This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
We bought our truck brand new in 2018 and within two months I started experiencing violent shaking and an inability to control the vehicle when hitting even uneven payment. I reported this to Ford and they told me everything checked out fine. This happened again 2 more times and at that point was being told that my warranty was expired and there was nothing they could do. The 4th time I nearly crashed into another car then a concrete wall, I was scared for my life driving that vehicle at that point. I decided to try a different Ford dealership 1 town over and thankfully they agreed it was the dreaded death wobble that ford knew about the problem and they replaced I believe my steering linkage damper and said this would solve the issue. A few weeks after replacement death wobble was back just not as violent as before, I was able to have greater control of the truck when it happened but it was still scary and continued up to present day which seemed to start getting worse a few months ago again. Today my husband and I leave our home to run down to the grocery doing about 10-15 miles an hour when we hear a loud pop, suddenly there was no steering at all, we ended up in the middle of a strangers front yard because we didn-??t even have enough steering to make it off the road in a normal fashion. After inspecting the truck we see the drag link has completely popped off the sleeve by the passenger tire. Right before all this happened we had just driven down the interstate doing 70mph, if this had happened while doing those speeds I don-??t believe I-??d be alive right now to write this complaint. There is a real safety issue going on with these trucks steering components. I-??m scared I-??m going to die in my truck because of these issues and I have 3 kids, not to mention the amount of money I paid for this truck and the fact that this has been a reported issue from day 1. Everything said here was verified by a licensed mechanic. Calling Ford tomorrow with prob no fix. Please help!
Driving truck and pulling horse trailer at 70-75 mph and crossed a bridge on interstate highway which caused a bump and then front end of truck began to shake very hard and the truck pulled hard to the left. Managed to get it under control and moved to side of road and called dealership...who advised to continue trip and keep speed under 55. No further problems on that trip while staying under 55 mph. Dealer put a new steering dampener on Jan. 2, 2023. No further issues until Mar. 31, 2023 - while pulling a trailer and UTV - again hit a bump on interstate at about 75-80 mph and the severe wobble happened again. Truck pulled left but I braked immediately and was able to pull over and it stopped around 30 mph so I resumed trip. 20 minutes later, while driving closer to 65 mph, I went over a bridge on the interstate and the wobble started again suddenly as we exited the bridge. This time the shaking was so violent it took all of my strength to control it as it as the truck surged left and almost hit another car. The vehicles around me all braked hard to avoid me while I was braking hard to keep from hitting the car to my left. It was by far the most violent of the three incidents. I did not tow the trailer home from this trip and instead drove along at 55-63 mph. Twice I got the truck up to around 70 and you could feel vibration in both the steering wheel and the body floorboard - especially the right side. As long as I stayed below 55 it seemed to operate ok. This truck is primarily a tow vehicle for my wife and her horse trailer. I can say with certainty that if she were driving and the 'death wobble' happened to her, there is no way she could have held that truck straight. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM!!! Now that I have looked and read online I cannot believe it hasn't been formally addressed yet by Ford. Its back at the dealer and we'll see what bandaid they come up with next. THIS IS A REALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ATTENTION!!
I have experienced the Death Rattle with my 2018 F250-SD on 3 occasions: First was in late summer of '22, the second time was in November of '22 and the third time was on Feb. 5, 2023. In all 3 instances the weather was clear, no rain or snow on the road and I was traveling at 65 mph. The first & second time I thought it was due to a rough patch of road surface on the highway. On Sunday I was hauling my 14' GN trailer with one horse in it and drove over a minimal rough patch on the 2 lane county highway when it froze up. In the first example I was in city traffic and drifted over to the left shoulder. In the 2ed & 3ed examples there were no other passenger vehicle beside me so I was able to drift over to the closest shoulder to reset the truck. All 3 instances happened with no warning and no warning light appeared on the dash- just clatter and a freeze up. I have an appointment on 2/15/2023 with the Ford dealership where we purchased the truck.
