Service bulletin 1261A

A bulletin is a manufacturer's communication to its dealers, as NHTSA indexes it. The summary is NHTSA's. The document is the manufacturer's: read it at NHTSA. A bulletin is not a recall, and listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned.

NHTSA's summary

Service Information: Bevel gear of front axle steering system Service records have shown that the grease in the bevel gear could affect performance at very low temperatures (below -20°C/-4°F). If the grease in the bevel gear becomes hard enough to affect drivability, additional manual force could be required to turn the steering wheel. This would be especially noticeable when the steering wheel is turned the first times after an initial start-up. The phenomenon could disappear later as a matter of course due to the warming up of the grease in the bevel gear. Additionally it has been determined that in some cases water has penetrated the bevel gear via the sealing thereby contaminating the grease. The penetrating water will start corrosion of the bearings. This problem shows a gradual, but continual increase of the steering forces and will not disappear at higher ambient temperatures or when the bevel gear is in use. Checking the bevel gear rotation torque will help in determining if the bevel gear needs to be replaced. If either of these conditions are observed, it is necessary to replace the bevel gear by the corresponding ZF bevel gear. Old and new bevel gears are interchangeable, but note that two different types of bevel gears are used. Also note that the new bevel gear has a mid-position which should be taken into account during the installation of the bevel gear.

The document

• NHTSA's copy of the document (PDF)
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The document is the manufacturer's. This site does not hold it. NHTSA files a document at one of these two addresses; we have not asked NHTSA which.

Components

Equipment and accessories, Steering, Wheels

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