AFTER DRIVING OVER ROAD IMPERFECTIONS (E.G. BUMPS, POT HOLES, DIPS, ETC.) AT SPEEDS ABOUT 40MPH OR ABOVE, THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK SHAKES VERY VIOLENTLY, AND THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES QUICKLY AND STRONGLY, ALTERNATING RAPIDLY BETWEEN CLOCKWISE AND COUNTER-CLOCKWISE MOVEMENTS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK; CONTROL CAN ONLY BE REGAINED AFTER SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO BELOW ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR, WHICH IS WELL BELOW ACCEPTABLE SPEEDS ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THIS IS NOT A ONE-TIME INCIDENT, BUT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME A ROAD IMPERFECTION IS DRIVEN OVER. TIRE PRESSURE IS CONSTANTLY CHECKED AND MAINTAINED, THE TIRES ARE RELATIVELY NEW (I.E. LESS THAN 10,000 MILES), AND THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN CHECKED BY A MECHANIC WITH NO OBVIOUS PROBLEMS.
2005 Ford F Super Duty
Owners filed 27 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the steering. No safety recall has been issued.
27 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,000–75,000 miles.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Electrical System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsTHIS TRUCK HAS EXPERIENCED SHIMMY, AKA DEATH WOBBLE, SINCE NEW. I HAVE HAD NO SUSPENSION MODIFICATIONS AND NOT RUNNING ANYTHING OTHER THAN RECOMMENDED SIZE AND QUALITY OF TIRE. WHEN CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND YOU HIT A BUMP THE TRUCK HOPS AND SHAKES IN A DANGEROUS WAY. I HAVE ONLY GOTTEN LETTERS FROM FORD SAYING TO USE THE CORRECT TIRES AND PSI RATING. WHICH I HAVE AND IT STILL HAPPENS.
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AND HAD NO STEERING NOR BRAKES AT 70 MPH LUCKILY TRAFFIC WASN'T TO BAD AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO SAFETY PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK RESTARTED THE VEHICLE IT TOOK A FEW TIMES TO CRANK GOT IT STARTED PULLED OF THE INTERSTATE AS I WAS TURNING AT THE EXIT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AGAIN LOOSING STEERING AND BRAKES AGAIN. *TR
TURN KEY TO START AND RUN. START DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL GAUGES GO DEAD (NO POWER) RADIO & CRUISE CONTROL & WINDOWS & INTAGRATED BRAKES ALL GO OUT. NO MATTER AT ANY SPEEDS. THE SCARY ONE IS WHEN WE HAVE OUR 44 FT SUNDOWNER RV COMBO HORSE TRAILER AT 70 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL AND THIS HAPPENS AND YOU HAVE NO GAUGES OR TRAILER BRAKES, NO POWER TO WINDOWS, NO POWER TO UNLOCK DOORS EXCEPT MANUALLY.AND NONE OF THE GAUGES ARE WORKING. BUT THE TRUCK STILL RUNS FINE. DEALERSHIPS CANT LOCATE PROBLEM BUT CHARGE YOU 2 HOURS LABOR AND SAYS BRING IT BACK IF IT DOES IT AGAIN. HAVE BROUGHT IT IN 14 TIMES THIS MONTH.
MY TRUCKS FRONT END SHAKES AND BOUNCES WHEN I HIT A ROUGH AREA ON THE HWY TO POINT IT FORCES ME INTO OTHER LANES OR OFF THE ROAD. WHEN IT STARTS BOUNCING I HAVE HIT THE BREAKS HARD AND COME TO A STOP. REALLY DANGEROUS ON A WELL TRAVELED ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I'VE HAD THE TRUCK CHECK AFTER EACH INCIDENT AND AM TOLD EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT OK. THEY SAID TO KEEP TIRES AT 65 PSI AND THEN 75 PSI NEITHER HELPED. TODAY AFTER ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER CAR HEAD ON HWY 175 I DECIDED IT'S TIME TO REPORT IT. *TR
SPARK PLUG SHOOTOUT/ SPARK PLUG THREAD FAILURE. *TR
THIS WAS THE RECALL DRIVEABITITY. PERFORMED BY SELLING DEALER FORD OF WALLA WALLA UNDER WARRANTY. FORM WILL NOT ACCEPT PARTS. REPLACED EP SENSOR DID RECALL MAINTENANCE 59B01 AND RECALL DIESEL ENGINE01F0Z14. *TR
ON APRIL 5, I WAS IN HE PROCESS OF STOPPING FOR A STOP SIGN, WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE TRUCK. I DROVE LESS THAN 2 MILES, TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD TRUCK TOWED TO AUTONATION FORD IN ST. PETERSBURG FL. MECHANIC NOT ON DUTY, BUT MONDAY (APRIL 7, 2014), SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED AND SAID NOTHING SHOWED UP ON THEIR COMPUTER CHECK, AND WAS STARTING FINE AFTER A MINOR ADJUSTMENT. I PICKED UP THE TRUCK, DROVE LESS THAN 2 MILES, WHEN IT STALLED AS I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF COMING TO A STOP, WHILE MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 30 MPH. LOST POWER STEERING BUT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART TRUCK AND RETURNED TO DEALER. TOLD THEM I DID NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC TEST, SINCE THEY HAD FAILED TO FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM. ON APRIL 10, DEALER CALLED SAID THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT COULD BE EGR DIRTY OR TURBO BOOST. SINCE I HAD NOTICED TURBO WAS NOT KICKING IN PROPERLY DURING ACCELERATION FROM A STOP, I TOLD THEM TO DO BOTH BUT TO TAKE OFF THE $155 THEY HAD CHARGED ME FOR DIAGNOSIS. THEY AGREED AND MY TRUCK WAS RETURNED TO ME ON APRIL 12, 2014. ON APRIL 13, THE TRUCK STALLED WHEN COMING TO A STOP FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. LOST POWER STEERING BUT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. LESS THAN A MILE LATER WHEN SLOWING TO MAKE A TURN, ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND I LOST POWER STEERING. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO MISS STRIKING A HOUSE AT THE INTERSECTION. TRUCK STALLED TWICE DURING THE NEXT 2 MILE TRIP. I T