I bought brand new in 2018 a 2018 ford f250 this vehicle now has 39,000 miles and no upgrades of any kind other than a 5th wheel hitch installed in the bed. after going above 45mph and hitting a bump I get a massive wheel wobble that will only stop if I pull to the side and stop, this has happened 10-12 times since i have owned it. I do not believe I need to pay for this because i paid 65,000 dollars for it to be a safe vehicle. I only buy fords and my family only buys fords. if this can't get corrected you will lose ford owners for life. I can be reached at 931-905-8240
My truck has done what is known as the death wobble, which is easily searchable.The infamous death wobble that many Ford truck drivers have experienced is a violent shaking of the front end of the truck and the steering wheel. This issue typically occurs at highway speeds or after hitting a bump in the road. But it can also occur under any typical driving conditions. Ford truck drivers who have experienced this violent shaking on the road describe it as a terrifying experience because many struggle to steer and keep control of the vehicle. Naturally, this temporary loss of control and difficulty steering can lead to an increased risk of accident, injury, or death. This first occurred in 2018 and the dealer serviced it replacing the steering column. It has happened a few more times since then but very minor. Yesterday, 1/9/2023, it occurred with every single minor bump on the interstate at speeds over 65mph. It was very violent to the point where my coffee cup bounced out of the cup holder during the wobble. To get it to stop, you must slow down to 30mph very quickly and can not steer during this time (must go straight). A few occurrences were very dangerous. One where I almost went through a curve and into a semi, and another where I was almost rear ended to slow down and get out of the wobble before the next corner. I took it to my dealer this morning. They said, "Ford has identified what they believe to be the problem, but does not have parts designed yet. You can either pay $280 for an aftermarket steering damper, deal with it or trade it in...up to you." 1) They didn't diagnose the problem. 2) Ford knows it's a know issue and is doing nothing about it. I have been a life long Ford customer, but no more after this!!! This truck is a death trap / disaster waiting to happen for me and any other drivers around me!
- Quakertown, PA, USA
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Twice in the last two years I've experienced what is being called the "death wobble". A very violent shaking of the steering wheel as well as the vehicle after driving over some unforseen divet in the road at highway speeds. The first time was in the summer of 2020 and the second time just yesterday, 12-5-22. Both occured on 65 Hwy. Once on the east side of Sedalia and the later on the west side of Sedalia. This is going to get some one killed.
Driving at approximately 70 mph I traversed over a road divider of a suspension type bridge and immediately encounter the so called -€œDeath Wobble-€ in my entire front end steering mechanism. The vehicle and steering wheel vibrated so violently that it caused a lane excursion. Applying brakes and slowing to 30 mph the steering came under control. This is the (3) third incident of this happening to my vehicle.
On 12/2/2022 at ~9:30 AM I was westbound on Interstate 40 in SW AZ. Traffic was average, road was clean and dry. My right front tire clipped a small pothole. The front end of the truck began to shake then became a violent, out of control thrashing. I grabbed the oscillating steering wheel with both hands to avoid changing lanes and hitting other vehicles. I tapped the brakes to shut down the cruise control. But my truck continued the violent shaking and the steering wheel wasn't much help. Only after I had let my speed drop dramatically did this incident began to subside. Eventually I steered onto the shoulder and it stopped. I needed a few minutes to regain my composure to exit I-40 and return home at 35 MPH.
Traveling on US highway 77 at about 60mph and hit a small bump and the truck starting shaking and the steering vibrating and was almost thrown off the highway in the opposite lane of traffic. Had to decrease speed quickly and almost lost total control of the vehicle. If a car had been in the oncoming lane we would have had an head on collision
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced the death wobble, causing the vehicle and steering wheel to violently shake and vibrate. The contact indicated that the failure had occurred after driving over a bump in the roadway, causing the vehicle drift into the other driving lane. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 25,000.
When driving at speeds in excess of 45 mph, if the front wheels strike a pothole or some other significant bump in the road, occasionally - but with increasing frequency - it will cause the wheels to start violently bouncing up and down (alternating each wheel so one is up and the other is down) and the steering wheel shimmies violently back and forth. This will continue until the vehicle is slowed to under 10 mph. During these events, there is no controlling the steering and the vehicle does not slow quickly since the front wheels are not in constant contact with the pavement. Research on the internet has shown that this is not an isolated problem and it has been labeled the -€œdeath wobble-€ by many. (Google -€œFord F250 death wobble-€). The result of this event - and thus the safety hazard - is that one must immediately stop the vehicle to make the malfunction stop. I have had to stop in the middle of the commuter lane on the highway on several occasions, causing many people to slam on their brakes and swerve to avoid hitting me. It is completely terrifying as it puts me, my passengers, and any other vehicles around me at risk. I am appalled that so many apparently know about this issue and nothing has been done to get Ford to take ownership. When I described the problem to my service center, they knew exactly the problem that I was speaking of. Unfortunately, there is no definitive fix other than to try this or that which will become costly.
