Apr 6, 2019SteeringSuspensionWheels
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 50MPH I PASSED OVER A SMALL BUMP (ROADWAY TO OVERPASS) IN THE ROAD. THE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP TO GET IT TO STOP SHAKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST BUT THE SHAKING HAS NOT BEEN AS VIOLENT AND HAS STOPPED WHEN LETTING OFF THE THROTTLE (NOT THIS TIME). THIS SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. MY TRUCK HAS 11,450 MILES.
NHTSA ODI 11194335
Apr 4, 2019Steering
TRUCK JUST TURNED 25K MILES THIS WEEK. I EXPERIENCED THE "DEATH WOBBLE" TWICE TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE FIRST TIME I CROSSED AN EXPANSION JOINT THAT WAS NOT PERPENDICULAR WITH THE ROAD AT ABOUT 70 MPH. STEERING WHEEL WENT BACK & FORTH MAYBE SEVEN TIMES MOVING 3" OR SO VERY QUICKLY, DEFINITELY GOT MY FULL ATTENTION! SECOND ONE ABOUT AN HOUR LATER GOING OVER ANOTHER EXPANSION JOINT WHICH WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE ROAD, SAME OCCURRENCE BUT MUCH MILDER.
NHTSA ODI 11193928
Apr 3, 2019Steering
DRIVING AT AROUND 50 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO BOUNCE AND VIBRATE AFTER HITTING A UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. THE BOUNCE AND VIBRATION DID NOT STOP UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED TAKING A MAJOR EFFORT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL TILL STOPPED. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TWICE.
NHTSA ODI 11193601
Apr 3, 2019Steering
SIGNIFICANT STEERING WHEEL OSCULATION AND FRONT SUSPENSION VIBRATION AFTER DRIVING OVER EXPANSION JOINTS ON HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES. REQUIRE SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO 20-25 MPH BEFORE THE ISSUE STOPS.
NHTSA ODI 11193695
Apr 3, 2019SteeringSuspensionWheels
HAULING HORSE TRAILER WITH 4 HORSES, HIT A BUMP IN ROAD AND VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL ON A 5 LANE HIGHWAY THRU SLC UT. ALSO LEARNED AFTER THE FACT FORD DEATH WOBBLE.
NHTSA ODI 11193721
Apr 2, 2019Steering
AT SPEED OVE 60 ON ROAD BUMPS , BRIDGE JOINTS, ROUGH ROADS THE STEERING WHEEL WILL VIOTNELY SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY ALSO CALLED THE DEATH WOOBLE.COAST TO ABOUT 50MPH WILL STOP SHAKING. SCAREY WHEN IT HAPPENS DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY VEHIVKE CONTROL AT WHILE IT WOBBLES. SONE ROUGH ROADS THE BUMPS CAUSE A VIBRATION LIKE IT WANTS TO DO THE DEATH WOOBLE THEN THE RIGHT BUMP IR ITS ANGLE ON TH ROAD STARTS A DEATH WOOBLE. TRUCK HAS HAD DEALER VISIT #1 ALINGMENT, INSPECTION, #2 STEERING DAMPER REPLACED, #3 CAMBER ADJUSTED TO SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) #18- 2268 SPECS. #4 CAMVER ADJUST ADDUBG MORE CAMBER. OROBLEN AEEMS TO BE REDUCED NOW BUT CAN STILL HAPPEN BUT NOW LESS VILONLTY. THAN BEFORE. I FEEL LIKE A TEST CASE THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO FIX.
NHTSA ODI 11193268
Mar 31, 2019SteeringSuspension
EXPERIENCED 'DEATH WOBBLE' SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRAVELING ON HIGHWAYS (BETWEEN 65-75 MPH). THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES - ONCE WHILE PULLING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER, WHICH NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENT. DEALER INSTALLED BAR TO ADDRESS ISSUE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. TODAY, I EXPERIENCED IT AGAIN - 5 TIMES IN A MATTER OF 60 MILES - AGAIN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN GOING OVER EXPANSION JOINTS ON BRIDGES. THIS IS ONLY STOPPED WHEN SLOWED DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY ON HIGHWAY - EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. BASED ON THE VERY SIMILAR AND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE MAKES ME THINK A CLASS ACTION IS WARRANTED AND NEEDS TO BE PURSUED - SINCE IT SEEMS THERE AREN'T APPROPRIATE STEPS BEING TO CORRECT THIS VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT. THE CORRECTIVE STEPS FORD HAS DEALERS PERFORMING AREN'T WORKING AND THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. *TR
NHTSA ODI 11192782
Mar 28, 2019SteeringSuspension
FORD DEATH WOBBLE - AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (45-75MPH) SEVERE STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION SHAKES CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. TO GAIN CONTROL DRIVER MUST BRAKE HEAVILY AND REDUCE SPEED.
