TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO OSCILLATE SIDE TO SIDE (DEATH WOBBLE). HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 40MPH BEFORE IT WOULD STOP OSCILLATING.
2017 Ford F-250 SD complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2017 record →
WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, I EXPERIENCED WHAT THE INTERNET IS CALLING A "DEATH WOBBLE". THE "SHAKING" WAS SO SEVERE THAT I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW DOWN IN ORDER TO REGAIN SAFE CONTROL OF MY FORD F-250.
WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL GOES INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE WHIPPING, OR THE FAMOUS "DEATH WOBBLE" AFTER YOU HIT BUMPS IN THE ROAD. YOU NEED TO BRING THE TRUCK DOWN IN SPEED TO GET IT TO STOP. THIS CONDITION IS NOT SAFE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC AROUND YOU, AND IS VERY UPSETTING AND SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS. THIS HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER YOU HIT BUMPS. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE ON OUR TRIP BACK FROM FLORIDA TO WISCONSIN. I HAD A 5TH WHEEL CAMPER ATTACHED TO THE TRUCK WHEN THIS HAPPENED, SO I WAS EVEN MORE AFRAID OF LOSING CONTROL WITH THAT AMOUNT OF TRAILER IN TOW.
TRUCK GOES INTO A DEATH WOBBLE WHEN TRAVELING 60 OR MORE MPH AND HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD . HAVE TO TAKE FOOT OF OF GAS AND SLOW DOWN TO A SPEED OF 40 BEFORE IT WILL STOP. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN A MONTH.
ON HIGHWAY. AT ABOUT 70 MPH TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHICH I CALL DEATH WOBBLE. I HAD TO SLAM THE BREAK AND PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID CRASHING. THIS TRUCK HAD LESS THAN 20K MILES ON IT WHEN IT HAPPENED AND CONTINUED TO HAPPEN UP UNTIL I SOLD IT IN 2019
TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR HIT SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD WHERE BRIDGE JOINT WAS AND STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY SHOOK ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO STOP SHAKING. THIS HAPPENED OVER 4 TIMES ON OUR TRIP. TRUCK HAS ONLY 16,000 MILES ON IT. THE WOBBLE USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU HIT VARIATIONS IN THE ROAD SURFACE IN A CURVE.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH VEHICLE BEGINS TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE OUT OF CONTROL. THIS SEEMS TO START WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP OR BRIDGE JOINT IN THE ROAD. STEERING WHEEL BECOMES DIFFICULT TO HOLD AND STEERING BECOMES NEAR IMPOSSIBLE. SLOWING DOWN DOES NOT SEEM TO STOP THE VIBRATION, HAD TO PULL OVER SEVERAL TIMES. FRONT END FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO COME APART DURING THIS VIBRATION. VERY CONCERNING.
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60-70 MPH) WITHOUT NOTICE THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. IT STARTS OFF WITH SMALL VIBRATIONS, THEN PROGRESSES TO THE STEERING WHEEL ROTATING SHARPLY BACK AND FORTH. IT HAS DONE THIS THREE TIMES, USUALLY SLOWING DOWN WOULD STOP IT, THE LAST TIME IT DID THIS SLOWING DOWN DID NOT STOP IT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED FROM HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, THE LAST TIME THEY REPLACED A STEERING STABILIZER, IT HAS DONE IT SINCE THAT PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. IF A DRIVER WHERE TO PANIC WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR FATALITY. I WILL BE TAKING THE TRUCK BACK AGAIN FOR THIS ISSUE NEXT WEEK BUT HAVE LITTLE FAITH IN THE REPAIR. A SOLUTION NEEDS TO BE MANDATED.
TRAVELING AT OR AROUND 70MPH WHILE MAKING SLIGHT LEFT SWEEPING TURN IN FREEWAY LANES. HIT A BUMP IN ROAD WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO BEGIN VIBRATING IN ENTIRE FRONT END. STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO HOLD ONTO DUE TO VIOLENT SHAKING AND VIBRATIONS. HAD TO REDUCE SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 40MPH WHILE OTHERS ON THE ROAD ARE TRAVELING AT 75+MPH IN LANES.
