What 323 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford F-250 Supercab

Going 70-80mph on Rt119 North bound after going over a bridge truck started violently shaking with no control. Slowed down and kept going. After about 7 miles and going below 50mph the truck did the same thing.

NHTSA ODI 11418656

Death wobble in steering which pulled truck onto on coming traffic .. dangerous and Ford should correct ongoing problem with people’s safety

NHTSA ODI 11417998

DEATH WOBBLE AROUND 45 MPH

NHTSA ODI 11413397

THE DEATH WOBBLE MY F-250 TRUCK HAS BEEN HAVING A DEATH WOBBLE SINCE I BOUGHT IT ,I FIRST TOOK IT IN TO FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH 10,212 VEHICLE MILES ON THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF THE DEATH WOBBLE , AND HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE DEATH WOBBLE SINCE THEN . FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS NEVER FIXED THIS PROBLEM , THEY ONLY MAKE MINOR CHANGES "BANDAID" TO THE TRUCK AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED , THEY KEEP PUTTING ME OFF AND SAY THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SEVERAL PAGES OF SERVICE REPAIRS FORD HAS PERFORMED BUT THEY HAVE NEVER FIXED THE DEATH WOBBLE . MY FORD F-250 STILL HAS LOW MILEAGE BUT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. MY FAMILY AND I HAVE CAME VERY CLOSE TO A ROLL OVER AT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE FROM WHEN WE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. EVERY TIME THE TRUCK ROLLS OVER A BUMP AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 20 MPH IT GOES INTO A WOBBLE AND BECOMES VERY HAZARDOUS AND SCARY. WE BOUGHT THIS F-250 KING RANCH TO DRIVE AND ENJOY ON VACATIONS AND OTHER FAMILY TRIPS , BUT AT THIS TIME MY FAMILY AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE RIDING IN IT, NOR HAVING IT ON THE ROAD WAYS IN FEAR OF IT BEING A DANGER TO US AND OTHER DRIVERS OR PEDESTRIANS. THIS F-250 GOES INTO A DEATH WOBBLE WHEN ENCOUNTERING A BUMP IN THE ROAD , ON PUBLIC COUNTY ROADS, CITY STREETS , STATE HIGHWAYS AND ESPECIALLY INTERSTATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL DEALER SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS ISSUE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CORPORATION ON THIS ISSUES AS WELL. YET NEITHER ONE OF THESE ENTITIES OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAVE ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY . REGARDS

NHTSA ODI 11403898

MY LOCAL TIRE MAN DESCRIBED THIS AS A " DEATH WOBBLE" AND THAT IS AA GOOD DESCRIPTION. AS I DRIVE USUALLY AT 55 MPH THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTS TO SHAKE, NO PRIOR WARNING, SO HARD IT IS HARD TO HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL. O FAR I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SLOW TO A STOP WITHOUT A WRECK. I CAN THEN PROCEED AS IF NOTHING HAS OCCURRED. THIS SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. AND MAKES ME NERVOUS WHEN I DRIVE.. I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY TIRE MAN THERE ARE OTHER OWNERS IN MY ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR FORD TRUCKS. WE HAVE HAD FORDS SINCE THE '70'S AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER ONE. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A PART OR SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM; HOWEVER IT COSTS $400-$500 AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT FORD SHOULD FIX, NOT THE OWNER, WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE A FORD PROBLEM.WHETHER IN DESIGN OR WHATEVER. I EVEN HAD A FORD SERVICEMAN TELL ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM SOMETIMES WITH FORD . THIS IS A FRIGHTENING THING AND I ABOUT HAD A HEART ATTACK THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED.. LUCKILY I WAS ALONE AND DIDN'T FRIGHTEN ANYONE ELSE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES FIRST IN 2014 . I WILL PUT THE LAST TIME IN THE SPACE BELOW AND I DID HAVE A FRIEND WITH ME THAT TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11403942

