What 397 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford F-250 Supercab

Rapid oscillation of the steering wheel ( death wobble ). The steering damper was replaced at 18,744 miles. This helped for a little while. When you hit a slight bump in the road, often times the seam where a bridge meets the pavement the rapid oscillation will begin. To stop the oscillation the vehicle will have to be slowed down to between 25-30 mph. This is very dangerous when traveling on a busy highway. I plan on taking this vehicle to the dealership the last week of July to have it inspected and the tailgate recall repaired. This vehicle currently has 32,454 miles on it. Thank You !

NHTSA ODI 11425259

Uncontrollable shaking when going down the highway after a bump

NHTSA ODI 11423675

While driving on I-40 east of Nashville, TN on Sunday June 13, 2021 I drove over a bridge expansion joint which sent my truck into an uncontrollable shaking of the front wheels and steering wheel. I was able to get truck onto the right shoulder and stop the shaking. I remembered getting a recall letter from Ford about this and notified a Ford dealer to get my truck into shop. The steering dampener (item in the recall), was replaced on June 30. On Sat July 3, I drove to Atlanta from Knoxville and on the way back I experienced this severe shaking three different times. Once on an expansion joint, once on a place where removal of lane markings had left gouges in the asphalt, and once again on a small pothole. My three passengers were terrified, as was I because we were in heavy traffic each time and in one location no place to pull off to safety. It's a thousand wonders we were not in a crash because of this situation. It's to the point now I'm afraid to drive the vehicle. I will be contacting the dealer again this morning and inform them the the "fix" did not help at all. I was shocked when I starting researching this situation and learned how common this is and how long it has been occurring, and I'm very unhappy the dealer I bought the truck from didn't bring this possibility to my attention. Obviously, making the sale was more important than my safety. This is an expensive truck and it's time, actually past time, that this problem was fixed once and for all by Ford, or substantial concessions made to the owners of these trucks.

NHTSA ODI 11423450

MY 2018 F250 HAS THE FORD DEATH WOBBLE AS PEOPLE DESCRIBE IT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING EVENT. THIS FRIDAY MAY 14TH 2021 IT WILL GO INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE THIRD TIME TO BE FIXED. THE LAST TIME IT WAS IN WAS 04/09/21 FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THE DEATH WOBBLE CONSIST OF VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE FRONT END WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD WHILE TRAVELING ABOVE 50 MPH. WE MUST BRAKE IMMEDIATELY AND SLOW DOWN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, NOT ONLY FOR THE SHAKING BUT SLOWING DOWN THAT QUICKLY ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE HAULING A 35 FT CAMPER AS WELL. TODAY I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT FORD SAYS THIS IS A ONE TIME FIX. THE MOIST RECENT TIME THIS DEATH WOBBLE HAPPENED WAS 05/06/21 WHILE DRIVING TO LOUISVILLE KY. IT HAPPENED SIX TIMES ON THE WAY DOWN AND ONCE ON THE WAY HOME.

NHTSA ODI 11416163

2018 F250 WITH THE DEATH WOBBLE. HIT A BUMP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE TRUCKS FRONT END SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AND CAUSED THE TRUCK TO VEER LANE FROM LANE. FORD HAS HAD THIS ISSUE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS AND HAS CAUSED MANY ACCIDENTS. PLEASE GET FORD TO RECALL THESE TRICKS STARTING WITH THE 05 MODELS.

NHTSA ODI 11414100

TWICE, I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT PEOPLE ARE CALLING A "DEATH WOBBLE". AT HIGHWAY SPEED (70MPH) A VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL OCCURED AS IF A FRONT TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, OR A WHEEL WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. BARELY ABLE TO HANG ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL, I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OFF THE ROAD. AFTER GETTING OUT AND INSPECTING THE FRONT END, I FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I GOT BACK UP TO SPEED AND CONTENUED TO MY DESTINATION.

NHTSA ODI 11413649

OUR 2018 F-250 SUPER DUTY IS EXPERIENCING THE INFAMOUS "FORD DEATH WOBBLE" DUE TO PARTS USED BY FORD THAT THEY KNOW WERE NOT GOING TO HOLD UP AND WOULD WEAR PREMATURELY. THIS IS CAUSING AN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WOBBLE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING WHEEL THAT COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURIES' OR EVEN DEATH DUE TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND GENERALLY TRAVELLING ABOVE 50 MPH. ALWAYS HAPPENS AFTER GOING OVER A DIP IN THE ROAD OR A POTHOLE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN A VIDEO BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF VIDEO'S ON YOUTUBE OF THE SAME THING.