NHTSA ODI 11192101
Mar 23, 2019Wheels
TIRES NOT HOLDING AIR PRESSURE. SEEING THIS ON THE PASS SIDE FRONT WHEEL/TIRE, AND THE OUTER PASS WHEEL/TIRE OF THE REAR DUALLY. RESEARCH INDICATES THIS COULD BE DUE TO CORROSION CAUSED BY THE STEEL VALVE STEM AND THE ALUMINUM WHEEL. THIS IS A HAZARD PARTICULARLY DUE TO THE FACT THIS VEHICLE IS BUILT FOR HEAVY DUTY TOWING AND TIRES MUST MAINTAIN PROPER AIR PRESSURE. TIRES ARE LOSING APPROX. 10PSI WEEKLY. FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPAIR/REPLACE THE VALVE STEM ASSEMBLY TO PREVENT TIRE PRESSURE LOSS. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF SAME CAN BE FOUND BY RESEARCHING INTERNET SOURCES. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 13,500 MILES ON IT.
NHTSA ODI 11191053
Mar 22, 2019Steering
WHILE TOWING A 28" FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER I ENCOUNTER SEVERE, AND I MEAN SEVERE FRONT END WOBBLE WHICH ALMOST CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS (DEATH WOBBLE). IT OCCURRED WHEN HITTING EXPANSION JOINTS AT BRIDGE CROSSINGS AND WHEN GOING OVER MODERATE ROAD BUMPS. SPEEDS VARIED FROM 65MPH TO ABOUT 55MPH.TRUCK IS RELATIVELY NEW WITH ONLY 15K MILES ON IT.
NHTSA ODI 11190858
Mar 21, 2019Steering
AT ~25,000 MILES, TRUCK BEGINS TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY AFTER HITTING ANY SMALL DEFECT IN THE ROAD IF TRAVELING OVER 60 MILES PER HOUR. VERY EASILY COULD RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY IF IT WERE TO OCCUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR AROUND A SHARP CURVE ON THE HIGHWAY. TRUCKS ERROR MESSAGE "SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK". MECHANIC ATTRIBUTED IT TO FAILED STEERING DAMPERS. BEGAN NOVEMBER 2018, BECAME A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN JANUARY 2019.
NHTSA ODI 11190467
Mar 20, 2019SteeringSuspensionWheels
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65) AN 'EXTREME' WOBBLE DEVELOPED IN FRONT STEERING AND SUSPENSION. STEERING WHEEL DEFLECTION WAS AROUND 30 DEGREES SIDE TO SIDE FROM TOP CENTER. A FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER WAS BEING TOWED AND THE WOBBLE RESULTED IN DEPARTURE FROM TRAVEL LANE; HOWEVER, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. SPEED WAS REDUCED TO 20 MPH BEFORE WOBBLE CEASED AND TRAILER BRAKES WE THE ONLY EFFECTIVE THING TO STRAIGHTEN TRUCK. APPLICATION OF TRUCK BRAKES SEEMED TO WORSEN THE WOBBLE. VOLUMES OF INFORMATION EXIST ON THIS ISSUE LABELED AS 'DEATH WOBBLE.' HTTPS://M.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4JV7L8BBO1Q HTTPS://M.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=8EUQ6F8RGT4 VEHICLE IS AT PURCHASING DEALER FOR REPAIR. I AM HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH NHTSA IF DEEMED APPROPRIATE.
NHTSA ODI 11190219
Mar 20, 2019Steering
MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE STEERING COMPONENTS, TRUCK WILL GET DEATH WOBBLE FOR NO REASON AND HAVE HAD THE 'UPDATED STEERING' DONE AT THE DEALER AND IT STILL DOES IT !
NHTSA ODI 11190380
Mar 19, 2019SteeringSuspension
AT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, AFTER HITTING A MINOR BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE TRUCK SHOOK AND VIBRATED VIOLENTLY AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO HOLD ONTO TO. THE SHAKING STOPPED AROUND 25MPH AS I WAS PULLING ON TO THE SHOULDER. THE TRUCK HAS 21,000 MILES ON IT AND ALL TIRES, WHEELS, PARTS, SUSPENSION DO NOT APPEAR DAMAGED. RESEARCH INTO THE ISSUE REVEALED WHAT IS BEING CALLED, "DEATH WOBBLE." THOSE DESCRIPTIONS FIT MY EXPERIENCE PERFECTLY. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CLEAR SOLUTION.