While driving at freeway speed between 55-75MPH, the steering wheel oscillates after hitting expansion joints or pot holes. The oscillation was on multiple occasions throughout the trip and, sometimes, was so violent the truck drifted into another lane. Luckily there was no other traffic in the other lane at the time. It has done this before both while towing and not towing. This particular trip was the worst its ever done this and almost caused an accident at high speeds.
2018 has Death Wobble which has been reported by many and a recall was issued but we have taken it back 3 times for this recall/death wobble=tie rod, sector shaft, drag link replaced (the first time it wasn't recalled yet so we had to pay for it and still have not been reimbursed) last 2 times they fix the tie rod, shaft or whatever but it keeps happening and it is scary. Lucky not to have caused an accident. Also because of the "death wobble" it has ruined the alignment and some tracker line thing as well as our tires and we have to pay for those things even though it is caused by the death wobble/recall?! -Component described above, yes it is available for inspection upon request -Safety at risk because if we are going over 60 and hit a bump the vehicle starts to shake uncontrollably and we have to slam on the brakes to make it stop while going that fast with other vehicles going that fast we have almost caused several accidents and almost hit a barrier trying to stop it -yes problem has been preproduced, verified and supposedly fixed but never lasts more than a month --yes the vehicle component has been inspected by the manufacturer it is an open RECALL -NO WARNING LAMP, MESSAGE etc. Just uncontrollable shaking of vehicle if hits a bump
Multiple times while driving between 50mph and 65mph, the front end starts vibrating out of control. This will continue to happen until the truck is slowed to below 25mph for a few seconds. This has happened on the highway twice and I have had to stop traffic behind me almost causing an accident both times. I have contacted Ford regarding this issue and it was supposedly fixed, but it continues to happen. There were no warning lights or messages.
After hitting a small bump in the interstate on I65 North, my F250 began shaking uncontrollably. Only by emergency breaking, was I able to regain control on my truck. This has happened 4 times. It is not safe to have to do this on the expressway, at any speed.
The contact's husband owns a 2018 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced the death wobble. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with steering stabilizer failure. The dealer replaced the steering stabilizer; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the track bar, drag link assembly, ready lift caster bushing kit, and performed two front-end alignments. The failure recurred and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,402.
At highway speeds my 2018 Ford F250 4WD will start shaking severely. The steering wheel shakes violently back and forth and the entire truck shakes like it's coming apart. The truck feels like it could swerve out of control at any moment. I was in great fear for my well being because I thought the truck was going to cause an accident. To get the shaking to stop I had to pull off the road and reduce my speed to less than 30mph. This has happened multiple times. Having to pull off the interstate and reduce speed to such a great extent is a safety hazard in itself. I took the truck to the dealer and they replaced the steering dampener under a recall. This caused the problem to go away for approximately 6 weeks. The problem has now returned. There were no warning lights or any indication that this was going to happen or when it did happen.
We had previously experienced severe shaking when driving at freeway speeds. We took the pickup to a dealership and the replaced the drag link at no cost and we paid to have tie rod ends replaced which they said would fix the issue. We took our first road trip in the vehicle this weekend and the problem is rven more frequent and severe. We almost had 3 accidents because the truck is very difficult to steer once the vibration starts.
I have experienced at least 6 incidents with my truck in which it starts violently shaking at highway speeds. In order to stop the shaking, I have had to either slow way down or pull over and stop completely to get the truck to stop shaking. In the most recent incident, there was a semi truck directly behind me and I was barely able to get to the side of the road to avoid being struck from behind and I nearly went into the ditch. After the first incident, I took my truck to the local Ford dealership and they told me there wasn't a problem when they drove it even though I provided them information about the "death wobble" from sources on the internet. The problem continued, so I took it back and they put "stabilizers" on it. I had no problem for almost a year until it happened twice yesterday. The first incident occurred on 12-25-18.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Anderson, IN, USA