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75MPH ON AN INTERSTATE; AFTER HITTING A BUMP OR EXPANSION JOINT THE FRONT END WOBBLES UNCONTROLLABLY UNTIL THE SPEED IS REDUCED BY ABOUT HALF. I HAD A TRUSTED MECHANIC LOOK AT MY TRUCK AND HE SAID ALL FRONT END PARTS WERE IN GOOD CONDITION AND TIGHT. HE TALKED TO A DEALER WHO RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE STEERING DAMPER AS A CURE FOR THE "DEATH WOBBLE" ISSUE. I HAD THAT REPLACED AROUND THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY 2021. I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE TRUCK ON AN INTERSTATE AT SPEED SINCE THE REPLACEMENT UNTIL TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021. THE WOBBLE HAPPENED THREE SEPARATE TIMES WITHIN A SPAN OF TEN MINUTES SCARING THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME AND NEARLY CAUSING TWO WRECKS. THE TRUCK IS HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE TO NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT TO OTHER VEHICLES IN MY VICINITY WHILE ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11402763

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE DEATH WOBBLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE FRONT STEERING DAMPER WAS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11402637

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND THE FRONT TIRES WOBBLE , AFTER HITTING A BUMP, NOT ALL THE TIME . CHANGE EVERYTHING UNDER THE FRONT END AND STILL THE SAME THING. DEATH WOBBLE ABOVE 55 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11397580

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER FAIRWAY FORD OF AUGUSTA INC (4333 WASHINGTON RD, EVANS, GA 30809, (706) 854-9200) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHAT PARTS WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUOUSLY SHAKING EVEN WITH THE VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED.

NHTSA ODI 11397380

WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF "DEATH WOBBLE" STARTING AT A 75,000 MILES. ALL SUSPENSION IS STOCK, TIRES ARE STOCK. I HAD BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP 4-5 TIMES (UNDER WARRANTY) AND GOT THE TRACK BAR REPLACED, TRACK BALL BUSHING, AND BALL JOINT, STEERING DAMPER, INCREASE IN CASTER AND EVEN BOUGHT NEW STOCK TIRES TO PROVE OUT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE 125,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK NOW AFTER FIGHTING THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS AND HAVE REPLACED ALL ROD ENDS, TRACK BAR, BUSHINGS, STEERING DAMPER, ETC AND THE DEATH WOBBLE STILL PERSISTS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN ISSUE AND MAKES THE TRUCK DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE ISSUE OCCURS PRIMARILY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHILE MAKING A VERY SLIGHT LEFT TURN WHEN A SMALL BUMP IS DRIVEN OVER SUCH AS AN EXPANSION JOINT. THE SEVERE VIBRATION THAT SHAKES THE FRONT SUSPENSION VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH DOES NOT SUBSIDE UNTIL THE TRUCK IS UNDER ~20 MPH (NOT A SAFE CONDITION TO BE IN WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY). DURING THIS PERIOD YOU CAN NOT HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL UNDER CONTROL, CAN NOT CONTROL THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE OR STOP QUICKLY IF REQUIRED. THIS 'DEATH WOBBLE' HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 20 TIME WITH THE LATEST OCCURRENCE HAPPENING TODAY.

NHTSA ODI 11389922

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 60MPH THE TRUCK STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. IT WAS A VERY SCARY SCENARIO. UPON RESEARCHING THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT FORD HASN'T ADDRESSED. SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAVE DUBBED IT UNSAFE TO OPERATE AT 60MPH. I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND AM NOT SURE IF THIS OCCURED BEFORE 131,000 MILES OR NOT.

NHTSA ODI 11389460

TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE TRUCK HITS A BUMP OR ISSUE IN/ON THE ROAD THE FRONT WHEELS START TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND I AM BARELY ABLE TO CONTROL THE TRUCK UNTIL IT SLOWS TO AROUND 10 MPH, I HAVE NOW REPLACED ALL THE STEERING COMPONENTS AND IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND I HAVE ALMOST ROLLED MY TRUCK. WHEN I HAVE CONTACTED FORD DEALERS THEY ALL TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE BUT FOR $6,000 TO $10,000 THEY CAN REPLACE ALL THE SUSPENSION PARTS AND THAT SHOULD FIX THE UNUSUAL PROBLEM THAT ONLY I AM HAVING.