WAS TRAVELING NB-I15 IN CA AT ABOUT 75MPH. IN SWEEPING LEFT TURN, HIT BUMP IN ROAD AND TRUCK BEGAN SHAKING VICIOUSLY. BECAME DIFFICULT TO HOLD ONTO STEERING WHEEL. HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO APPROX 45 MPH TO STOP SHAKING, WHILE TRAFFIC IS TRAVELING AT 75+ MPH AROUND ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A BUMP ON THE ROADWAY AND SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HEALEY LINCOLN/ FORD LOCATED AT 2528 RT. 17M DIRECTIONS, GOSHEN, NY 10924, WHERE THE STEERING STABILIZER WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,205.
I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON A SUNNY BEAUTIFUL DAY ON THE HIGHWAY IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE, VIBRATE, AND SHUDDER UNCONTROLLABLY. IT WAS SO VIOLENT THAT IT WOKE MY TWO YOUNG KIDS UP AS WELL SCARED THE HELL OUT OF THE WIFE AND I. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO SEE IF I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I DID NOT HAVE A FLAT. AFTER RESEARCH AND TALKING TO FELLOW PEOPLE IT IS CALLED THE DEATH WOBBLE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE WHEN PEOPLE ARE CALLING THIS A DEATH WOBBLE. THIS WILL SEVERALLY HURT OR EVEN KILL SOMEONE. I THOUGHT MY NEW 2017 FORD F250 WAS GOING TO FALL APART. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND I HIT A BUMP THE TRUCK GOES INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING AND I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN QUICKLY TO GET THE TRUCK UNDER CONTROL
TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE INCURRED FORD DEATH WOBBLE, SPEED BETWEEN 70 & 75 MPH. AFTER TRAVELING OVER BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINT. CAB SHAKING VIOLENTLY UNTIL I SLOWED TO ABOUT 35 MPH. TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED, AND ROTATED EVERY 5000 MILES. THIS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 7 TIMES IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.
DEATH WOBBLE....ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.
2017 F-250 4X4 PICKUP EXPERIENCES VIOLENT SHAKING IN STEERING AFTER HITTING BUMP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (DEATH WOOBLE). HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND LOCAL ROADS AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL ONLY BY REDUCING MY SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON A BUSY FREEWAY IN THE RAIN. MORE FREQUENTLY ON WET ROADWAYS. OCCURRED FIRST TIME AT 20000 MILES. DEALER ATTEMPTED REPAIR AND PROBLEM REOCCURRED AT ALMOST 36000 MILES.; DEALER AGAIN ATTEMPTED REPAIR AND PROBLEM RETURNED AT 38000 MILES. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE BUSHINGS AND DIFFERENT PARTS AT EACH OCCURRENCE BUT PROBLEM KEEPS RETURNING. FORD CONTINUES TO ALLOW THE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WHEN KNOWING THE PROBLEM WILL RETURN AND ATTEMPTS TO MASK PROBLEM WITH TEMPORARY FIXES FOR THEIR VEHICLES..
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65-75 MPH AND HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE STEERING WILL OSCILLATE BADLY, "DEATH WOBBLE" TO THE POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO ABOUT 30 MPH SO YOU CAN REGAIN CONTROL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST WEEK....WHICH I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM A DEALER ON 2/10/2020. THE TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 22,500 MILES ON IT. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS TO HAVE IT CORRECTED?? I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS VERY ISSUE ON THE INTERNET.
WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 70 MPH WE HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK AND STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY (OSCILLATE). THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE IT STOP WAS TO SUDDENLY REDUCE SPEED AND MOVE TO THE SHOULDER. WE EXPERIENCED THIS 5 MORE TIMES, SOMETIMES OCCURRING AFTER JUST GOING OVER A ROAD JOINT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS YOU MUST HAVE ENOUGH SHOULDER TO GET OFF OF THE ROAD AND VEHICLES BEHIND YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE SUDDENLY STOPPING. WE HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THIS IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE" AND FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME. THE TRUCK IS UNDER WARRANTY AND WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL DEALER. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED IT BY REPLACING THE STEERING DAMPER (WHICH SHOULD NOT GO BAD AT 20,000 MILES). THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW IF THIS REPAIR WILL WORK OTHER THAN TO TAKE YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HANDS AND DRIVE THE TRUCK WAITING FOR THE NEXT INCIDENT TO OCCUR.
SEVERE OSCILLATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL THAT STARTS WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP. THE OSCILLATING DOES NOT STOP UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS CLOSED CONSIDERABLY.
AT 71 MPH WHILE THE TRUCK WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, I WENT OVER A BRIDGE AND THE TRUCK BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE LIKE IT WAS COMING APART. THE TRUCK'S BACK END STARTED TO COME AROUND ON ME LIKE IT WAS SKIDDING AND WENT BACK AND FORTH A COUPLE TIMES. THE ROAD WAS COMPLETELY STRAIGHT AND DRY SO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY REASON THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED EITHER. CARS ON BOTH SIDES OF ME WENT TO THE SHOULDER AND DITCH TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. I SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 30 MPH AND THE SHAKING STOPPED. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY INSTANTLY KNEW WHAT I WAS DESCRIBING AND CALL IT THE FORD DEATH WOBBLE. THE TRUCK HAS 15,500 MILES ON IT WITH ORIGINAL TIRES, NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER REASON TO DO THIS. VERY SCARY AND I WON'T LET THE FAMILY IN IT NOW. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID IT WILL MOST LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN AS THEY HAVE TRUCKS COME BACK OVER AND OVER TRYING TO FIX IT BUT THERE ISN'T A LEGITIMATE FIX FROM FORD.
'DEATH WOBBLE' WHEN DRIVING MY FORD F-250 BETWEEN 60-75 MPH, WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR SMALL UNEVENNESS ON THE ROAD THE PICK UP BEGINS TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE! THE PICKUP BARELY HAS 38,000 AND THE SEVERITY OF THIS ISSUE CAN BE LIFE THREATENING TO SELF AND OTHERS. FORD HAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING A SOLUTION TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE THE ADJUSTABLE TRACK BAR BUT IT DID NOT ELIMINATE THE VIOLENT SHAKE AT THE FORE MENTIONED SPEEDS. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON LINE REGARDING THE PROBLEM (I AM NOT A CERTIFIED MECHANIC) BUT A COMMON PROBLEM THAT WAS VERIFIED BY MORE THAN 5 CERTIFIED MECHANICS WAS THE DEGREE OF CASTER IN THE AXLE. AN ISSUE FROM WHAT THEY BELIEVE ORIGINATED AT THE MANUFACTURER. I CANNOT UNDERSTATE THE SAFETY CONCERN THAT I HAVE DRIVING MY F250 THAT I LIMIT THE DRIVING I DO IN THIS VEHICLE. VERY DISAPPOINTING AND FRUSTRATING WHEN FORD DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM OR TRY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL. MY HOPE IS THAT THE NHTSA CAN INTERVENE AND PREVENT SOMEONE FROM BECOMING FATALLY INJURED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM.
IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS THE STEERING PROBLEM GOT WORSE. IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE DONE ALOT OF RESEARCH AND CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERS AND SAID THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNLESS I GET A RECALL NOTICE> DEATH WOBBLE IS SERIOUS. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THERE PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP. SHAKES LIKE HECK AND ALMOST WRECKED MULTIPLE TIMES. 2017 F250 SUPER DUTY CREW CAB
I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE" FOR FORD TRUCKS. WHILE DRIVING ON I-35 IN OKLAHOMA (DECEMBER 2019), ABOUT 75 MPH, HIT A SMALL POTHOLE WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK TO SHAKE. I CAUTIOUSLY PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A COMPLETE STOP TO STOP THE SHAKE/VIBRATIONS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SHAKE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON OTHER OCCASIONS. AT LOWER SPEEDS, THE VIBRATION DAMPER TAKES CARE OF THE ISSUE. BUT, I CAN TELL IT HAD STARTED. IN MY TRUCK, IT HAS NOT CAUSED A SERIOUS LOSS OF CONTROL. THE ABOVE HAS (THUS FAR) BEEN THE WORST OCCURRENCE. THIS ISSUE OCCURS AFTER HITTING POTHOLES OR LARGE BUMPS IN THE ROAD. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WITH SEVERE SHAKING, THE STEERING DAMPER OVERCAME THE VIBRATION AS I SLOWED SOME, UNABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD THEN. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED AT ROUGHLY 33,000 MILES (JUNE 2019). I NOW HAVE 41,517 (FEB 2020). THE ISSUE FIRST OCCURRED AROUND 39,500 MILES. OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY OF COURSE. CURRENT FORD "FIX" FOR ISSUE FROM FORD DEALER WILL COST $2600. LOOKS LIKE A BASIC REPLACE EVERYTHING FOR THE STEERING AND HOPE IT WORKS KIND OF FIX. I NEED TO CHECK WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY FOR COVERAGE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT HAS BEEN A NOTED PROBLEM IN FORD TRUCKS FOR OVER A DECADE FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN. IT WILL KILL SOMEONE EVENTUALLY.
70MPH OR ABOVE WHEN GOING OVER A ROUGH ROAD OR BRIDGE JOINTS, TRUCK GOES INTO A DEATH WOBBLE THAT CAN'T BE CORRECTED UNTIL I DROP BELOW 20MPH. HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN 6 WEEKS. THIS CAUSES ALMOST A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL AND REQUIRES PULLING OVER INTO A SHOULDER OR MEDIAN, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE
THIS TRUCK WHEN TRAVELING OVER 70 MPH GOES INTO A VIOLENT WOBBLE AND SHAKES AND MOVES ALL OVER THE ROAD. ESPECIALLY WHILE TRAVELING OVER 70 AND HITTING A POT HOLE OR BRIDGE SEAM WE HAVE BEEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH SEMI TRUCKS AROUND US AND THE TRUCK STARTS TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE AND LOSE CONTROL. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADDED A STREAKING STABILIZER. ONE WEEK LATER IT STARTED UP AGAIN.
THE TRUCK HAS DEVELOPED WHAT IS CALLED THE DEATH WOBBLE. TRUCK HAS 53,000 MILES ON IT .TOOK TO FORD AT 47,000 MILES AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPER ASSY. HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY AFTER BEING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH. HIT SMALL BUMP AND TRUCK STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLABLY. HAD TO HIT BRAKES HARD WITH CARS BEHIND ME TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 30MPH BEFORE IT STOPPED. NOT HAPPY WITH PUTTING MY LIFE OR OTHERS IN DANGER.WILL BE CALLING FORD AGAIN ON MONDAY ABOUT ISSUE.
I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY DOING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH (SPEED LIMIT). WHEN I HIT A BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINT THE TRUCK STARTED VIOLENTLY VIBRATING TO THE POINT I WAS LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I RAPIDLY DECELERATED AND THE VIOLENT SHAKING STOPPED AFTER I SLOWED THE VEHICLE TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. THE SHAKING WAS SO VIOLENT I WAS SECONDS AWAY FROM VEERING OFF THE ROAD INTO THE TREES. THERE IS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FROM FORD ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT IT IS NOT A RECALL. SOMEONE IS LIKELY GOING TO DIE FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN FROM FORD ON THIS ISSUE IS: TSB# 18- 2268. NTHIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL.
THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING COMPONENTS DEVELOP A VIOLENT VIBRATION AFTER DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINT OR A POTHOLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS PHENOMENON IS MORE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE 'DEATH WOBBLE'. I HAVE FOUND THAT SLOWING TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VIBRATION AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING. IT IS UNSAFE TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC AROUND YOU. IT IS UNSAFE TO NOT HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR STEERING ESPECIALLY WHEN OTHER TRAFFIC IS ALL ROUND YOU.
TRUCK SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD GOING 70 MPH. DEALER CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM AND THE SHAKING HAPPENS EVERY DAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND BELOW. ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD AND BARELY MISSED HITTING ANOTHER CAR. HAVE TO SLOW DOWN ALMOST TO A STOP TO MAKE IT QUIT.
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT A SPEED OF 70MPH HIT A BRIDGE THAT WAS RAISED (ROUGH BRIDGE)CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE (DEATH WOBBLE)...ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. EXTREMELY TERRIFYING. COULD HAVE KILLED MY HUSBAND AND I! AFTER VEHICLE WAS DROPPED TO A SPEED OF APPROX 35-40 MPH THE TRUCK STRAIGHTENED OUT.
WHILE DRIVING IN CHICAGO JAN17, 2020, I LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 294. HAD TO BREAK HARD TO AVOID PLOWING INTO AN 18WHEELER. 2017 F250 DEATH WOBBLE STEERING STABILIZER NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AT 35,000 MILES 38 MONTHS OLD TRUCK.
DURING "NORMAL" TRAVEL WHEN TRUCK HITS BUMP/ROAD JOINT/BRIDGE JOINT VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. I FOUND OUT THIS IS CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE " HAPPENS AT SPEEDS OVER APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 70MPH. ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS IS TO JUST LET VEHICLE SLOW TO STOP WHICH IS VERY HAZARDOUS ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ON A HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE
WOBBLES VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEED. HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES STARTING AT ABOUT 35,000 MILES. HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING AT 70 AND WHEN HITTING A BUMP LIKE A BRIDGE ABUTMENT. TRUCK NOW HAS 95,000 MILES, HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY AT 77 MPH AND WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL I SLOWED THE TRUCK TO 45 MPH. I'VE HAD THE TIRES AND THE STEERING DAMPER CHANGED.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOU HIT A BUMP THE TRUCKS STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY. I READ ITS CALLED DEATH WOBBLE. IT HAS DONE IT MULTIPLES TIMES, AND IT IS HARD TO CONTROL. I HAD FORD PERFORM THE TSB FOR THIS AND IT DID NOT HELP.
DRIVING ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR ON A STATE MAINTAINED HIGHWAY I HIT A SMALL DEPRESSION IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK AND THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT I HAD VERY LITTLE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD DESCRIBING THE DEATH WOBBLE EFFECT. THAT DESCRIPTION IS EXACTLY WHAT I EXPERIENCED.
THIS IS THE SECOND FORD F250 I'VE HAD IN LESS THAN A MONTH THAT HAS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION/STEERING.DRIVING ABOVE 45-50MPH AND YOU DRIVE OVER UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE,THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO SHAKE SIDE TO SIDE AND ALMOST CAUSE LOSE OF CONTROL. I HAD THIS HAPPEN TWICE ON TWO SEPARATE TRUCKS, BOTH 2017 F250'S.IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FORD KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM,BUT DOESN'T HAVE THE CORRECT PARTS TO FIX IT. DEALER IS NO HELP.THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 21K MILES.