NHTSA ODI 11407542

OUR TRUCK DID THE DEATH WOBBLE NUMEROUS TIMES GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. VERY SCARY AND UNACCEPTABLE FOR FORD TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SERIOUS PROMBLEM!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11406426

2018 FORD F-250 DIESEL 4 WHEEL DRIVE - ABOUT 25,000 MILES ON IT I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST "DEATH WOBBLE" I HAD GONE AROUND A CURVE ON A NARROW ROAD (PROBABLY 45 MPH) AND HIT A BUMP JUST RIGHT AND THERE IT WENT, SCARED THE SNOT OUT OF ME, HIT THE BRAKES, IT STOPPED, I THOUGHT THAT WAS WEIRD. DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR A LONG TIME. THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN A 4 LANE BUSY ROAD WITH A SEMI-TRUCK NEXT TO ME AND IN THE 20 MILES I DRIVE ON THAT ROAD TWICE DAILY (BETWEEN 55-65 MILES AN HOUR), IT DID IT 4 TIMES. THEN NOTHING. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE B/C I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR INSPECTION 3/19/20, ALL SUSPENSION AND JOINTS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE FORD IS SUGGESTION COULD BE AN ISSUE HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND FOUND TO NOT BE LOOSE OR BROKEN. NEW TIRES ARE BEING PUT ON IT THIS WEEKEND WITH ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. AT THIS POINT AFTER ALL OF THAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN I WILL BE TRADING THIS VEHICLE. EVERYTHING I SEE SAYS FORD KNOWS AOBUT IT, HAS KNOWN ABOUT IT, AND IS EITHER UNWILLING TO FIX IT, OR DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A MAJOR RECALL ON ALL THE PARTS IN QUESTION IMMEDIATELY TO MAKE US GULLIBLE IDIOTS THAT BOUGHT THEIR PIECES OF JUNK AT LEAST FEEL LIKE WE CAN USE THEM SAFELY! I AM JUST NOW HEARING THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS FAMILY OF TRUCKS, IF I HAD KNOW THIS WAS THIS BIG OF AN ISSUE I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT IT AND THAT IS WHAT FORD IS COUNTING ON AND THAT IS WRONG! I DO NOT FEEL SAFE TAKING MY FAMILY ANYWHERE IN THIS VEHICLE, IT'S THE ONLY ONE I HAVE AND I AM 1,800 MILES FROM ANY FAMILY, IF I HAVE TO GO HOME FOR AN EMERGENCY I WILL HAVE TO RENT A VEHICLE AT THIS POINT B/C I CAN'T IMAGINE RUNNING DOWN AN INTERSTATE AT 85MPH AND THIS HAPPEN!

NHTSA ODI 11404614

TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 65MPH AND THE TRUCK STARTED TO WOBBLE. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS WOBBLING VIOLENTLY. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 40MPH ON A BUSY, RAINY, AND WET HIGHWAY TO GET THE WOBBLE OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO STOP. IT HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 5 TIMES UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

NHTSA ODI 11398550

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TRUCK HAS EXPERIENCED A SEVERE WOBBLE IN THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION AFTER HITTING A SMALL POTHOLE OR BUMP. THE TRUCK BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO MANEUVER UNTIL SLOWING TO APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. DEATH WOBBLE.

NHTSA ODI 11398606

WHILE ACCELERATING AND ENTERING AN INTERSTATE, I DROVE OVER A ROUGH SECTION OF ASPHALT WHILE MERGING INTO THE DRIVING LANE, WHICH RESULTED IN MY STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT SUSPENSION VIBRATING AND SHAKING IN A VIOLENT AND DANGEROUS MANNER. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY DEACCELERATE AND PULL OFF TOWARDS THE SHOULDER IN ORDER TO GET IT TO STOP. RESEARCHING FORUMS AND I LEARNED THAT IS BEING REFERRED TO AS A "DEATH WOBBLE".

NHTSA ODI 11397131

WHEN TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN I CROSS A BRIDGE OR UNEVEN ROAD MY FRONT END WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND ALMOST HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP FOR IT TO STOP SHAKING THE USED DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM SAYS IT BECAUSE SOME KIND OF SHOCK ON THE FRONT END BUT I'M NOT SURE IT ONLY HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT I'VE TRIED ADJUSTING THE AIR IN THE TIRES TO NO AVAIL I'M AFRAID TO EVEN LET MY WIFE DRIVE IT.

