This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My truck shakes violently at 40-45 mph. It has difficult to diagnose the exact component to replace. I took the truck to a independent repair service and they told me it was the death wobble. They did drive the vehicle and confirmed the shaking. It will cause me to pay over $1000 dollars to fix. Not to mention the tires that have been ruined because of it. No police or anyone else has inspeced it. No warniing lamps or messages present.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving at 55-60 MPH on cruise control, the vehicle hit a bump and started shuddering uncontrollably, causing the steering wheel to shudder as well. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that as he was losing control of the vehicle, he depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle stopped shuddering. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The contact stated that the vehicle was not yet diagnosed; however, the dealer replaced the steering bar. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving at 50-65 MPH, and sometimes at slower speeds. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
On 10/29/2021 when driving I had the death wobble happen at 65 mph. Steer was shaking violently causing me to hit the ditch with no damage to my truck but really scared my wife and I. I am going to have most if not all the front end parts replaced at approximate cost of $2500. This is a Ford problem that they should pay for.
While traveling down the road at approximately 72 mph my vehicle front end began to shake unbelievably. It felt like all four tires had gone flat. I could not control the vehicle until the speed got down to around 40 mph.
- The Woodlands , TX, USA
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Driving on highway at 60 M/H violent shaking of the front end and steering occurs when there is a change in pavement, also known as the "death wobble" replacing suspension, ty-rods and sway bar, etc. Did not fix the problem
Driving at higher speeds in my 2012 F350 lariat, the truck gets to 60 fine but any faster then that and it begins to get a speed wobble that causes the entire truck to vibrate at a uncontrollable shake that throws the steering and I found it unsafe to hit the brakes, which forces you to just coast while the trucks shakes violently. For a truck that people pay up to $40,000 ot should be able to cruise at speeds above 60-70 mph with no problem. It seems to be thrown off by the smallest divit or bump in the roads but only at highway speeds. Which makes it that much more dangerous. I have a 6 year old that was in the truck many times as this happens and it's a scary thing it feels like the wheels are going toncome off. Only had this truck for about 6 months now also. It seems in mint condition except for the speed wobble.
Truck started to wobble violently that it was extremely difficult to maintain control of vehicle and get the truck to the side of the interstate. I drove over a small bump in the road before the incident.
While driving on the freeway in heavy traffic at approximately 60 mph my 2012 Ford F-350 Super Duty crew cab truck began to shake violently so much so that the vehicle was hard to control resulting in a near miss of collision with vehicles next to me. With great effort I was able to control the truck and come to a stop safely. I exited the freeway and took surface roads at slow speeds to get home,
Driving on the highway at 70 mph. The steering wheel wobbled out of control which made it so I could not control the vehicle. I applied the brake but it didn't respond until the truck slowed. Cars were serving off the road and I was within seconds of a very serious accident with 2 of my children. I am frightened to drive the truck as no one can tell me what the cause or repair needed. Had something similar on my former Ford but not to the extent of this incident.
I recently crossed a bridge expansion joint doing somewhere between 70 and 75 mph my truck steering wheel shook violently as I could barely hold it. I slowed down to about 40-45 mph before it quit. This was on a Saturday. Monday I took it to a local garage to have the tires rotated and balanced and check for anything that could be bad in the steering/front end suspension. They rotated the tires and found the steering stabilizer shock was leaking, they replaced it and started to bring me the truck. It started shaking violently at 50 mph. They ended up replacing the drag link, right outer tie rod end, adjusting sleeve, ball joint at tracker bar and right outer lower tie rod end. They said I needed to get an alignment on it, I drove the truck a couple hundred miles seemed to be fine. I took to the shop they used for a alignment, they did their thing and I left. When I left I noticed the steering wheel wasn't straight so I took it for a quick drive. At 60 mph I did the violent shaking again and having to slow down to 45 mph for it to stop, it shook twice in a 6 mile stretch of interstate. I returned it to the alignment shop and they said they could not have done anything to cause it.. I took it back to the first shop and they got it in the Ford garage for an alignment. Still shaking after they had it for most of a week they replaced the tires and it seemed to help. Until a couple days later I was running 62-64mph in a slight turn and it started doing it again. It is still doing it and I know when it is going to start so I'm ready. After research on the web I hear that this is called the "death wobble"
Truck has developed a very extreme death wobble in the front end at speeds over 50 mph, when you hit any small bump, terrifying experience, loss of steering control.