TRUCK STARTED EXPERIENCING SEVERE FRONT END OSCILLATIONS AT 70 MPH WHEN ONE TIRE PASSES OVER AN EXPANSION JOINT. OR OTHER SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT BUMPS. THIS FIRST HAPPENED WHEN I HAD ABOUT 17K MILES ON THE TRUCK. TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER ON 12/19/2017 AND GOT IT BACK ON 1/12/2018. FORD DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY ANY SPECIFIC CAUSE FOR THE WOBBLE. PROBLEM IS REPEATABLE ON A SPECIFIC BRIDGE IN FOND DU LAC, WI. I TOOK THE FORD SERVICE MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN ON A RIDE TO WITNESS IT ON 3/16/18 WHEN IT OCCURRED 3 TIMES ON THE BRIDGE IN ONE DAY. I HAVE ALSO RECORDED THE EVENT ON VIDEO AND SHARED IT WITH FORD. I WOULD ATTACH IT TO THIS COMPLAINT BUT IT EXCEEDS THE 5M SIZE LIMIT. AFTER REPAIRS THE TRUCK WAS OK UNTIL 2/17/2019 WHEN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE WOBBLE. PARTS WERE ORDERED AND INSTALLED ON 3/1/2019 WHEN TRUCK HAD 28K MILES ON IT. THE TRUCK WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 4/10/2019 WHEN THE PROBLEM RETURNED WITH 29K MILES ON IT. THE TRUCK DROVE WITHOUT INCIDENT UNTIL 2/3/2020 WHEN THE WOBBLE REAPPEARED WITH 35.3K MILES ON IT. IT IS SCHEDULED FOR SERVICE ON 2/10/2020. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AT FORD AND THE TRUCK SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT THIS "DEATH WOBBLE" HASN'T YET OCCURRED WHILE TOWING MY 5TH WHEEL RV (FOR WHICH I PURCHASED THE TRUCK).
HORRIBLE DEATH WOBBLE. HAVE TAKEN IT INTO THE DEALER TWICE NOW. THEY CANNOT FIX IT. IF YOU RESEARCH IT ON THE INTERNET IS A BIG DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CASTER ADJUSTMENT. THIS IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED. PLEASE HAVE THEM FIX THIS. I DO HAVE A VIDEO
DEATH WOBBLE
2017 FORD F-250 WITH 23,953 MILES ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, TRANSITIONED OFF A BRIDGE (EXPANSION JOINT.) VIOLENT SHAKING OF FRONT END RESULTING IN VIOLENT SHAKING OF STEERING WHEEL AND ENTIRE TRUCK. KNOWN AS 'DEATH WOBBLE.' APPLIED BREAKS AND ONCE SLOWED DOWN TO 40 MPH THE VEHICLE RETURNS TO NORMAL OPERATION. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN THE LAS COUPLE OF WEEKS AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. TOOK TRUCK TO ASHEVILLE FORD BEFORE THIS LAST TIME AND THEY STATED NOTHING WRONG AND THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE.
VEHICLE WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING ,STEERING WHEEL IS UNCONTROLLABLE UNTIL YOU COME TO AN ALMOST STOP THEN IT WILL QUIT SHAKING VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY USUALLY BETWEEN 45-65 MPH WHEN THE SHAKING STARTS,STEERING DAMPNER WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AT 20 K AND AT 29 K SHAKING STARTED AGAIN
DRIVING IN FORWARD MOTION ABOVE 50 MILES PER HOUR, THE VEHICLE WILL EXPERIENCE AN UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE WHEN HITTING ANY SIZE BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT AN INTERMITTENT EVENT. THIS OCCURS WITH VEHICLE EMPTY OR UNDER TOW (LOADED). THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT IT IS TO SLOW DOWN BELOW 40 MPH. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PHENOMENON ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. MOST HAVE REPORTED FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IT HAS ALSO BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE FORUM THAT FORD USED TO COVER THE REPAIR, BUT IS NO LONGER COVERING UNDER WARRANTY. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 20000 MILES ON IT, I ONLY USE IT FOR EVERYDAY DRIVING AND TOWING A CAMPER UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. TIRES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND INFLATED PROPERLY. THE CONDITION PRESENTS ON ANY TYPE ROAD AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. I HAVE ALSO NOTED A CREAKING/ CLUNKING SOUND DURING SLOW SPEED TIGHT TURNS IN THE PARKING LOT.