NHTSA ODI 11190098
Mar 17, 2019SteeringSuspension
EXPERIENCE 'DEATH WOBBLE' OF FRONT STEERING AT ABOUT 17,000 MILES. TRUCK HAS ABOUT 21,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE OWNED IT SINCE NEW. TRUCK IS COMPLETELY STOCK WITH ORIGINAL TIRES, WHEELS AND SUSPENSION. LAST WEEKEND I HAD THE DEATH WOBBLE HAPPEN TWICE. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 MILES APART WHILE IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE ON THE FREEWAY WITH NO PLACE TO PULL OFF OR ROOM AS LANES WERE NARROWED. A SMALL BUMP STARTS IT, BUT IT TAKES ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS TO 'RAMP UP' TO WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL IS VIOLENTLY SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. HAPPEN AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 58 MPH AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO UNDER 40 TO REGAIN CONTROL. TIRE PRESSURE OF BOTH FRONT TIRES HAS A READING OF 63PSI WHICH COLD INFLATION IS 60. TIRES ARE ROTATED AT OIL CHANGES. TRUCK IS AN XLT CREW CAB WITH LONG BOX, POWERSTROKE DIESEL, 4X4 WITH FX4 PACKAGE AND MAX GVWR 11,500. DOES HAVE CHROME PACKAGE THAT INCLUDED CHROME 18' WHEELS AND GOODYEAR ALL TERRAIN TIRES. COMPLETELY STOCK AS TAKEN FROM DEALER. MY OPION IS THAT THE SOLID FRONT AXLE HAS A FLAW WITH REGARD TO TRACK BAR LOCATING THE AXLE POSITION AND THE DRAG LINK OF THE STEERING. BOTH OF THESE LINKS ARE NOT EXACTLY PARALLEL OR OF EQUAL LENGTH. SINCE ONE IS ATTACH DIRECTLY TO THE AXLE AND THE OTHER IS ATTACHED TO THE STEERING ARM, WHEN THE FRONT AXLE OSCILLATES GOING OVER A BUMP, THE NON-PARALLEL, NOT EQUAL LENGTH LINKS INTRODUCE A CONDITION SOMETIME REFERRED TO BUMP STEER. THIS THEN STARTS AN OSCILLATION OF THE STEERING ARM AS THE TRUCK WISH TO CONTINUE TRAVELING THE STRAIGHT LINE, IT COMPRESSES ALL OF THE RUBBER BUSHINGS WHICH THEN CAUSE THE WHEEL TO BE JERKED/SPRUNG BACK VIOLENTLY AND THUS WE HAVE THE WOBBLE OF THE FRONT STEERING OSCILLATING AT FREQUENCY THAT CAN NOT DAMPEN OUT UNTIL VEHICLE IS SLOWED DOWN TO A POINT TO THAT NO LONGER SUPPORTS THE NATURAL FREQUENCY. COLLEGE LEVEL KINEMATIC AND VEHICLE DYNAMICS APPROACH COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI 11187397
Mar 12, 2019Steering
I EXPERIENCED "DEATH WOBBLE" WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 35 IN NORTHERN IL ON 3-9-19. THIS STARTED AFTER I RAN OVER A MINOR ROAD BUMP. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL BUT WAS ABLE TO REDUCE SPEED WHICH STOPPED THE VIBRATION AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS DID HAPPEN AGAIN ON 3-10-19 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY FORD'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 3-13-19.
NHTSA ODI 11186091
Mar 11, 2019Steering
DEATH WOBBLE. TRUCK HAS 6000 MILES ON IT, WHEN I HIT THE EXPANSION JOINT ON THE BRIDGE AT 55MPH STEERING WHEEL SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AND NEARLY CAUSED ME TO CRASH VEHICLE (HAPPENED 4 TIMES). TRUCK IS NEW W/ 6000 MILES ON IT. JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AT A SMALL POTHOLE WHEN I WAS GOING 35MPH.
