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

CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE "FORD DEATH WOBBLE" STEERING OSCILLATION. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. THE INCIDENT USUALLY OCCURS WHILE TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES. WHIN THIS OCCURS, IT IS USUALLY WHEN CROSSING A SEAM ON THE ROAD FROM A BRIDGE OR HITTING A ROUGH PATCH IN THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS SHAKING VIOLENTLY CAUSING YOU TO FIGHT KEEPING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 30 MPH IN ORDER TO GET IT TO STOP, WHICH IS QUITE DANGEROUS WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE. MY CURRENT MILEAGE IS 20,400. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DTHAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH ENGINEERS AT FORD HQ IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND HAVE MADE THE FOLLOWING MODIFICATIONS TO MY VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS IN CORRECTING THE ISSUE: ADJUSTING THE CAMBER ON EVERY VISIT, ADDED 2 DIFFERENT SIZE OF SHIMS,REPLACED BOTH STEERING DAMPERS, AND MOST RECENTLY ADD A 1 1/2" LEVELING KIT. UNFORTUNATELY THE ISSUE STILL IS NOT RESOLVED, THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND IMPACTING MY ABILITY TO USE THE VEHICLE FOR THE PURPOSE IT WAS PURCHASED FOR.

NHTSA ODI 11240341

AT 19000 MILES I EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT SHAKE IN MY STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING AT 75MPH ON A LOCAL EXPRESSWAY. THIS VIOLENT SHAKE MADE ME LOSE CONTROL OF ANY STEERING OF THE VEHICLE TIL I SLOWED DOWN TO I BELIEVE WAS 40MPH WERE I GAINED CONTROL OF VEHICLE AGAIN. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER LANE AND VEHICLE AND IT ALMOST CAUSED THE DRIVER BEHIND ME TO REAR END ME DUE TO THE SUDDEN STOPPING ON A EXPRESSWAY. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER 5 TIMES FOR REPAIR. THE TRUCK CONTINUES TO HAVE STEERING CONTROL ISSUES. I WILL ATTACH THE LATEST RECEIPT SHOWING REPAIR THAT HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY BUT LUCKILY IT WAS NOT AS BAD. PLEASE HELP FIX THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

NHTSA ODI 11231115

I WAS PULLING A 12,000 LBS 5TH WHEEL TRAILER ON A HIGHWAY MOUNTAIN PASS WHEN I WENT OVER AN EXPANSION JOINT AT ABOUT 55 MPH AND THE VEHICLE STARTED A DEATH WOBBLE. THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY STARTED SHAKING AND I STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND TRAILER BARELY BEING ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER BEFORE GOING OVER A CLIFF WITH MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE VEHICLES BEHIND ME THAT HAD TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES TO KEEP FROM HITTING US.

NHTSA ODI 11230088

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

NHTSA ODI 11194385

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

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

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

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

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