NHTSA ODI 11395676

MY TRUCK STARTED EXPERIENCING THE WOBBLE AT 29500 MILE(1-22-20) DEALERSHIP INSTALLED PART#KC3Z*3E651*B* ON 1-21-2020. SAME PROBLEM AT MILE39200 (10-04-2020 , DEALERSHIP INSTALLED SAME PIECE ON 10-23--2021. SAME PROBLEM AT MILE 44100, 1-20-2021 DEALERSHIP INSTALLED SAME PIECE AGAIN ON 2-3-2021. WHILE DRIVING ON 2-4-2021 AND 2-6-21 WAS ALMOST THROWN INTO SHOULDER FROM SAME PROBLEM. EVERYTIME PROBLEM HAS OCURRED WAD DRIVING BETWEEN 70-78 ON HIGHWAY WITH MININMAL BUMPS.

NHTSA ODI 11395132

I EXPERIENCED THE 'DEATH WOBBLE' FROM PREMATURE FAILURE OF VARIOUS STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES. THE DEATH WOBBLE HAPPENED AT LEAST 20 TIMES ON A 200 MILE TRIP AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. A VIDEO OF ONE OF THE INCIDENTS CAN BE VIEWED AT HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/ALHDTXIRSIG

NHTSA ODI 11391123

OVER THE PERIOD OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS I'VE HAD 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THAT WHEN I'M GOING OVER 60 AND HIT ANY KIND OF BUMP OR UNEVEN PATCH OF ROAD MY TRUCK STARTS VIOLENTLY SHAKING CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL UNTIL MY VEHICLE IS BACK DOWN UNDER 45 MILES PER HOUR. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPEN I WAS DOING 55 AND SPED UP A LITTLE TO GET AROUND ANOTHER TRUCK BEFORE COMING UP ON AN EXIT RAMP, I SPED UP TO 60 AS I WAS CHANGING LANES TO GO AROUND AND IT STARTED SHAKING THE ENTIRE TRUCK EXTREMELY ROUGH LIKE IT WOULD IF YOU HAD A BLOWOUT, IT THREW ME OVER INTO THE LEFT SIDE LANE WHILE ON US HWY 287 UNDER HWY 69 IN THE TUNNEL WHERE I NEARLY HIT THE OTHER TRUCK, LUCKILY THE DRIVE REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND MOVED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER AVOIDING ME. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND MAKE IT HOME. LOOKING BACK NOW AFTER THE FACT I REALIZE THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR SOME TIME HOWEVER THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO REALLY KNOW. I HAD FELT SMALLER TREMBLES BUT THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE ROAD OR ME NOT REALIZING WHAT EVERYTHING WAS LEADING UP TO. I'M A 5FT 2-3IN TALL FEMALE AND THIS TRUCK WAS MY DREAM CAR THAT I WORKED REALLY HARD TO PAY FOR. I CALLED FORD LAST YEAR ABOUT HAVING IT FIXED THEY SAID WARRANTY WOULDN'T COVER IT. ALSO THE "COOLING" WENT OUT IN MY SEAT WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS, FORD ALSO REFUSED TO FIX THAT AND SAID IT WASN'T UNDER MY WARRANTY, WHICH BTW I BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY MOTHERBOARD IN MY COMPUTER OR SCREEN IN THE DASH ALSO WENT OUT HOWEVER THEY DID REPAIR THIS BUT THEY TRIED TO CHARGE MY FOR A PLASTIC PEICE THEIR TECHNICIAN BROKE AND IN WHICH I HAD TO POINT OUT WHEN I PICKED UP AND NEARLY HAD TO THROW A TEMPER TO GET THEM TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE THEY CAUSED. I HAVEN'T BEEN VERY HAPPY, NOW I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN MY VEHICLE. HELP PLEASE!

NHTSA ODI 11390854

WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND PASSED A OVERPASS. TRUCK WENT INTO A DEATH WOBBLE. THOUGHT MAYBE ROAD CONDITION BUT THEN NEXT OVERPASS IT DID IT AGAIN. COULDN'T CONTROL STEERING WHEEL UNTIL DECELERATED DOWN TO 45 MPH. TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A SHIFTED BELT IN ONE TIRE. TRUCK ONLY HAS 34000 MILES ON IT. WHEN DRIVE TRUCK IN NORMAL SPEEDS I HAVE NO ISSUERS! THINK FORD KNOWS THERS A PROBLEM BUT DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT,

NHTSA ODI 11390400

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT OTHERS DESCRIBED AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND COMING UPON ROUGH OR UNEVEN ROAD, MORE OFTEN ON A CURVE, THE TRUCK BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND DOES NOT SEEM TO RECOVER UNTIL YOU COME TO COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS HAPPENED AT SPEEDS OF 45 MILES AN HOUR AND TWICE WHILE TRAVELING 75 ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS VERY FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS EVEN FOR OTHERS. WE HAD TO PULL OVER WHEN WE COULD DO SO SAFELY AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT AS ONE TIME WE WERE HAULING A CAMPER AND IT BEGAN ON AN OVERPASS WITH NO SHOULDER. ALL RECOMMENDED AND REGULAR SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY FORD DEALERSHIP. THIS ISSUE BEGAN BEFORE OUR WARRANTY WAS UP AND FORD DEALERSHIP NOW CLAIMS IT IS NOT COVERED. WE ARE NOT HAPPY OWNERS OF A 69K LEMON.