NHTSA ODI 11387248

FIRS STARTED VIBRATING BEYOND MY CONTROL WHEN I HIT A SMALL BUMP WHILE TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 50MPH, HAD WORN BUSHING AND OTHER REPLACEMENTS AND CONTINUES TO OCCUR PERIODICALLY. THE SHAKING IS SO SEVERE THAT THE TRUCK CANNOT BE STEERED AND ONLY STOPS WHEN I GET BELOW 20MPH. IT HAS NOW OCCURRED AT SPEEDS FROM 35 TO 70MPH AND THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11384017

FOR THE SECOND TIME WHILE TRAVELING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS MY TRUCK STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT I COULD BARELY MAINTAIN A HOLD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE HAD MY TIRES CHECKED AND THEY IN GOOD SHAPE AND BALANCED. THE FRONT BALL JOINTS ARE DEEMED FINE. AFTER A VISIT TO THE DEALER THEY SAY THEY CAN FIND NO PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11377755

WHILE DRIVE MY 2012 FORD F-250 AT SPEEDS OF 65+, THE STEERING WHEEL START TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AFTER DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS A DEATH WOBBLE. THE VIDEOS FOUND ON YOUTUBE REPLICATE IT CORRECTLY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT OTHER DAMAGE IT MAY HAVE CAUSED TO MY TRUCK. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I'VE BOUGHT AN ADJUSTABLE TRACK BAR AND TRIED MANY DIFFERENT TIRES COMBINATIONS. I HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION.

NHTSA ODI 11375683

ABOVE ABOUT 40MPH, VERY STRONG SHAKING IN STEERING THAT IS UNABLE TO BE CONTROLLED UNLESS I SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THIS HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AS "DEATH WOBBLE" ON THESE TRUCKS AND I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING IT FOR YEARS. I FINALLY DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT.

NHTSA ODI 11374115

WHEN DRIVING ON I95 (INTESTATE) AT A NOMINAL 65-70 MPH SPONTANEOUSLY, THE TRUCK STARTS SHAKING AND AS TIME PROGRESSES IT GETS SO BAD IT MAKES THE TRUCK VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. DURING THE EVENT THE FIRST REACTION IS TO HOLD THE TRUCK IN A LANE WHILE BRAKING. THAT EXACERBATES THE VIOLENCE OF THE SHAKING UNTIL BELOW 30 MPH. THIS HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORST OVER A WEEKS TIME. MOST RECENTLY IT ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION WITH A LARGE TRUCK. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE TRUCK WAS NEW AND THE DEALER REPAIRED SOMETHING AT NO COST UNDER WARRANTY. NOW I MUST PAY FOR A REPAIR FOR SOMETHING I BELIEVE IS A SIGNIFICANT DESIGN PROBLEM AND SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ODI 11372405

MY 2012 F250 STARTED HAVING A DEATH WOBBLE IN JULY OF 2020. I HAD A FORD DEALERSHIP IN SNYDER TX REPLACE MY STEERING DAMPENER IN AUG OF 2020. THE PROBLEM JUST STARTED AGAIN OCTOBER 13. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 140000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP IN SNYDER TX SAID THAT THE FRONT END COMPONENTS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE AND SAID THAT THE DAMPENER SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. IT HAS NOT. THIS WOBBLE HAPPENS AT HWY SPEEDS . I HAVE TO BREAK HARD TO TRY AND SLOW IT DOWN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ODI 11364896

WHILE TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND HITTING A BUMP, POTHOLE OR EXPANSION JOINT THE FRONT END DEVELOPS A HORRIBLE WOBBLE AND IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL UNTIL I CAN GET THE SPEED BELOW 35 MPH. I AM AWARE THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND AFTER WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11361852

FORD REFERS TO THE ISSUE AS A STEERING ISOLATION PROBLEM. THE PUBLIC CALLS IT THE "DEATH WOBBLE." AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CERTAIN BUMPS WILL SET OFF A RESONANCE IN THE FRONT AXLE AND STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAKES THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AS THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND THE FRONT WHEELS OSCILLATE HORIZONTALLY. THIS HAS HAPPEND ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN EVENTHOUGH I HAVE PAID THE DEALER FOR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS THAT WERE SUPPOSED RESOLVE THE ISSUE. FORD REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IN A MANNER THAT WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEREFORE, I HAVE A VEHICLE THAT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11361639

