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

DEATH WOBBLE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. at speeds greater than 40mph, the vehicle becomes almost impossible to steer due to a major 'wobble' in the front end.

NHTSA ODI 11448697

Violent shaking of the whole truck and steering wheel when the truck hits a bump in the road driving between 60-75 mph. Ford replaced worn put parts and said they could not replicate the problem and everything is good. Driving down the same stretch of high way that causes the death wobble caused the problem again. I almost caused an accident from the sudden reduction in speed in order to regain control of my truck. The service advisor said it could be possble the tires are not balanced, so I had the tires rotated and balanced. Immediately after i left the dealership this incident occurred.

NHTSA ODI 11446737

Death wobble, any change in the road such as a bridge, older road, bump, ect.... The truck starts to shake uncontrollably, and have to come to a complete stop and start over.

NHTSA ODI 11444955

The contact owned a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph when they came to a small unevenness in the road due to a merging of roads. The contact stated that when they passed that point the vehicle suddenly displayed the death wobble despite there being no significant bumping of the vehicle. The contact had to come to a complete stop then pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated the wobbling seized till they came to a similar uneven patch on the road at approximately 60 mph. Again, the contact had to pull over to seize the wobble. The contact had to drive at less than 50 mph to avoid the failure from reoccurring. The contact had not taken the vehicle to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 11444702

We are experiencing the death wobble. Had some repairs done and still having the same issue, just worse. The front end shakes violently when we hit a pot hole or a dip in the road. Couldn't keep hold of steering wheel and started to fish tail. Yes. Our diesel mechanic has looked at it and fixed some of the work. No warning lamps or anything prior to it happening was evident. The first time it happened was October 26, 2021.

NHTSA ODI 11440405

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at high speed, the front of the vehicle was shaking violently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure was undetermined. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

NHTSA ODI 11437498

My pickup has what is called the "Death Wobble".

NHTSA ODI 11432432

My truck is very dangerous to use because once you get to 30mph and hit a little bump i mean a little bump it starts shaking badly and very dangerous. It also does it while on the hwy. at 60mph oh my god i dont recommend to anyone to but this kind of trucks. its not only me theres is alot of people with the same problem and there is no recall or anything for this... What should i do.. This death wobble thing is just so out of control that the tires want to fall off or something..thers has to be something done.

NHTSA ODI 11432461

Periodic extreme Death Wobble (uncontrolled steering/suspension shaking) when driving at high speeds on rough roads.

NHTSA ODI 11431722

I was driving on the highway and the front of the truck started to shake uncontrollably. I thought maybe I hit something. Then a little while longer it did it again when I hit a bump. Thank goodness not a lot of cars around I had to turn on my blinkers and try to pull over . No warning lights no bells no whistles nothin happen before or after. Then on August 29,2021 it happened again this time a busy road . Cars behind me almost ran into me I don’t remember any bumps in the road at all . There was no warning ,!scared me. Next time might not be so lucky . I called the Ford dealer and he has made an appointment to see the truck in over a week . Guess we just keep driving and pray it doesn’t happen and no one dies . Thanks Ford .

NHTSA ODI 11431076

On multiple occasions I have experienced a “death wobble” or a violent shaking that happens to the front end. It typically occurs at speeds over 50 miles per hour. It can also happen after going over bumps or grooves in the road. To stop the shaking, I must quickly slow way down or even stop completely. I have video documentation of it happening as experienced from inside the cab captured at its earliest onset on the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11424390

While driving at highway speeds and going over a bump, steering wheel will oscillate violently. Will have to slow down to nearly a stop to get it to stop. This happens between 60 and 65 MPH hitting the right bump truck gets death wobble, has to get on the brakes hard to stop it, had dealer look at it. It has been at the Ford dealership where I bought it and an independent shop and each time it has gotten a little better at each shop but still not completely fixed.

NHTSA ODI 11423746

Death Wobble. Truck was uncontrollable, shook so bad that I thought I was going to run off the road. has happened 3 times. Ford claims it is an expected issue.

NHTSA ODI 11423151

When going over 50mph and hitting a bump the vehicle will shake and vibrate uncontrollably. The steering wheel will shake so violently that it is difficult to control the steering. Must come to a complete stop for the shaking and vibration to stop. This is extremely dangerous in traffic and especially if you are unable to pull to the side of the road as in driving in the mountains. Vehicle has been in the shop several times and problem was reproduced by the technician. Several suspension parts have been replaced at a high cost and problem has not been resolved. Research has shown that this is a problem with Ford trucks and no resolution has been provided by Ford.

NHTSA ODI 11421569

DEATH WOBBLE AROUND 45 MPH

NHTSA ODI 11413397

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT A NORMAL RATE OF SPEED; UPON ENTERING 45-50MPH THE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY. ONCE THE SPEED OF 50+ MPH IS OBTAINED, THE SHAKING STOPS. ALSO BELOW 45MPH THE SHAKING STOPS. HOWEVER, UPON DECELERATION, BELOW 45 MPH, SHAKING OCCURS AT TIMES AS WELL. THE WOBBLE OCCURS DURING ALL ROAD CONDITIONS I.E. NO BUMPS, SMOOTH, FLAT, NON HILL ETC., AND TEMPERATURES I.E. SUMMER, WINTER, RAIN, SAND, SLEET, AND NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ODI 11403811

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

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