I can seem to figure out is that it might be a tie rod problem, but I really don't have a good clue on what it could be. I know a fair amount about cars and how they work, but I'm certainly no pro.
Any help that can be offered would be great!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 9, 2008, 3:14 PM
Post #2 of 7
(2398 views)
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Re: '99 escort zx2 steering issue
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Guess: Tie rod is off or missing now completely. Totally unsafe to drive at all and if so will go real whacked when even rolled in reverse,
T
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simplicity05
New User
Mar 9, 2008, 4:14 PM
Post #3 of 7
(2396 views)
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Re: '99 escort zx2 steering issue
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aprox. cost to repair?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 9, 2008, 4:51 PM
Post #4 of 7
(2395 views)
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Re: '99 escort zx2 steering issue
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No way to tell the cost of the fix without a full inspection. Things like this are likely covered under insurance - at least where I live --- if this was extraordinary driving conditions, you were using all reasonable caution, and don't have a habit of this it would be covered and NOT affect your record.
This might be costly - just can't say,
T
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
ras4ecs@verizon.net
Apr 19, 2008, 1:32 AM
Post #5 of 7
(2368 views)
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Re: '99 escort zx2 steering issue
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You could get a tie rod end for under $20, but there may be more damage there after going off-roading <g> and then continuing to drive it after it broke. It would at least need an alignment after the tie rod is replaced.
I went to replace my driver side outer tie rod end a few months ago since I noticed a little play in it. When I gave it a twist it came apart in my hand. I just got off the highway after doing 80 mph for a couple of hours. Timing is everything!
Good luck.
RAS
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Simplicity
Anonymous Poster
Apr 21, 2008, 8:23 AM
Post #6 of 7
(2360 views)
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Re: '99 escort zx2 steering issue
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I was able to get it fixed under warranty. Turned out to be only one tie rod on the drivers side, not sure if inner or outer though. Weird thing is, now I'm getting a lot of belt squeal after it was in the shop, but I figure that's either just a bad belt or a pulley needing greasing
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 21, 2008, 8:46 AM
Post #7 of 7
(2358 views)
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Re: '99 escort zx2 steering issue
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Is the belt tight enough? Check with engine off - duh - and keys out! Try some WD-40 on the belt and if it shuts up and was tight enough get a new quality belt. Pulleys will not shut up if squealing and can't be greased and should be replaced asap if found,
T
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