DEATH WOBBLE. TRUCK SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AFTER A BUMP ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH
NHTSA ODI 11323043
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These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.
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DEATH WOBBLE. TRUCK SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AFTER A BUMP ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH
NHTSA ODI 11323043
RADIATOR IS LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN 77,000 MILES THE RADIATOR HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA ODI 11321765
WHILE DRIVING MY 2016 FORD F250 CREW CAB ON A HIGHWAY, AT 50 MILES PER HOUR THE VEHICLE STEERING STARTED WOBBLING UNCONTROLLABLY AND THE WHOLE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING, I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 25 MILES PER HOUR TO STOP THE WOBBLING. HAPPENED AGAIN AT 65 MILES AND HOUR A FEW MINUTES LATER ON THE SAME ROAD. *TR
NHTSA ODI 11321389
TRUCK HAS 48,000 MILES ON IT AND WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM PENNSYLVANIAN (NOT PULLING A TRAILER JUST DRIVING HOME) WHEN I WAS GOING ALONE THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MILES PER HOUR THE TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I BRAKED AND THEN BACK ON THE GAS AND IT WAS FINE. I'VE READ A TON ABOUT THE "FORD DEATH WOBBLE" AND FEARED THIS WHEN BUYING A F250 BUT DIDN'T THINK THAT I TOO WOULD BE A VICTIM OF THIS POOR DESIGN BY FORD. I ROTATE AND BALANCE MY TIRES EVERY 5K TO 15K MILES AND ALIGNMENT CHECKED OKAY. VERY FRUSTRATING I HAVE TO BUY NEW PARTS FOR A TRACK THAT SHOULD LAST 100K+ WITHOUT ISSUES. I ORDERED AN AFTERMARKET (FOX) STABILIZER SHOCK BECAUSE THE FORD OEM ONE ON THE TRUCK WAS SHOT (LOST ALL ITS GAS OR LEAKED). AGAIN ONLY 48K MILES WHAT A JOKE! UNFORTUNATELY THE STABILIZER SHOCK HASN'T COMPLETELY SOLVED THE ISSUE. WHEN I HIT BUMPS IN THE ROAD I CAN FEEL THE PLAY IN THE WHEEL STILL AND BELIEVE I NEED TO GO THROUGH AND CHANGE ALL THE BALL JOINTS AND LINK ENDS. DO ALL THIS AND AGAIN CROSS MY FINGERS THAT IT WONT COME BACK. WANT TO BE PART OF THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUITE. JUST WANT A TRUCK THAT WORKS FOR AS MUCH AS I PAID FOR THIS THING FROM THE FACTORY. SAD FORD. I'M A DIE HARD FORD GUY BUT THIS IS A SAD DAY. *TR
NHTSA ODI 11320772
DEATH WOBBLE PURCHASE TRUCK TWO YEARS AGO FRONT AND WAS FIXED THEN WITHIN A YEAR AND A HALF STARTED VIBRATING AGAIN REPLACED EVERYTHING IN FRONT IN DEATH WOBBLE STILL BAD EVEN AFTER ALIGNMENT I AM ALMOST WRECKED THE TRUCK TWICE IN THE LAST WEEK IT IS NOW PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE
NHTSA ODI 11320271
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH HAD A CATASTROPHIC BLOW OUT. THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND WITHIN SECONDS THE TIRE BLEW. ALSO AFTER INSPECTING THE OTHER TIRES NOTICED A CHUNK OF TREAD MISSING ON ANOTHER TIRE.
