3 Ways To Fix The Power Steering Assist Fault On A Ford F-150

Driving a Ford F-150 truck is fun. Its strength and power can handle any job. But if a power steering assist fault pops up, it can be a problem. Steering could feel hard or not work at all. That can ruin your drive and your day.

But don’t worry! You don’t need to be a super-mechanic to figure it out. This article will show you some common fixes, step by step. If you can do it yourself, great! If not, a good mechanic can handle it. Let’s get your Ford F-150 truck back on the road.

Key Takeaways

• A power steering assist fault in your Ford F-150 truck may be a simple fix.
• Common problems include blown fuses, faulty sensors, torn belts, and loose belt tension.
• Check under the hood for the power steering assist fuse. Replace it if it’s blown.
• Listen for the sound of the power steering motor when you start the truck and turn the wheel.
• If you cannot hear the motor, this means it’s either not getting power or it is dead and needs replacing.
• The belt that helps move the gears might be loose or broken, causing difficult steering.
• Always remember, if you’re not comfortable with diagnosing or fixing the issue, let a professional mechanic handle it.

Possible Reasons For The Fault

Few things can ruin a drive like trouble with your Ford F-150 truck’s power steering. It’s a key part of your ride. It makes steering your truck easy and smooth. But when it goes bad, your truck becomes a headache. Let’s take a look at some of the problems that can mess up your power steering and signal a dash warning. Here’s what happens and what can fix them.

Driving your Ford F-150 truck can be tough if there’s a problem with the power steering assist. One major issue is a blown fuse. This small part can stop the whole system. If it blows, the power steering assist won’t get power. So, it can’t help make your truck steer easier. A quick change of the fuse can fix this.

Sometimes the computer will have a glitch in it that just needs a simple reset. This does happen and has an easy fix, but it may be a sign of things more serious to come in the future.

Another troublemaker could be a torn belt inside the rack. This belt helps move the gears that turn the wheels. If the belt tears, the gears can’t move right. This makes steering harder or even impossible. Also, the belt tension might be loose. This means the belt slips on the gears and can’t turn them.

Diagnosing The Power Steering Assist Fault Issue

When your Ford F-150 truck shows a power steering assist fault, you might feel lost. But don’t worry. You can find out what’s wrong. Your truck can help you know the issue and how to fix it. It might be easier than you think. Here’s how you can figure it out.

1. First, look for a bad fuse. This is a simple start. Just check the fuse under the hood. You’ll find it in the fuse box. If it’s blown, replace it. That could solve the problem right there.
2. But, what if the fuse is good? Then check the power steering assist motor. Start your truck’s engine and turn the steering wheel. If you hear the sound of the motor, good! But, if steering is still hard, it points to the belt. This means the belt is either loose or broken. It needs replacing.
3. If you can’t hear the motor, we have another problem. It could mean power is not reaching the motor. Or maybe, the motor itself is dead.

3 Ways To Fix The Power Steering Assist Fault

Here are 3 ways you can try to fix your Power Steering Assist Fault. They are not by any means the only things that could be wrong, but these are the most common.

1. Replace The Fuse

If you find that the fuse is blown, you just need a new 10 Amp fuse. Locate the fuse box under the hood of your truck. It will be located at the “top-left”, or by the firewall on the passenger side. Open the cover and find the fuse number 18. It is the 6th fuse from the right, in the 3rd row of fuses from the top, on the right side of the fuse box. Simply pull out the old one and push in the new one. Now test if this fixed the fault and you now have power steering.

If this fixed the issue, keep an eye on it and see if this happens again. If it does, you may have a electrical issue that needs to be looked at.

2. Quick Reset

This may sound like a joke but it’s not. A simple reset can fix it. Turn the truck off and pull out the key, open the drivers door and then close it. Now stick the key back in and start the truck. This sometimes will resolve the issue.

If this keeps happening, you may have a more serious issue and would need to have a mechanic take a look.

3. Replace Belt

There is an electric motor that moves the rack right and left by spinning a gear connected to the motor with a belt. This belt will sometimes break and would need to be replaced.

The power steering motor and belt are accessible from the right side of the wheel well. You can reach in and access the bolts to remove the belt cover, replace the belt and assemble it all back.

1. To start, add some wheel chucks behind the rear tires to secure the truck so it doesn’t roll.
2. Jack up the right side of the truck, or if possible, jack up the entire front of the truck. Make sure to place jack stands for safety, and never just leave the truck sitting on the jack alone.
3. Remove the right front wheel.
4. Pop out the inner tie rod from the spindle.
5. Remove the tie rod from the rack and pinion.
6. Remove the cover on the rack that covers the belt.
7. Pull out the shreds of the belt and blow out any debris that is left in there from the belt.
8. Measure and note the distance of the top of the tension wheel from the bottom of the top gear, so you can match the factory distance when tightening the belt.
9. When putting the new belt back on make sure it goes on the right way. The teeth on the belt are at an angle and should match the teeth direction of the gears.
10. Once the belt is back on, tighten the tension wheel to the noted distance from before you loosened it.
11. Replace the cover and assemble the tie rod.
12. Install the wheel and lower the truck.

Here is a video that shows the entire process:

Replacing The Power steering Assist Motor

If you find that the motor is not working, replacing the motor it self is not going to be easy as they don’t just sell the motor by it self. You will need to replace the entire rack and pinion unit. These sell aftermarket for about $500 and the OEM Ford part will cost about $1.000.

Replacing it will be hard so if you can have a mechanic do it for you it will be less headache. I haven’t done it so I won’t be able to walk you through it here.

Parting Thoughts

Figuring out the trouble with your Ford F-150 truck’s power steering is a big first step. These tips can help you know what to look for. But always remember, if you’re not sure or don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, let a mechanic help. They’re professionals who are trained and ready to get your truck back on the road.

Keep in mind, these common issues are not the only things that can go wrong. There might be other, less common issues that only a mechanic can find. Your truck is a complex machine, built with many different parts. They all work together to get you where you’re going.