THE STEERING BOX FAILED, THE STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL AND THEN HITTING A SNOW BANK WHICH ULTIMATELY CAUSE A ROLL OVER. *TR
WHILE TRAVELING HOME WITH MY FAMILY WE HIT A SMALL POTHOLE AND THE TRUCKS FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN AND SIDE TO SIDE. I CLASP THE WHEEL TIGHTLY TO TRY TO CONTROL THE SHAKE WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN (WHICH DIDN'T HELP).AS THE TRUCK SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND PULL OFF TO SAFETY FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION I COULD SEE NOTHING IMMEDIATELY WRONG. WHEN RETURNING HOME I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY F250 OWNERS FROM 2005/ CURRENT THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU *TR
AIR BAG DEPLOYED OUT OF STEERING WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN. *TR
VEHICLE ENGINE (6.0 DIESEL) UNEXPECTEDLY AND SUDDENLY DIED WHILE CLIMBING A NARROW MOUNTAIN STATE HIGHWAY, JUST IN BETWEEN SWITCHBACKS THAT HAD NO SHOULDERS; HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO JUST CLEAR ROAD ONTO A SHOULDER. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD EVER DISPLAYED PREVIOUSLY TO THIS INCIDENT. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, TOWED TO LOCAL FORD DEALER. ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED LOSS OF HIGH PRESSURE OIL; AND FICM FAILURE AND GLOW PLUG MODULE FAULT BY OBD AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT NOW'S CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. STC FITTING REPLACED, DECLINED FICM AND GPM REPAIRS DUE TO COST AND VEHICLE ABLE TO RUN TO GET IT HOME. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALS THESE 3 PARTS, AMONG OTHERS ON THE 6.0 ENGINE, HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH FAILURE RATES, ALL RESULTING IN AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER AND POTENTIAL STRANDING. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED WITHOUT SATISFACTION. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS AS A SAFETY AND INHERENT DEFECTIVE DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE (AND COST!!!). IT MAY ALSO BE AN EMISSIONS CONTROL ISSUE AS THESE PARTS FAIL AND ARE NOT REPAIRED OR ARE REMOVED. THIS VEHICLE IS FACTORY STOCK AND DEALER MAINTAINED, HAD 6 YEAR, 75,000 MILE FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR
SEVERE VIBRATION AND COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AFTER GOING OVER BUMP/ROUGH AREA OF ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES. NEAR CRASH OVER SIDE OF MOUNTAIN AS VIBRATION WAS SO SEVERE AS TO INVOLUNTARILY CHANGE MORE THAN ONE LANE. BRAKING INSUFFICIENT DURING THIS PERIOD OF SEVERE VIBRATION. CONTROL OF VEHICLE OBTAIN ONLY AFTER SPEED REDUCTION ATTAINED (NOT EASILY ACCOMPLISHED WHEN IT HAPPENS GOING DOWNHILL!) TWICE HAPPENED AT 65MPH AND TWICE APPROXIMATELY 45MPH. FORD DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED FAMILIARITY WITH THIS PROBLEM, CALLING IT THE "DEATH WOBBLES". STATED THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE "OLD STYLE" STEERING DAMPENER WITH NEW. IF IT WASN'T A DEFECTIVE PART/DESIGN, WHY WOULDN'T THEY REPLACE IT WITH A DUPLICATE OF THE ORIGINAL. NO CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AS VEHICLE "TOO OLD"...EVEN WITH ONLY 61,000 MILES. *TR
ALMOST TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE RAIN, TWICE! ALSO VIOLENT ENGINE SHAKING RIGHT AFTER START UP. SHAKING STOPPED AFTER ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. *TR
WHEN TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROX 65MPH, I HIT A ROUGH AREA AND THE FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO A VERY UNSAFE APPROX 30MPH BEFORE THE SHAKING STOPPED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, JUST THE MOST RECENT. THE FIRST TIME WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS CARRYING MY 4000 POUND CAMPER AND PULLING A BOAT WITH MY FAMILY. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND WAS ONLY CORRECTED BY SLOWING DOWN. I HAVE BEEN READING HUNDREDS OF ON-LINE POSTINGS OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH OTHERS PLEADING F350 OWNERS TO SUBMIT THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THIS NHTSA WEBSITE. *TR