NHTSA ODI 11320037
WITH 24,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK MY VEHICLE FRONT TIRES AND STEERING WHEEL EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT SHAKING TO WHERE MY TRUCK FELT LIKE THE AXLE WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. IT HAS BEEN IN THE FORD DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES FOR THIS DEATH WOBBLE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND WENT OVER A BRIDGE JOINT WHICH TRIGGERED THE SHAKING. AS SOON AS I SLOWED DOWN BELOW 45 (ON THE FREEWAY MIND YOU), THE WOBBLE GOES AWAY AND MY TRUCK RIDES LIKE NORMAL. I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT, BUT I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY FOUND THAT MY BALL JOINTS WERE DESTROYED, AND REPLACED THEM. THREE MONTHS LATER THE DEATH WOBBLE CAME BACK AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO ORIGINALLY REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS, AND ONCE AGAIN THE NEW BALL JOINTS WERE DESTROYED. THIS TIME THEY ALSO INSTALLED A STEERING STABLEIZER WHICH MADE THE FRONT END FEEL BETTER, BUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF DRIVING IT, THE DEATH WOBBLE CAME BACK. I NOW TOOK MY TRUCK TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO INSTANTLY FOUND A TECHNICIAN SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) #16-0087 WHICH IS POSTED FROM FORD IN APRIL OF 2016 WHICH STATES THAT SOME SUSPENSION PARTS NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE REAR OF MY TRUCK, SO THEY INSTALLED THOSE PARTS..THE VERY NEXT DAY THE DEATH WOBBLE CAM BACK, AND THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED A NEW TRACK BAR,THIS TIME EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T LOOK DEFECTIVE, BUT BECAUSE AFTER HAVING MY TRUCK FOR A MONTH, AND EVEN WITH THE HELP OF FORD'S MECHANICAL SPECIALISTS AT THE MAIN HEADQUARTERS COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ANYTHING ELSE WRONG. THIS WOBBLE ALL STARTED WHILE MY TRUCK WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEN THE PAST 3 REPAIRS, IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.
NHTSA ODI 11318478
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AND THE TRUCK STARTED A UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE. DURING THE WOBBLE I FELT I HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WAS MOVING OUT OF MY LANE. FORD NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED I ALSO TELL A FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HAVING THAT KIND OF WEIGHT BEHIND ME THAT THE TRUCK WOULD FLIP AND POSSIBLY KILL ME OR SOMEONE ELSE ON THE INTERSTATE.
NHTSA ODI 11315743
SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TWICE WHILE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER SERVICED BOTH TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO RECTIFY OR UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. THEY ONLY CLEARED THE FAULT CODES. THE CODE IDENTIFIED WAS FOR THE REDUCTANT HEATER PUMP - LOW VOLTAGE. THE SAME CODE JUST CAME BACK ON FOR THE 3RD TIME - THIS TIME IDENTIFIED BY A DIESEL PERFORMANCE SHOP - WITH ADVICE TO REPLACE THE REDUCTANT PUMP. PREVIOUS MAKE AND MODEL SUPERDUTY TRUCKS HAVE HAD RECALLS FOR THE SAME THING. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS ISSUE, NOT SURE WHY FORD SERVICE SHOPS COULD NOT RECTIFY. TRUCK IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND I AM FORCED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE AND CARE! -COLD WEATHER EACH TIME -ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON - SAME CODE EACH TIME -REDUCED SPEED AND SLUGGISH PERFORMANCE -CODE CLEARED - TRUCK PERFORMS NORMAL -OBVIOUS THAT THE REDUCTANT HEAT PUMP IS NOT DOING WHAT IT IS DESIGNED TO DO.
NHTSA ODI 11309982
"DEATH WOBBLE" AT APPROX 34K MILES I EXPERIENCED WHAT I LATER FOUND OUT WAS KNOWN AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. I DROVE OVER A SECTION OF HIGHWAY THAT I HAD BEEN OVER A THOUSAND TIMES BUT THIS TIME I HIT A POT HOLE JUST RIGHT AND MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE IN MY HANDS. AT THE SAME TIME I WAS APPROACHING A CURVE AND LITERALLY HAD TO STOP TO MAKE THE SHAKING GO AWAY. FORTUNATELY NOBODY WAS FOLLOWING ME ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WAS GOING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 55MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE PROBLEM HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON CERTAIN CITY STREETS WHEEL YOU HIT A POT HOLE OR ROAD SEEM IN JUST THE RIGHT WAY. I CONTACTED A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED SEVERAL FRONT END COMPONENTS AND TOLD ME THAT THOSE REPAIRS WOULD FIX MY ISSUE. MY TRUCK NOW HAS 47K MILES ON IT AND THE PROBLEM IS SLOWLY RETURNING. THE WHEEL DOESN'T SHAKE AS BADLY AS IT DID THE FIRST TIME BUT IN THE RIGHT CONDITION IT WILL SHAKE IN YOUR HANDS.
