Two Piece Drive Shafts & Steering Shaft Corrosion Failures
 

I have a 2005 F150 XL with low mileage, a very good ownership and maintenance history but two very troubling recent problems. I wonder if any others have had the same or similar problems.
Recently, in November 2013 my two piece drive shaft literally fell from its mount. The steel carrier bearing bracket which bolts to the frame, corroded to the point where the steel bracket severed into two separate pieces. Fortunately I was driving on a city street at low speed and was able to quickly pull over. At highway speed, I conceivably could have lost control of the vehicle and caused an accident through no fault of my own.
In April 2013, the vehicle failed a state safety inspection due to excessive play in the steering shaft's lower U joint. The mechanic said this joint could conceivably break causing loss of vehicle control by the driver. I completely understood and replaced the steering shaft.
In addition I have had the tensioner pulley bearings go, the idler pulley bearings go, the alternator housing crack in multiple places, the power steering lines leak and need replacement, the air filter housing metal clamp corrode to needing replacement.