DEATH WOBBLE - DRIVING WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, WITHIN 65 AND 70 MPH, A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD WILL CAUSE THE FRONT SUSPENSION, BOTH WHEELS, TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY UNTIL THE SPEED IS REDUCED TO BELOW 35 MPH.
EXPERIENCE WHAT IS CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE", SEVERE STEERING OSCILLATION. TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED 60 MPH OR BETTER HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. OSCILLATION STARTED, TO REGAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF VEHICLE I HAD TO REDUCE SPEED TO UNDER 35 MILES AN HOUR. IN TRAFFIC AT 60 MPH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF THERE IS NO SHOULDER OR IF YOU ARE IN THE FAST LANE. LUCKILY EACH TIME THIS OCCURS I HAVE BEEN IN A RURAL AREA. IF I WERE ON THE DC BELTWAY AND THIS OCCURRED, WITHOUT A DOUBT THIS WOULD CAUSE A MULTIPLE VEHICLE EVENT WITH INJURIES..
WHEN CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND I DRIVE ACROSS AN EXPANSION JOINT OR LARGE CRACK IN THE ROAD THE FRONT END WOBBLES TERRIBLY. THIS IS TERRIFYING AND I MUST SLOW DOWN IMMEDIATELY TO ABOUT 30 MPH TO GET THE WOBBLING TO STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW STARTING WHEN THE TRUCK HAD 35,000 MILES ON IT. I AM AFRAID I AM GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THIS DOES NOT GET FIXED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HAULING A GOOSE NECK TRAILER AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE TAIL GATE OPENED INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUGHT WITH HYDRAULIC SYSTEM ON THE TRAILER AND THE PUMP DETACHED. THE CONTACT STATED AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER (ROMEO FORD OF KINGSTON, LLC LOCATED AT 128 NY-28, KINGSTON, NY 12401), WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE TAIL GATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE AND TRAILER WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V864000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I HAVE HAD A DEATH WOBBLE, VIOLENT SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END, HAPPEN 4 TIMES NOW. IT IS ALL STOCK AND UNDER WARRANTY YET. THE FORD DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS IN THE FRONT END 3 TIMES NOW BUT NEVER SEEMS TO FIX OR GUARANTEE THE WOBBLE WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS BEFORE PEOPLE GET KILLED FROM LOSS OF CONTROL BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. ALL 4 TIMES THIS WOBBLE HAPPENED I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND PERFORMED A CHECK OF THE VEHICLE BUT FOUND NO FAILURE. THE CONTACT RESUMED DRIVING AND AT THE STATED SPEED THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.
DRIVING IN BETWEEN 50 AND 65 I HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE IN THE ROAD THE FRONT END STARTS TO SHAKE AND SHAKES THE WHOLE CAB OF THE TRUCK BAD. TRUCK HAS 29K MILES. HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 30 MPH TO GET IT TO STOP SHAKING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED A ROUGH SURFACE ON THE ROADWAY, THE STEERING SHOOK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO (JONES-WEST FORD DEALER, LOCATED AT 3600 KIETZKE LN, RENO, NV 89502), WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPER AND THE TRACK BAR BUSHING. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DICK CAMPAGNI CAPITAL FORD DEALER, LOCATED AT 3660 S. CARSON ST, CARSON CITY, NV 89701), WHERE A DRY PARK INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED AND THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED TRACK BAR BUSHING AND INSTALL BOTH DRAG LINKS, A NEW STEERING DAMPER AND PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED NEW DAMPNER HAS BEEN REPLACED, 3RD TIME IT HAS BEEN REPLACED.*JB
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2017 Ford F-250 SD → · Every F-250 SD year → · How the figures are calculated →