Odd result from a wreck (totaled) today: steering wheel column detached in my hand!

[Ottocycle]

As bad as it sounds your Maverick did exactly what is was designed to do. It has a collapsible steering column assembly. You have a primary column made of metal which you can see in your pics. You also have a secondary column made of plastic. In a low speed collision which doesn't warrant an airbag deployment the steering column folds/collapses to protect you. In a frontal collision the column would telescope into itself. When you hear from a police officer/tow truck driver they have never seen this before...they're partially correct. This was implemented in high end luxury vehicles before the NHTSA required it in all vehicles beginning in 2022. I'll take a collapsible steering column over a rigid one that has no give and severs the base of my skull from my spine (decapitation) even with the aid of an airbag any day of the week. Glad you're okay though!

OK I stand corrected. I did some research on modern collapsible steering columns after your comment. You are correct. For everyone else check out this graphic from a NSK paper on a new rack they designed and are marketing to companies.

It seems ford uses an older conventional design. We all assumed they would use the more modern design where the tube collapses on it self

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[rivermaverick]

It seems ford uses an older conventional design. We all assumed they would use the more modern design where the tube collapses on it self

Looks like steering columns are designed with frontal impacts in mind, driver being thrown forward, airbag deployment or steering mechanism pushed back into the passenger area. If the driver braces for a rear impact and pulls on the wheel as the vehicle is hit maybe this is what happens - shouldn't though.

 

[Charles]

How would that hold up if the air bag goes off? Wouldn't the wheel just push in? Hopefully your seat belt would stop you from continuing forward.

you don’t go “forward” when rearended.

 

[Tailender]

you don’t go “forward” when rearended.

I ment when hitting the front.

 

[JennyJoannSuebeeMcNash]

Looks like one of those moments when you sit there in astonishment and can only think, "Well...fuck!"

 

[clearviewx]

That sucks.

 

[Timothyd]

I received my Maverick a year ago and have loved it. Hit 20,000 miles just this morning.

Got rear-ended this afternoon and surely it is totaled. (RIP Blue Bear, you were awesome) The bed is twisted, the gaps on the doors are out of whack, even the top of the cab seems to be tweaked.

The odd thing is that the steering wheel and column literally came off in my hand. The cops and tow trock crews were astonished and none of them had ever see anything like it. The assembly was still attached with the wiring harness and had the electronic functionalities, but it was laying in my lap. When I got out of the Maverick, I could see that ratchet mechanism for adjusting the column was laying on the floor adn seemed to be missing a screw (possibly).

I always liked the way it handles and brakes. I was able to brake very easily in this sudden-stop situation (Dammit Houston traffic), but the guy behind me was in an older Dodge Ram and just plowed into me. I got as close to the driver ahead of me as I was comfortable doing, keeping in mind that I did not want to get pushed into him.

Now on to deal with the insurance companies.

Glad you're okay. Maybe the steering wheel is made for compression and not tension. Or, it could be an anti theft feature (take your steering wheel with you)

Seriously though, after all the trouble of acquiring the Maverick the first time, now are you going to try for another one?

 

[Charles]

?

 

[LM42]

It is quite obviously not a piece of junk. This is important safety engineering.

 

[James K]

That is.......something. I hope you file a report with https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem just to be safe. Who knows if this is something that has happened to others and is simply not reported (since we are only a small part of the folks who have a Maverick).

That is.......something. I hope you file a report with https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem just to be safe. Who knows if this is something that has happened to others and is simply not reported (since we are only a small part of the folks who have a Maverick).

I'm not an engineer but being rear ended would put a pulling force on it. It should be reported but not sure it's a negative. I doubt you could have pulled it out without the help of the Ram behind you. The force of such an impact would surprise you. I once struck a dear with my motorcycle doing 45MPH and was amazed how much I bent the handlebars. The bike never went down, so it was all my body that bent it (dear didn't get through the fairing but messed that up). I needed a 4' pipe to straighten it.

 

[NBTX]

Glad you're okay. Maybe the steering wheel is made for compression and not tension. Or, it could be an anti theft feature (take your steering wheel with you)

Seriously though, after all the trouble of acquiring the Maverick the first time, now are you going to try for another one?

Yeah, I do plan on getting another Maverick, and won't be too picky on specifics as long as it's an XLT and a color I like. Still working through the insurance process. What a racket!

 

[Charles]

Love to see rearend damage

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