2008 Ford F-250 STEERING,SUSPENSION

Death wobble

Experiencing the ford “death wobble”. Around 50 mph going over small road transition the vehicle start shaking violently and I have no control. The only way to stop it is come close to a dead stop in the middle of a highway.

AT 65MPH+- ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRUCK CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL / STEER STRAIGHT.AND MAINTAIN POSITION IN LANE. HAVE SPENT $6,000.00 +- WITH FORD DEALERSHIP AND ALSO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FORD REPLACED THE STEERING BOX TWICE, NEW SHOCKS, NEW TIRES, NEW TIE ROD ENDS, ALIGNMENT, TIRE BALANCING AND OTHER NEW PARTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING...AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS TRUCK AND BOUGHT NEW IN 2009.

THE DEATH WOBBLE. THE FRONT END STARTS SHAKING REALLY BAD HIT A BUMP IN ROAD GOING ABOVE 50 MPH AND WILL NOT STOP UNLESS I SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST A STOP. *TR

WHEN TRAVELING MORE THAN 40MPH AND A WHEEL HITS A GROOVE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE ENTIRE TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND IS HARD TO CONTROL, FORCING THE DRIVER TO QUICKLY DECELERATE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. IT FEELS AS IF THE TIRES ARE BOUNCING UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2009. ALSO WHEN DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS OR VERY BUMPY ROADS, THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHEN DEPRESSED, GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKES, NORMAL BRAKING RETURNS, BUT THE INITIAL BRAKE FAILURE IS VERY FRIGHTENING AS IS THE UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING WHEN HITTING A BUMP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250 SD. WITHIN LESS THAN A YEAR OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE SHIMMIED AND EXPERIENCED A DEATH WOBBLE. THE DEALER (RAY'S FORD, INC., 385 BY PASS RD, BRANDENBURG, KY 40108, (270) 422-4901) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT AN APPOINTMENT MAY NEED TO BE SCHEDULED. IT HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED IF THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO SPECIAL FIELD SERVICE CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09L02 TO PREVENT SHIMMIES. THE VEHICLE WAS HAULING A TRAILER OVER UNLEVELED LAND DURING THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

SINCE OWNING MY F250, IT HAS RANDOMLY EXPERIENCED A SEVERE VIBRATION "DEATH WOBBLE" AFTER HITTING BUMPS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SO BAD, THAT I INSTALLED A STEERING STABILIZER TO HELP MITIGATE THE ISSUE (FORD DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A BETTER FIX). I ALWAYS KEEP MY LOAD "E "RATED TIRES INFLATED PER RECOMMENDED PRESSURES YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VIBRATIONS HAPPENED. FORD HAS YET TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OTHER THAN TO SAY SLOW DOWN WHEN THE SEVERE VIBRATION OCCURS. FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS THIS HAS BEEN AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN FOR MANY F250 OWNERS AND FORD'S ANSWER IS WHEN IT HAPPENS ," SLOW DOWN"? THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE; THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ABOVE ISSUE. NUMEROUS POST, BLOGS AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON LINE, YET FORD CONTINUES TO BLAME THE OCCURRENCE ON LOW TIRE PRESSURE AND PASS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTROLLING A VERY HAZARDOUS "DEATH WOBBLE" TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS. THIS IS AN ISSUE THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR MANY YEARS, YET HAVE FAILED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND CORRECT THE HIGHLY DANGEROUS CONDITION FORD CREATED. ANY DATA ON HOW MANY ACCIDENTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR POOR ENGINEERING/DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT OBVIOUSLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNSAFE HANDLING OF THEIR 7000 LB PLUSS TRUCKS?

I EXPERIENCED "DEATH WOBBLE" 3 TIMES IN TWO WEEKS AFTER HITTING A BUMP ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 - 65 MPH EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY UNTIL I SLOWED DOWN TO 40 MPH OR BELOW. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING FORWARD IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED.

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS 55 MPH OR MORE WHEN DRIVING ON TO A BRIDGE OR CHANGE IN HIGHWAY,OR HITTING A POTHOLE IN THE ROAD THE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY IT ONLY STOP THIS BY SLOWING DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH.THE SHAKING IS SO VIOLENT YOU ALMOST LOSE CONTROL.IT HAPPENS WHENEVER I HIT A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD.