NHTSA ODI 11388678

DRIVING I-95 AT 65/70 MPH ACROSS OVERPASS BRIDGE AT TRANSITION OF ROADWAY SURFACES FROM CONCRETE TO ASPHALT TRUCK FRONT STARTED SHAKING MAKINGS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. LUCKILY A FEW WEEKS AGO I READ ABOUT THIS CONDITION ( DEATH WOBBLE) ON AN RV FORUM. HAD TO LET TRUCK SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN AS BRAKING ONLY MADE IT WORSE, PULLED ONTO SHOULDER CHECKED THINGS OUT AND GOT BACK IN TRUCK AND DROVE AWAY. ALL WAS OKAY AFTER THAT. I WAS OUT OF TOWN AND PUT 350 MILES ON TRUCK WITHOUT IT REOCCURRING, I WILL BE TAKING IT TO FORD DEALER MONDAY AM TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY BUT IT APPEARS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS THIS IS A FAIRLY WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM THAT FORD IS BACKING AWAY FROM. DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE IF WE WERE TOWING OUR 30 FT . 5TH WHEEL. THE TRUCK HAS 43,000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRES ARE WEARING EVENLY AND PROPERLY INFLATED AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR OFF ROADING. SO AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS I OWN A $68,000 THAT MY WIFE WON'T DRIVE AND I'M AFRAID TO TOW MY RV WITH IT. HARDLY "SUPER DUTY"

NHTSA ODI 11388562

IT GOT THE DEATH WOBBLE AND THEY COULDN'T FIX IT TILL MARCH (3 MONTHS FROM COMPLAINT) AT THE EARLIEST.

NHTSA ODI 11387596

FOR THE SECOND TIME NOW IN A PERIOD OF A COUPLE WEEKS WHEN HITTING A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START VIOLENTLY SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL UNTIL SLOWING TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH YESTERDAY I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM I CONTACTED MY LOCAL CORBIN FORD DEALERSHIP AND LEFT A MESSAGE FOR A SERVICE ADVISOR TO CALL ME BACK AT HIS EARLIEST CONVENIENCE SO I CAN GET THIS LOOKED AT AND HOPEFULLY RECTIFIED ASAP I ALSO WANT THIS ON RECORD WITH YOU FOLKS IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING WORSE HAPPENS OR MY LOCAL CORWIN FORD DEALERSHIP BLOWS ME OFF ABOUT THE PROBLEM I'M EXPERIENCING THANK YOU JEFF BATES

NHTSA ODI 11386595

WHILE DRIVE ABOUT 55 TO 65 MILES HR GOING ACROSS A BRIDGE IT STARTS SHAKING SLOW DOWN IT GOES AWAY.NOW IT START WHAT THEY CALL THE DEATH WOBBLE ALMOST EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD ANYWHERE BETWEEN 50 AND 75 MILES I HAVE 27000 MILE ON MY 2018 F-250

NHTSA ODI 11386402

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HWY AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH WHEN I DROVE OVER A SMALL BUMP. IMMEDIATELY THE STEERING WHEEL AND ENTIRE FRONT END OF TRUCK STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. I NEARLY RAN OFF THE ROAD SURFACE. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN QUICKLY TO MAKE IT STOP, FORCING VEHICLES BEHIND ME TO REACT TO AVOID A COLLISION.

NHTSA ODI 11386318

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED EXPERIENCED DEATH WOBBLE MULTIPLE TIMES OVER SEVERAL DAYS ON A TRIP. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!! FORD NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW. IT IS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK!!

NHTSA ODI 11385394

I HAVE EXPERIENCED 'DEATH WOBBLE' ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS @47,000 ON IT. IT HAS BEEN IN A FORD AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTER THREE TIMES AND THE ISSUE HAS STILL NOT BEEN FIXED. EVERY TIME THE WOBBLE HAPPENS AT 65-70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. IT USUALLY HAPPENS DURING A TURN WHILE HITTING A BUMP. TWICE I HAVE NEARLY LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11385282