What 560 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Ford F-350 Super Crew

I'VE EXPERIENCED 5 "DEATH WOBBLE" INCIDENTS ON MY F350 WITH LESS THAN 10K MILEAGE. THIS PROBLEM ALWAYS HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CROSSING OVER UNEVEN BRIDGE EXPANSION STRIPS ON A DIAGONAL. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WAS IN THE NUMBER TWO LANE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED IN BUSY TRAFFIC. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BELOW 30 MILES AN HOUR TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD SUPERDUTY 4X4 TRUCKS. IT'S THE SECOND TIME I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. FIRST TIME, FORD REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPENER. NOW THEY ARE CHANGING TIE-ROD ENDS. NTSB REALLY NEEDS TO LOOK AT THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION AND FORCE FORD TO STOP NICKEL DIMING REPAIRS AND FIX THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11229517

REAR TAILGATE OPENS BY ITSELF. UNKNOWN WHEN IT OCCURS AS I HAVE A CAMPER SHELL WHICH PREVENTS THE TAILGATE FROM COMPLETELY OPENING. THIS HAS OCCURRED 40-50 TIMES RANDOMLY SINCE PURCHASING THE TRUCK NEW IN AUGUST 2017. NOTIFIED THE DEALER OF ISSUE AND FORD TSB-2196 BUT WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED AFTER JUNE 2017, IT DOES NOT APPLY TO MY PROBLEM. UNLESS THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE. NO DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE CAMPER SHELL PREVENTING TAILGATE FROM DROPPING.

NHTSA ODI 11229482

MY TRUCK HAS THE SO CALLED "DEATH WOBBLE" WHEREAS HITTING CERTAIN BUMPS THE TRUCK'S STEERING IS UNCONTROLLABLE. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH MINE. I ALMOST HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, GOING 70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY. IT WILL NOT STOP UNTIL I SLAM ON THE BRAKES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH FORD, BUT THEY WILL JUST TELL YOU IT'S THE TIRES BEING OUT OF BALANCE. I KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T THE CASE, HOWEVER, I REPLACED ALL SIX TIRES AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY A SAFETY RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED.

NHTSA ODI 11228551

WHEN DRIVING OVER 50MPH AND HIT A BUMP OR ROAD TRANSITION ON A BRIDGE THE TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 30MPH TO GET IT TO STOP

NHTSA ODI 11222959

SEVERAL TIMES THE PICKUP HAS STARTED SHAKING. IT CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND ENTER THE DITCH. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN I'M AT A SPEED OF 50MPH OR ABOVE. USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN A POTHOLE OR BRIDGE CREASE IN ROAD IS CROSSED.

NHTSA ODI 11221113

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD F-350 PICKUP ON THE HIGHWAY AND HIT A POTHOLE. THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE TRUCK STARTED WOBBLING AND SHAKING TO THE POINT THAT I COULD BARELY CONTROL IT. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE BLOWN A TIRE OR TOW BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE. I HAD TO REDUCE SPEED SINCE I WASN'T IN A POSITION TO PULL OVER SAFELY. I CALLED FORD AND ALL THEY SAID WAS TO MAKE SURE THE TIRES WERE AT THE RIGHT TIRE PRESSURE. LUCK FOR ME I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME IN ONE PIECE.

NHTSA ODI 11220543

TIRE VALVE STEMS ARE LEAKING REPEATEDLY, NEW VALVE STEMS WILL START LEAKING SOMETIMES THE NEXT DAY. WHILE THE DEALER IS REPLACING THE STEMS UNDER WARRANTY (BUMPER TO BUMPER) THIS IS CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONDITION. 25% OF AIR CAN BE LOSSED OVERNIGHT. IT SEEMS LIKE THE MANUFACTURER IS TRYING TO RUN OUT THE WARRANTY AND LEAVE CONSUMERS WITH THE PRICE OF THE STEMS AFTERWARD. IN 15,000 MILES, ONE OF THE WHEELS ON THE TRUCK HAS HAD 4 STEMS PUT IN.