Death wobble when driving and hit a small bump in the road, especially at speeds over 40 mph. I've had shocks replaced, tires checked and rechecked, shocks on the body of the vehicle replaced, to no avail. Particularly bad if I'm at a slight turn and hit a bump at 60mph. Nearly lose control of the vehicle. The whole vehicle shakes. Mechanics can't find anything wrong, but the death wobble is still there. Has happened so frequently I brace when I hit small bumps or go over bridges with small ridges. Not one specific incident, it happens every single time I hit a small bump at speeds over 40 mph.
October 16th Friday picked up my wife martha from work around 5 pm. Driving on a country road, smooth straight section, felt shimmy in steering wheel. We didn't have trailer. Road was dry and in good condition. Had been looking in to death wobble and watching videos earlier in the week. Decided to move steering wheel a little left and then back a little right (as if trying to avoid a pot hole, no cars were on coming and one car was behind me), going about 50 mph. Death wobble started and was totally unexpected, shook both the wheel violently and shook the whole truck. I put on the brakes but don't remember how long it took to slow and have the shacking stop, move truck to the side of the road and let car pass me. Dropped of the truck at martha's work and took her car to our destination. Items in the back seat of truck, cooler, plastic bin container and suitcase that was on the truck seat was now on the floor. Will add pdf with more related detail.
At speeds typically over 50 mph vehicle, vehicle has a propensity to begin shaking violently, and uncontrollably. After doing some research this appears to be a common problem known among owners as "death wobble". the vehicle has been to my local dealership to for repairs and parts replacement but the problem remains unsolved. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle.
Death wobble! has happened on many occasions! driving down the highway any speed over 50 miles per hour. Truck front end and steering shake violently! it's very hard to keep control over truck. Afraid of killing my family and other drivers. Took the truck to shop and got two new front tires and a new rim. Truck has been service and no difference!
Driving at highway speed (55-75 mph) the front wheels will start to shimmy and shudder causing steering wheel and front tires to oscillate severely (death wobble) when driving over rough surfaces. This causes entire vehicle to shake uncontrollably. This has caused loss of steering control and can only be be stopped by stopping or slowing vehicle. (unsafe at highway speeds with traffic following)
I have been dealing with wobble and vibration on my F-350 for years now and it seems to be getting worse. It has always seems to occur between 45-55 mph. They first replaced ball joint, then I was told it's the tires, got new tires. It was always just a little vibration and play in the wheel. Now when I hit a bump, a frost heave or like a bridge joint I get extreme shake and vibration in the steering wheel that makes the vehicle hard to control. They most recently replaced stabilizer but it still occurs. The effect seems to be worse when I have my truck camper on it. Started to do research today on it and discovered this so call death wobble complaint. I am filing a complaint too because it almost caused me to have an accident today as I had no control and was forced to suddenly slow down today after I hit a bridge joint.
While driving my vehicle to get on to the freeway, the engine started revving and rattling I could smell something burning. When I tried to press on the brakes it wasn't working than the steering locked. I hit my emergency breaks put on my hazard light and turned off the car until a police officer arrived. I purchased the vehicle on 2/28/2020 and when I returned to pick up the truck the next day they could not produce the keys, this took about 2 weeks. On 04/06/2020 approx. 2 weeks after picking up the truck the it wouldn't start, I jumped the truck at which time there was a rattling and knocking sound in the engine, I took it back to the dealership for servicing. I got the truck back again a little over 2 weeks later on 04/23/2020. I feel the truck is so unsafe that it will cause me to get into an accident placing my life that of my family or another driver in a separate vehicle at stake. Upon reviewing all of the documents none of the documents have the same odometer reading and the number is approx. 24000 off.
Currently experiencing "death wobble" at various speeds while on both city and highway roads. Front end becomes completely unstable and control is not regained unit speed is reduced greatly. Incidentally, the air bag dash light is now on.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Spruce Pine, NC, USA