ON 7-11-2012 I NOTICED A STRESS CRACK FROM SPOKE TO SPOKE NEAR THE ALLOY WHEEL OUT SIDE NEAR TIRE BEAD. I WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THIS RIM AND DISCARDED IT TO RECYCLING CENTER. PURCHASED A USED ONE FROM CANADA COSTING $500.00 PLUS SHIPPING. ON 7-01-13 I NOTICED A SECOND OEM HARLY DAVISON RIM WITH A STRESS CRACK IN THE SAME LOCATION DIFFERENT WHEEL. COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR MALFUNCTION IF THE RIM FAILURE GOING HIGH WAY SPEEDS I CHECKED ON LINE ANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THESE STRESS CRACKS APPEAR ON THE RIMS AS WELL SAME TYPE AROUND SAME YEAR. *TR
TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70 MPH ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WHEN CROSSING TRANSITION ON INTERSTATE BRIDGE FRONT END OF TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY; STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL. BROUGHT VEHICLE SAFELY TO A STOP, MOVED INTO EMERGENCY LANE, CHECKED ALL TIRES, NO APPARENT PROBLEM. RETURNED TO DRIVING LANE AND IN LESS THAN 1 MILE UPON HITTING ANOTHER BUMP IN THE ROADWAY TRUCK AGAIN BEGIN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY*. AGAIN, DRIVER HAD VIRTUALLY NO CONTROL OVER STEERING UNTIL VEHICLE HAD SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, AT WHICH TIME DRIVER ELECTED TO RETURN HOME RATHER THAN CONTINUE TRIP. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. DEALER STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE 'DEATH WOBBLE' HOWEVER THEY HAD NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. DEALER EXAMINED TRUCK AND DETERMINED THAT THE BALL JOINTS, DAMPERS, AND AXLE SE SHOULD BE REPLACED. HE DID NOT INDICATE THE PARTS WERE WORN, AND SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAVE NOT DRIVEN VEHICLE OVER 50 MPH SINCE RECEIVING IT AFTER REPAIRS, SO DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS ACTUALLY REPAIRED. *THE SHAKING IS SO VIOLENT THAT EVERYTHING LOOSE IN THE TRUCK IS THROWN ABOUT. THIS WAS NOT A TIRE PRESSURE ISSUE! TIRES PRESSURE WAS CHECKED AND ALL 4 TIRES WERE WELL WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TOLERANCES. *TR
STARTED HAVING DIFFICULTIES WHEN DRIVING , SPEED DID NOT MATTER , COULD HAPPEN AT 20-50-65 . SPUTTERING ,MISSING HEAVING , NO POWER OR LOSING POWER. NO COMPUTER CODES EITHER - 2 TIMES TO THE DEALER WITH NOT FINDING THE PROBLEM AS IT WAS OCCASIONAL/AND UNUSUAL IN THE WAY IT OCCURRED. 3RD TIME THE DEALER TOLD US IT WAS THE TURBO AND WE PAID 2,000.00 TO REPLACE- NOW 5 MONTHS LATER CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS AGAIN. THIS TRUCK AS IT STANDS IS UNRELIABLE AND DANGEROUS - WE LOST POWER ON THE INTERSTATE - COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. I READ ON LINE MANY ARE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUE . I WANT AN ANSWER AND I WANT A SOLUTION NOW. *TR
THE VEHICLE STARTED TO GO SLOWER AND SLOWER AND THEN ONCE STOPPED AND PULLED OVER WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF TAIL PIPE. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY KNEW RIGHT OFF THAT IT WAS THE EGR COOLER THAT FAILED AND SAID IT IS A KNOW DEFECT IN THIS MOTOR AND TRUCK. THE EGR COOLER IN TURN COKED THE CENTER OF THE TURBO AND THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED. I FOUND OUT FROM THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A KNOW DEFECT IN THIS MOTOR BUT FORD WOULD NOT BACK IT UP SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
THE IS VERY HARD TO START AND AT TIMES TAKES A FEW TIMES TO START. ONCE STARTED IT TAKES A PROLONGED TIME TO START RUNNING RIGHT. *TR
20 of 27 complaints, reproduced as filed.
Across model years
Worst on record: 1999| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Deaths | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2005 — this page | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2004 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2003 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Routine |
| 2002 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2001 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2000 | 63 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1999 | 93 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Fatalities reported |
| 1998 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1997 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 1996 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 1995 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Routine |
| 1994 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 1993 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1992 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1991 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
Reading this record
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.