NHTSA ODI 11219698

I HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WITH THE INFAMOUS "DEATH WOBBLE" WHEN THE FRONT SUSPENSION VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND OVERALL VEHICLE CONTROL. AFTER THE FIRST THREE INCIDENTS I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THE DEATH WOBBLE THREAD ON THE INTERNET. I TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A DRAG LINK AND BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE DROVE MOSTLY NORMAL FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WITH ONLY OCCASIONAL FRONT STEERING VIBRATION AFTER DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THEN ON JUNE 10, 2019 I RAN OVER AN EXPANSION JOINT IN A BRIDGE ON A CORNER GOING 45-50 MPH AND THE STEERING WHEEL AND ENTIRE TRUCK VIBRATED TO THE POINT OF LOSING CONTROL AND GOING OFF ROAD NEARLY INTO THE DITCH BEFORE I GOT THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THE VIBRATION AND OSCILLATION WAS EXTREMELY SEVERE WITH EVERYONE IN VEHICLE BEING TOSSED ABOUT VIOLENTLY. I IMMEDIATELY MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND DEALERSHIP STATED THEY KNEW OF PROBLEM AND REFERENCED TSB 18-2268. THEY SHIMMED THE SUSPENSION, ADJUSTED THE CASTOR, AND REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPENER TO THE TUNE OF $624. I TALKED TO THREE DIFFERENT FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES AND GOT NOTHING BUT A RUN-AROUND. AFTER TRUCK WAS REPAIRED, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT FORD WOULD PAY $335 FOR REPAIRS SINCE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE IS HORRIBLE AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME. WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO THE VIOLENT NATURE OF THE VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL. KENDALL FORD IN KENAI WAS VERY ACCOMMODATING AND HELPFUL IN GETTING MY PROBLEM SOLVED BUT FORD NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND GET THESE VEHICLES REPAIRED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING NOW WITH THIS VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS 45,332 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11219882

MULTIPLE INSTANCES ~15 OF 'DEATH WOBBLE' WHERE THE TRUCK AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKE VIOLENTLY. NORMALLY AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR ROUGH ROAD. STARTED OCCURRING ONLY WHEN TURNING AND HITTING A BUMP, BUT NOW HAPPENING WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. REQUIRES SLOWING QUICKLY TO BELOW 30 MPH TO STOP SHAKING, MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS FOR MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE HIGHWAY. STOCK F350 DRW WITH 32K MILES

NHTSA ODI 11219629

TRUCK HAS DEATH WOBBLE. AFTER HITTING A BUMP ON THE FREEWAY STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END STARTS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. REQUIRES SLOWING DOWN TO UNDER 40 MPH TO STOP SHAKING. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. FORD HAS INSPECTED THE FRONT END AND SAID EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE. ANOTHER FORD DEALER REPLACE THE STEERING STABILIZER SHOCK AT MY COST. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA ODI 11219115

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, I CROSSED AND EXPANSION JOINT AND THE TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AS IF I HAD TWO FLAT TIRES. THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK SO HARD THAT I HAD TO GRASP IT WITH BOTH HANDS AND A VERY TIGHT GRIP SIMPLY TO KEEP THE TRUCK IN MY LANE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER AND MADE A VISUAL INSPECTION OF ALL FOUR TIRES. NOTHING SEEMED WRONG. I PULLED BACK ONTO THE INTERSTATE AND CONTINUED AT 60 MPH UNTIL THE NEXT EXIT. ONCE I GOT HOME I WAS ABLE TO SEARCH FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM HAD A NAME, THE "DEATH WOBBLE" GIVEN TO IT BY OTHER OWNERS THAT HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME. I CALLED MY DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN ACTIVE SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11209789

WAS TRAVELING ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY IN A CORNER AROUND 60-65 MPH WHEN I HIT A SMALL HOLE IN THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING BACK AND FORTH IN A VERY UNSAFE FASHION. TRUCK ONLY HAS 33K MILES ON IT. I NOTICE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THAT IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS THE STEERING BECAME VERY "LOOSE", BUT THIS LAST TIME IT SHOOK MUCH MORE.

NHTSA ODI 11209215

THIS TRUCKS FRONT END SHAKES TERRIBLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TO THE POINT OF BEING DANGEROUS, ON IMPROVED GRAVEL ROADS AND SPEED OVER TEN MPH IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 15000 MILES AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE NOW AT 34000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11207488

2017 FORD F-350 WITH 35000 MILES AT 20000 EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT SHAKING GAME N FRONT END THE STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATED BETWEEN 11 AND 1 O'CLOCK THIS HAPPENED AFTER HITTING BUMP IN THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HORIZONTAL SHOCK. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER I WENT OVER AN EXPANSION JOINT ON A BRIDGE AND THE VIOLENT SHAKING BEGAN AND I COULD STOP BY SLOWING TO 30 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HORIZONTAL SHOCK AGAIN WAND THE TRACK BAR.BOTH PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER FOR MANY MONTHS. NOW I AM NOTICING A SLIGHT SHAKING WHEN I HIT A BUMP. THE INTERNET CALLS IT THE'DEATH WOBBLE' THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS FORD HAS A SERIOUS DESIGN PROBLEM THAT THEY CHOOSE TO IGNORE. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP.