NHTSA ODI 11185871
Mar 9, 2019SteeringSuspension
TRUCK CURRENTLY AT 18,250 MILES. AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70 MPH) WHEN HITTING AN EXPANSION JOINT IN THE EXPRESS WAY OR OTHER DEPRESSION IN THE ROAD SURFACE, WILL OCCASIONALLY CAUSE AN UNCONTROLLED AND VIOLENT OSCILLATION OF THE STEERING COMPONENTS. DURING ONE OF THESE "DEATH WOBBLE" EVENTS LOSS OF CONTROL IS POSSIBLE. TO REGAIN CONTROL, THE VEHICLE MUST BE SLOWED DOWN TO AROUND 30 MPH WHICH CAN CAUSE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR OTHER MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD.
NHTSA ODI 11185490
Mar 9, 2019SteeringSuspension
DEATH WOBBLE! MY TRUCK HAS 31K. WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY DOING 50+ MPH IF I HIT AND BUMP OR TAKE A TURN FAST, THE ENTIRE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY. EXTREMELY SCARING AND DANGEROUS, CAUSED ME TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY BEFORE IT WENT BACK TO DRIVING NORMAL.
NHTSA ODI 11185530
Mar 7, 2019SteeringSuspension
WHILE DRIVING 45 - 60 MPH ON A COUNTY ROAD, AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END BEGAN TO OSCILLATE VIOLENTLY. THE TRUCK WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND THE SHAKING ONLY STOPPED AFTER REDUCING SPEED UNDER 30 MPH. ON A ROAD WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH DOING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
NHTSA ODI 11184954
Mar 6, 2019SteeringSuspension
EXPERIENCED 'DEATH WOBBLE' AT APPROXIMATELY 58 MPH ON HIGHWAY.
NHTSA ODI 11184552
Mar 1, 2019Engine
COOLANT LEAK FROM "TEE" CONNECTIONS ON LINE FROM OVERFLOW BOTTLE ACROSS ENGINE. FORD PART: HC3Z-8075-D. SMELLED COOLANT LEAK WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. WHILE HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM HOME HAD ONE OF THE HOSE CONNECTIONS AT THE PLASTIC TEE ABOVE THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE COME LOOSE CAUSING COOLANT LEAK. INSPECTED OTHER CONNECTIONS ON BOTH TEE'S AND FOUND ALL TO BE LOOSE AND/OR LEAKING. SECURED ALL HOSE CONNECTIONS (6) ON BOTH TEE'S WITH SCREW TYPE CLAMPS TO GET HOME. FORD HAS USED OETIKER CLAMPS AND SINGLE BARB PLASTIC TEE INSTEAD OF A MORE ROBUST SPRING OR SCREW TYPE CLAMP ON A MULTI BARB CONNECTION.
NHTSA ODI 11183549
Feb 28, 2019SteeringSuspension
WHILE DRIVING MY 2017 FORD F350 LARIAT CREW CAB 4X4 LONG BED, I DROVE OVER AN EXPANSION JOINT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. UPON HITTING THE JOINT, THE FRONT END WENT INTO A VIOLENT OSCILLATION BOUNCING LEFT AND RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OSCILLATING SO VIOLENTLY THAT IT TOOK ALL THAT I HAD TO HOLD IT ON THE ROAD. I HAD TO REDUCE THE SPEED RAPIDLY FROM 65MPH TO 35MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN MY RIGHT LANE, OR I WOULD HAVE IMPACTED THE SIDE OF THEIR VEHICLE. THIS FELT LIKE "DEATH WOBBLE" AS THE WHEELS WERE BOUNCING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A DEALER LOT IN KANSAS. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE IS 13,000. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER HOW CLAIMED IT WAS A FAILED STEERING DAMPENER. THE DEALER REPLACE THE DAMPENER, BUT THE FRONT END STILL FEELS LOOSE AND UNWEIGHTED OVER BUMPS ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH. THE WEATHER WHEN IT HAPPENED WAS SUNNY AND CLEAR. TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY BUT MOVING. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED MARYLAND HIGHWAY 100. THIS IS A SERIOUS MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.
NHTSA ODI 11183252
Feb 27, 2019Suspension
FRONT END SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY, AFTER HITTING A BUMP AT FREEWAY SPEEDS.
NHTSA ODI 11182726
Feb 27, 2019SteeringSuspension
WHEN HITTING A BUMP ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL DEVELOPED A VIOLENT SHIMMY. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER TO GET THE TRUCK BACK UNDER CONTROL. IT HAPPENS A SPEEDS OVER 45 MPH FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HIT THE RIGHT BUMP THE WRONG WAY. *TR
NHTSA ODI 11182748