I TOOK MY 2008 FORD F-250 TO THE FORD DEALER TO HAVE AN ALIGNMENT AND OIL CHANGE. I HAD THE VEHICLE ALIGNED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS AGO BUT THE ALIGNMENT HAS STEADILY DETERIORATED. THE VEHICLE HAS A LITTLE OVER 77,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER. I HAVE NEVER BEEN "OFF-ROADING" OR "MUDDING" IN THE VEHICLE. ALL MILES ARE HIGHWAY/CITY MILES. LITTLE TOWING HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE VEHICLE. ALL RECOMMENDED SERVICES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY FORD DEALERSHIPS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE NOR HAVE THERE BEEN ANY ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD EFFECT THE STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED AND STATED THAT MY STEERING GEAR BOX IS ABOUT TO GO OUT. THE FIX FOR THIS WOULD BE OVER $1100.00 WHICH I AM UNABLE TO AFFORD AT THIS TIME. IT SEEMS THE GEAR BOX IN THE "SUPER DUTY" WOULD LAST LONGER UNDER THESE REASONABLE CONDITIONS. *TR

ON MY DAILY COMMUTE TO WORK I EXPERIENCED WHAT I HAVE LATER RESEARCHED TO FIND OUT IS CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE". THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED WHILE MAINTAINING A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHICH WAS THE SUGGESTED ROAD SPEED LIMIT, AFTER RIDING OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD MY FRONT LEFT END INITIATED INTO A VIOLENT SHAKING SENSATION THAT FELT AS THOUGH I HAD JUST BLOWN A TIRE. AFTER REDUCING MY SPEED ABRUPTLY AND NEARLY BEING REAR ENDED THE FRONT END REGAINED ITS CONTROL AND I CONTINUED AND ARRIVED SAFELY TO WORK AFTER REDUCING MY SPEED TO 45 MPH. I LOOKED IN THE WHEEL HUB AND UNDERNEATH BUT DID NOT SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY FROM PLANE SIGHT. I EXPERIENCED THE VIOLENT SHAKING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND FOUND MYSELF EXPERIENCING IT MORE AND MORE AT LOWER SPEEDS AND ON SMALLER ROAD BUMPS/POT HOLES. AFTER DAY 2 I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR 6/30/14 WITH FORD SERVICE TO HAVE THE REPAIR & DIAGNOSES. THE NEXT DAY 6/27/14 WE HAD TO EVACUATE OUR JOB SITE IN LOUISIANA DUE TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE TORNADOS, ON MY COMMUTE HOME, THE SO CALLED DEATH WOBBLE OCCURRED AGAIN AND THIS TIME RESULTED IN LOOSING CONTROL AND CRASHING INTO A SMALL TREE BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENT SHAKING AND NECESSARY BRAKING TO REGAIN CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE WITH MINOR DAMAGES TO MY FRONT BUMPER. FORD IS HAVING TO REPLACE MY BALL JOINTS, BEARINGS AND TIE BAR THAT WILL COST WELL OVER $600 IN REPAIRS EXCLUDING A NEW FRONT BUMPER THAT I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX. I'M AFRAID THIS COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS INJURY/FATALITY IF NOT RECALLED AND FIXED. HAD I GONE INTO INCOMING TRAFFIC IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY LIFE OR THEIRS AND I WOULD THINK FORD WOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR CASES FROM OLDER MODELS AND EVEN NEWER UP TO 2013, MINE IS A F-250 2008. HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/FORD-F-250-SUPER-DUTY/TOHP1M75VBFBFT9IL/P5. *TR

BEGAN IN 2010...DEATH WOBBLE....HITTING A BUMP,,STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY.....LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF THE VEHICLE TO PROVIDE SAFE TRANSPORTATION.....DEALERSHIP VISIT WAS NOT HELPFUL...SAID IT WAS TIRE PRESSURE...ADDED A DIFFERENT TRAC BAR IN 2012...HELPED SOME BUT TIL PRODUCES THE WOBBLE AT LOWER SPEEDS. *TR

2008 F250 6,4 POWERSTROKE 4X4 DRIVE ABOVE 55 AND HIT ROLLING BUMP AND THE FRONT END STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY STEERING WHEEL ALSO SHAKES. I HAVE HAD EVERYTHING INSPECTED AND EVERYTHING IS TIGHT AS A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 59,000 MILE SHOULD BE. THE MORE I DRIVE IT THE WORSE IT GETS ITS STARTING TO JUST SHAKE RANDOMLY WITHOUT HITTING A BUMP. *TR

THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK WILL JUST START SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. *TR