NHTSA ODI 11207197

DEATH WOBBLE. AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH TRUCK GOES INTO A "DEATH WOBBLE" AFTER DRIVING OVER SMALL POTHOLES OR EVEN FREEWAY EXPANSION JOINTS. FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND IT IS ALL I CAN DO TO HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL WITH BOTH HANDS. SLOWING DOWN DOES NOT HELP UNTIL SLOWING BELOW 45 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 7 DIFFERENT TIMES. IT HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN ONE DAY (1/18/19) DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 5 FROM SACRAMENTO TO BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA WHILE TOWING MY 38FT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. THIS 2017 SUPER DUTY F350 HAS ALL THE FACTORY TOWING OPTIONS AND HEAVIEST GVW PACKAGE. THE FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES HAVE GOOD EVEN WEAR AT MORE THAN 50% AND TOTAL MILES ON THE TRUCK IS 40,000. THE TRUCK IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND SERVICED AT THE DEALER WHERE PURCHASED (CORNING FORD IN CORNING CALIFORNIA).

NHTSA ODI 11205328

AIR LEAKING FROM TIRE VALVE STEMS. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11203346

THE STEERING ON MY 2017 F-350 OCCASIONALLY BECOMES UNCONTROLLABLE AND SHAKES VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHEN HITTING BUMPS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DEALER REFERRED TO THIS AS " DEATH WOBBLE" FORD HAS ALREADY ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT ONCE BY REPLACING THE STEERING DAMPER BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE TRUCK IS COMPLETELY STOCK WITH ALL ORIGINAL COMPONENTS AND TIRES. FORD IS UNWILLING TO MAKE ANY MORE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE. I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH ON LINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2017 AND NEWER F 250 / 350 SERIES TRUCKS. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED TO ME WAS ON TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER- NORTHSIDE FORD IN SAN ANTONIO, TX.

NHTSA ODI 11203528

CAST ALUMINUM WHEELS LEAKING AIR FROM AREA AROUND STEEL VALVE STEM WHERE CORROSION IS OCCURRING. ALL HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND ONE WAS REPLACED TWICE. VEHICLE HAS 29K MILES. THE AIR LOSS HAS BEEN BOTH SLOW AND QUICK. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS I PULL A 13,000 POUND TRAILER. DEALERS ARE AWARE OF MANY CASES. FORD WILL NOT REPLACE WHEELS WITH A SAFE PRODUCT AND CONTINUES TO REPLACE WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE WHEEL AND VALVE.

NHTSA ODI 11202957

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE DEATH WOBBLE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN TO 20 MPH AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE LESS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED VERN EIDE FORD LINCOLN (LOCATED AT 2300 N MAIN ST, MITCHELL, SD 57301, (605) 996-5614) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ODI 11196928

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD F-350 SD. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH OVER A DIP IN THE ROADWAY, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY. THE VIBRATION WORSENED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE DEATH WOBBLE. SMITH MOTOR COMPANY INC (LOCATED AT 359 NJ-31, WASHINGTON, NJ 07882, (908) 835-8100) WAS CONTACTED AND A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

NHTSA ODI 11196222

DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 60MPH ON ROAD WHEN I HIT A SMALL PATCH OF SNOW. THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING, AND CONTINUED TO SHAKE HORRIBLY UNTIL I GOT THE TRUCK STOPPED. I WAS DOING EVERYTHING I COULD DO TO STAY ON THE ROAD AND NOT GO IN THE DITCH. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS STEERING DAMPNER.

NHTSA ODI 11195972

I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I ENCOUNTER EXTREME STEERING OCILATION WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS AS FORD DEATH WOBBLE. THE STEERING SHOOK VIOLENTLY WITH MY KIDS IN THE TRUCK. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN DANGEROUSLY TO 25 MPH BEFORE IT WOULD STOP SHAKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER 10 TIMES BETWEEN TAKING IT INTO MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEM NOT PROPERLY REPAIRING THE ISSUE. MY WIFE AND KIDS ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED IN THE VEHICLE UNTIL I CAN CONFIRM IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS, I CAN SAY THAT I THINK IF MY WIFE WERE DRIVING THE TRUCK ATLEAST ON 2 OF THE INSTANCES IT HAPPENED, SHE LIKELY WOULDNT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT FROM A CRASH. 1 INSTANCE I WAS BETWEEN LANES AND BRAKING WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. I DO HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE AS WELL BUT COULDNT FIGURE HOW TO UPLOAD AN MP4 FILE.

NHTSA ODI 11195618

FOR NO REASON THE TAILGATE WILL OPEN ON IT'S OWN. EITHER DRIVING OR PARKED. TAILGATE HAS COME DOWN A NUMBER OF TIMES. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IN A PARKING LOT.

NHTSA ODI 11194958

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH TRUCK DEVELOPED A HIGH SPEED WOBBLE. WIFE WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK STOPPED WITHOUT LOSING CONTROL. THE TRUCK THAT HAS 26000 MILES ON IT HAD NO PAYLOAD SHOOK SO HARD THAT MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO HOLD ON TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO GET IT STOPPED WHILE TRYING TO STAY IN HER LANE AND ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11195288

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, ON A HIGHWAY, GOING AROUND A LEFT HAND CORNER, HIT A BUMPY PATCH OF ROAD THAT CAUSED A VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND WHOLE TRUCK. SLOWED APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MPH TO GET SHAKING TO STOP.

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