I HAVE A 2012 FORD F-250 WITH 185K MILES. I WAS DRIVING ALONG LA 23 AT ABOUT 65 MPH IN LOUISIANA WHEN I CROSSED A BRIDGE, PASSING OVER WHERE THE HIGHWAY MEETS THE BRIDGE WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND LOST ABILITY TO MANEUVER THE TRUCK. I SLOWED DOWN TO 10 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE WHERE THE SHAKE DIMINISHED. EXPERIENCED THIS APPROXIMATELY FIVE MORE TIMES RECORDING THE SHAKE ON MY PHONE, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET WHEN I GOT HOME AND DISCOVERED THE TERM "DEATH WOBBLE" OCCURRING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 55-70. MY TRUCK BEGINS TO WOBBLE VIOLENTLY WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR JOIST IN THE INTERSTATE. REQUIRES ME TO SLOW DOWN TO APP 10MPH ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE TO MAKE IT GO AWAY. DEATH WOBBLE BEGAN TO OCCUR ON THURSDAY, 17 SEP WHILE TRAVELING FOR WORK AND I HAD TO DRIVE LESS THAN 50 MPH THE REMAINDER OF MY WAY HOME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP ON FRIDAY MORNING TO ADDRESS AND FIX THE PROBLEM WHERE THEY REPLACED NUMEROUS FRONT END PARTS TO THE TUNE OF $2100.00. PICKED THE TRUCK TOP ON A SATURDAY MORNING AND BY MONDAY AFTERNOON THE WOBBLE OCCURED AGAIN TRAVELING ON I-12 AT 65 MPH NEAR MANDEVILLE, LA. I HAD TO PROCEED 50 MPH HOME WHERE I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, SUPREME FORD, IN SLIDELL, LA FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. I HAVE SEVERAL VIDEOS CAPTURING THE WOBBLE BUT AM UNABLE TO UPLOAD TO THE WEBSITE.

NHTSA ODI 11360557

WHEN HITTING SPEEDS ABOVE 40 I GET EXCESSIVE BOUNCING AND WOBBLING TO THE POINT WHERE I CANNOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MILES AN HOUR OR LESS TO STOP THE WOBBLE IT IS SCARY AND I NO LONGER TAKE MY TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY

NHTSA ODI 11360331

TRAVELING ON FLORIDA I 95 NORTH AT 74MPH MY FAMILY AND I WENT OVER A BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINT THAT WAS NO MORE THAN 1-1/2" DROP AND THE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK STARTED SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY THE STEERING WHEEL ALMOST WAS JERKED OUT OF MY HANDS. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE VIOLENT SHIMMY STOPPED AS MY SPEED GOT DOWN TO 35MPH. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF REACTION GOING OVER A BUMP AT HWY. SPEEDS. THE FORD DEALER (SUNRISE FORD IN FORT PIERCE, FL.) CHANGED THE FRONT STEERING STABILIZER STRUT, STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM 100MILES LATER. WE WERE TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE THREE LANE HWY.

NHTSA ODI 11351205

IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE AND NOW I AM TOO SCARED TO DRIVE IT. IT SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT 65 TO 75 MILES AN HOUR. TRUELY A DEATH SENTENCE TO DRIVE IT.FEELS LIKE BOTH FRONT TIRES BLOW OUT. I SLOW AND PULL TO SHOULDER AND NOTHING VISUALLY IS WRONG. I JUST RECENTLY TOOK TO FORD DEALER SHIP, THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR A WEEK WITH NO ANSWERS. SO HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS?

NHTSA ODI 11349730

TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 70K MILES AND IS EXHIBITING THE STEREO TYPICAL DEATH WOBBLE. WHEN TRAVELING OVER 50 MPH ANY BUMP IN THE ROAD MAY PRODUCE AN UNCONTROLLABLE SHUDDER. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO RAPIDLY SLOW UNTIL THE TRUCK STOPS SHAKING. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK ALIGNED TO VERIFY THE SERVICEABILITY OF THE STEERING COMPONENTS. I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 SHOCKS AND ENSURED THAT MY TIRES ARE PROPERLY BALANCED. TIRES ARE WEARING CONSISTENTLY AND HAVE BEEN REGULARLY ROTATED AND BALANCED. WHEN THE DEATH WOBBLE OCCURS MY ABILITY TO CONTROL THE TRUCK IS SEVERELY DEGRADED AND I AM AFRAID THE SITUATION COULD PROVE CATASTROPHIC.

NHTSA ODI 11339446