This past week I have started experiencing intermittent increased steering pressure when making a corner at intersections or the like. Steering wheel randomly becomes much harder to turn and after the turn does not straighten out but keeps it's position. Steering isn't so stiff it requires two hands to turn but stiff enough I must hold the wheel rather than use the heal of my hand. Doesn't happen every turn but does seem to happen at least once on every drive. Is this a sign the steering pump is on it's way out? Would like to change out parts while they are "not right" rather than when they completely fail.

 

Easiest thing to check 1st would be the steering shaft from the firewall to the rack. It has two joints that can bind up and cause that 'stuck' feeling

 

This. You've got EPAS (Electric Power Assist Steering) so there's no pumps or hydraulics outside the rack.

 

The rack is going out.

 

I wouldn't have thought of electric steering on a pick up. Thanks guys! Will check out the rack and linkage. Much appreciated that I didn't take it in to my mechanic complaining about the power steering I didn't have. LOL

 

I'd give the joints on the steering shaft a bath of oil though just to confirm it's not that that's acting up. The shaft is around $200 vs. a $1500ish steering rack.

 

Ouch. Will certainly do that first. Just seems odd that it's an intermittent issue.

 

I have a similar condition with my "11" F150 Lariat. I had a conversation with a Ford "Service Specialist" who thought it might be an intermediate shaft u-joint, until I told him it was a 2011. He really didn't have a suggestion other than keep track of the symptoms and they could investigate the next time it's in for an oil change.

 

Might just be a fluke but it seems to happen more on hot days (which we have had few of lately). Should know better if summer EVER arrives.

 

I saw that rockauto.com is out of stock on the steering racks, so apparently it's becoming a common issue. But when they've got them, they sell them for $600ish I think which is much lower than dealership pricing. If you're mechanically inclined, you could swap it out yourself and save hundreds of dollars on the repair.

Mine shows very light symptoms at times because it'll want to keep the wheel in one place, or have a faint whining sound coming from it. I'm praying it'll hang on for a while because the wife and I are currently building a house and money is tight. I'm at 116,000 miles fyi.