NHTSA ODI 11309156
FORD F250 DEATH WOBBLE, WHEN MY VEHICLE HITS A BUMP OR GROOVE IN THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR 45 MPH+. THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO VIOLENTLY WOBBLE AND SHAKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL.
NHTSA ODI 11308915
STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATION, MY FORD TRUCK EXPERIENCES THE DEATH WOBBLE WHEN TRAVELING MORE THAN 45 MPH AND THE TIRES HITS A GROOVE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE ONLY WAY TO CONTROL THE VIOLENT SHAKING IS BY QUICKLY REDUCING SPEED, A DANGEROUS MOVE WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC.
NHTSA ODI 11308922
WHEN DRIVING AROUND 70 MPH I HIT A BUMP AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING HORRIBLY. WHEN I REDUCED THE SPEED TO AROUND 50MPH THE SHAKING STOPPED. THE TECHNICIAN CALLED IT A "DEATH WOBBLE" AND AFTER A FEW DAYS, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR $3755.80.
NHTSA ODI 11308728
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING 35 MPH AND TOWING A TRAILER WITH HIS ATV ON, A VEHICLE IN FRONT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT THAT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED 125 FEET DOWN THE ROAD, CROSSED OVER TO THE OPPOSITE LANES, CRASHED INTO SOME TREES WHERE IT EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION FROM HIS FACE HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL DURING THE IMPACT, MUSCLE NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES WHICH RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION FROM THE HOSPITAL. THE OTHER DRIVER SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY GEICO TO THE CONTACT RESIDENTS WHERE AN ADJUSTER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE IT WAS DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NO RECALL WAS UNDER THE VIN. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. NO DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.
NHTSA ODI 11300748
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, WHEN SHE EXPERIENCED THE "DEATH WOBBLE" SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER FAIR OAKS FORD LINCOLN LOCATED AT 2055 W OGDEN AVE, NAPERVILLE, IL 60540, (630) 250-5750, AND THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED ORE REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. *BF*JB
NHTSA ODI 11300803
MY 2016 FORD F250 PRODUCED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. PER AN OBD TESTER THE CODE P20BA IS PRODUCED. THIS CORRESPONDS TO THE DIESEL REDUCTANT FLUID PUMP ASSEMBLY. UPON ONLINE RESEARCH THIS NORMALLY CORRESPONDS TO THE HEATER WHICH HEATS THE DIESEL EXHAUST FLUID FAILING. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON OLDER MODELS OF THIS TRUCK, EVIDENTLY FROM 2011 THROUGH 2015. FROM OTHER'S EXPERIENCES IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM CONTINUES INTO THE 2016 MODEL YEAR HOWEVER THERE IS NO EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. AS THE VEHICLE MODEL OF 2016 IS SIMILAR TO THE 2011-2015 MODELS I BELIEVE COVERAGE SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE 2016 MODELS AS WELL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TODAY UPON STARTING MY VEHICLE ON 1/17/2020.
NHTSA ODI 11300177
WHILE DRIVING, IF I HIT A POTHOLE OR DIPS IN THE ROADWAY, HIT THE TRANSITION FROM THE ROADWAY PAVEMENT TO A BRIDGE OR OVERPASS ON THE HIGHWAY OR HIT A GROOVE IN THE ROADWAY THE FRONT END AND THE STEERING WHEEL CAN BEGIN TO SHAKE AND WOBBLE ERRATICALLY AND SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY. THIS IS SCARY AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS. THIS USUALLY OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 55 AND 70 MPH. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 68 AND 75 THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. THIS OCCURS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON HAVING ALL FRONT END PARTS REPLACED, SHOCKS REPLACED AND TWO SETS OF BRAND NEW TIRES REPLACED WITHIN THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.YET, STILL I GET THE VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END.