2008 FORD F-250 SUPERDUTY DRIVING AT 40-70 MPH STRAIGHT OR TURNING (IE: ON A FREEWAY FLY-OVER). THE FRONT-END SHAKES/SHIMMIES WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP, POTHOLE, OR SURFACE THAT IS UNEVEN TO THE POINT YOU LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. HAPPENS MOST ALL THE TIME IF ON FLY-OVER, AND ON STRAIGHT ROADS SOMETIMES. DEALER SAYS IT IS TIRE PRESSURE, DOES NOT WORK. THEN TOLD TO REPLACE STRUTS OR ADJUST STEERING DAMPER. WORKS TEMPORAILY. NO USED PARTS. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD F250 5.4L V8 GAS TRUCK THAT I PURCHASED NEW, I HAVE LESS THAN THIRTY THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND HAVE EXPERIENCED A NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN DRIVING INTERSTATE SPEEDS WHEN A BUMP IN THE ROAD CAUSES THE FRONT WHEELS TO OSCILLATE VIOLENTLY. THE ENTIRE TRUCK FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO SHAKE APART AND YOU CAN NOT STEER THE TRUCK AT ALL UNTIL YOU SLOW TO AROUND THIRTY MILES AN HOUR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS YOU CAN NOT MAINTAIN LANE CONTROL AND OFTEN DRIFT INTO THE OTHER LANE OR EMERGENCY PULL OFF LANE. THE TRUCK IS COMPLETELY STOCK AND HAS THE FACTORY TIRES, RIMS EVERYTHING... I HAVE HAD ALL SERVICE DONE AT THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP GARAGE WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN NUMEROUS TIMES AND EACH TIME THEY ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO LOW TIRE PRESSURE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS EXACTLY 75 PSI AS IS THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE DOOR STICKER. SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED IN ONE OF THESE TRUCKS. THE DEALER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. TO REPLICATE THE "DEATH WOBBLE", ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DRIVE AN 08' SUPER DUTY AT 65-70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE AND HIT A SLIGHT BUMP OR MINOR POTHOLE, ESPECIALLY IN A SLIGHT TURN, AND YOU WILL LOSE CONTROL AND BE SHAKEN VIOLENTLY UNTIL YOU CAN BRING THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DOWN TO BELOW 40 MILES AN HOUR. I CAN REPLICATE THIS EVERYDAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, EVERY TIME I GO OVER CERTAIN BUMPS ON THE INTERSTATE. I NOW HAVE TO SLOW TO BELOW 45 MILES AN HOUR BEFORE I HIT THE BUMPS TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. GOING THIS SLOW COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 70. THIS REALLY PISSES ME OFF. I SPENT ALOT OF HARD EARNED MONEY ON THIS TRUCK TO BE TOLD IT IS A TIRE INFLATION ISSUE WHEN IT IS DEFINITELY MUCH MORE SEVERE. I RELIGIOUSLY CHECK MY AIR PRESSURE. EVEN IF IT WERE LOW, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT SURFACE UNTIL AFTER A YEAR OR SO OF DRIVING... APPROX 15,000 MILES. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG, LIVES ARE AT RISK HERE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING. RECALL *TR

I OWN A 08' F-250 EXTENDED CAB SUPER DUTY. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A DEATH WOBBLE ALMOST A DOZEN TIMES NOW MOSTLY AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60-75 MPH. I BROUGHT IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY ORIGINALLY TOLD ME IT WAS TIRE PRESSURE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I BROUGHT IT BACK. THIS TIME THEY CHANGED THE STEERING WHEEL DAMPENER AND TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE FINE FROM HERE ON OUT. TO NO AVAIL, SAME EXACT THING HAS HAPPENED 6 MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. TRUCK HIT AN IRREGULARITY IN THE ROAD AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR GOING TO BE THROWN OUT OF THE TRUCK CAB. YOU HAVE TO GRAB THE STEERING WHEEL AS HARD AS YOU CAN AND HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE WHILE RELEASING THE GAS PEDAL AND TRYING TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE AS GENTLY AS POSSIBLE. THE VEHICLES AROUND YOU ARE IN JEOPARDY OF YOU SMASHING INTO THEM BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENT NATURE OF THE SHAKE AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF SUCH A LARGE VEHICLE. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE IS IN DANGER EVERYTIME I DRIVE THIS VEHICLE NOW! *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WITH MY 2008 FORD F-250 WHERE I HIT A BUMP ON THE INTERSTATE AND EXPERIENCED THE STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATING AND FRONT END WOBBLING BOTH EXTREMELY DOING 65MPH ANDWAS ALMOST THROWN INTO A SEMI TRUCK TWICE THE SAME NIGHT. I HAD JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK BACK IN JULY BUT HAD NOT DROVE IT ON THE INTERSTATE, ACTUALLY I HADN'T DRIVEN IT MUCH AT ALL. IT HAS LOW MILEAGE AND IS ALL FACTORY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME ALSO THEY STATED THAT FORDS SERVICE RECOMMENDS 75LBS TIRE PRESSURE AND THAT IS ALL THAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THE TRUCKS STICKERS RECOMMENDATION IS LESS THAN THAT. THE WHEELS ON MY TRUCK ARE STOCK FACTORY AND DO NOT HAVE LOW PRESSURE SENSORS ON THEM. I HAVE RESEARCHED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS ISSUES AND OF ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES RESULTING FROM WHAT IS BEING CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE". I THINK THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND THE PROBLEM FIXED PROPERLY BY FORD, NOT PATCHED WITH TIRE PRESSURE. I PULL A TRAILER SOMETIMES WITH THIS TRUCK. IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE PULLING ONE I AM SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED AS IN OTHER CASES I HAVE HEARD ABOUT. I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THIS TRUCK NOW. WHY ISN'T SOMEONE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. PLEASE HELP US WHO OWN THESE VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC WHO IS A FRIEND OF MINE STATED THAT THIS WILL STILL HAPPEN SOMETIMES EVEN WITH THE INCREASE IN TIRE PRESSURE. *TR