NHTSA ODI 11281759
HIGH WAY SPEEDS VERY BAD SHAKE. DEATH WOBBLE. NEED CASTER SET MORE ON A 2.5 - 3 DEGREE. EVERYTHING IS STOCK ON THIS TRUCK AND AS MUCH AS I PAID FOR IT I AS SURE WASN'T EXPECTING THAT TO HAPPEN. I HAD TO PULL OF THE HIGHWAY AND STOP COMPLETELY AND THEN GRADUALLY GAIN SPEED AND AVOIDING HITTING EGG YOKES DIVIDING LANES. THAT WOULD SET IT OFF RUNNING 55 TO 60. MY MECHANIC IS THE ONE WHO TOLD ME ABOUT THE CASTER ADJUSTER. I DON'T WANT TO VOID MY WARRANTY MUCH LESS HAVE TO BUY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN ALREADY INSTALLED ON THIS BEAST OF A TRUCK.
NHTSA ODI 11281880
WHILE DRIVING HIT SMALL CRACKS AND BUMPS THAT CAUSED A VIOLENT SHAKING OF TRUCK, GOT ON BRAKES STOPPED AND THEN IT HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES REGULAR EXPRESSWAY JOINTS CAUSED IT, HWY 385 AND I 240 BOTH 4 LANE EXPRESSWAYS, NO POT HOLES JUST JOINT CONNECTIONS AT SPEEDS OF 45 MILES A HOUR GETTING ON EXPRESSWAY AND AT SPEED ON I240 65 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. TRUCK WAS GOING STRAIT AT ALL TIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. TRUCK IS STOCK NO MODIFICATIONS.
NHTSA ODI 11280528
TURNED ON REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER THIS MORNING WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. SOMETHING CAUGHT FIRE AND SHATTERED MY REAR WINDOW.
NHTSA ODI 11277321
THE FRONT WHEELS WILL START SHAKING VIOLENTLY CAUSING THE ENTIRE TRUCK TO SHAKE. THIS IS KNOWN AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 56,000 MILES AND THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE IN A SLIGHT TURN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HIT ANY TYPE OF BUMP OR ROUGH PATCH IN THE ROAD.
NHTSA ODI 11270578
AT 42000 MILES I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE DEATH WOBBLE WHEN I HIT A ROUGH PATCH IN THE ROAD. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY HAD IT FOR A WEEK AND TOLD ME THE COULDN'T FIND AN ISSUE. ISSUE IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND OCCURING MORE FREQUENTLY.
NHTSA ODI 11267902
WHILE TRAVELING 65MPH IN A POSTED 65MPH ZONE, I DROVE OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT. THIS CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE. SO SEVERE WAS THE SHAKING THAT MY COFFEE CUP SHOOK OUT OF THE SNUG CUP HOLDER IT WAS IN, THE OVERHEAD SUNGLASS STORAGE COMPARTMENT CAME OPEN AND THE PASSENGER-SIDE SUN VISOR CAME DOWN. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE SHAKING BECAME WORSE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE. ONLY WHEN I DECELERATED WITHOUT BRAKING DID THE SHAKING STOP, AT ABOUT 35MPH. THIS WAS EXTREMELY TERRIFYING, SO MUCH SO THAT A FELLOW MOTORIST, WHO WITNESSED THE ORDEAL, STOPPED BEHIND ME ON THE SHOULDER TO MAKE SURE I WAS OKAY.
NHTSA ODI 11265497
THIS TRUCK STARTING DOING THE DEATH WOBBLE AT ABOUT 50 MPH. RAN OVER SOME RUMBLE STRIPS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND THE WHEELS SHOOK VIOLENTLY. PUT NEW DRAG LINK, TIE ROD AND STEERING DAMPNER, STILL DID IT. PUT NEW TRACKBAR AND BALL JOINT, BUSHING AND HAD ALIGNMENT STILL DOING IT. IT IS AT DEALER NOW REPLACING TRACK BAR BALL JOINT, SHOCKS AND HAVING ALIGNMENT SHIMMED. TOTAL COST ABOUT 3500.
NHTSA ODI 11246732
WHEN DRIVING ON ROAD/INTERSTATE OVER 60 MPH AND HIT A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD THE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY. ALMOST LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS VERY OFTEN. SHAKES SO BAD YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 30 MPH BEFORE IT STOPS. NOT SAFE.
NHTSA ODI 11244056
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