2011 Ford F-250 STEERING,SUSPENSION

I DRIVE A 2011 FORD F250SD,WHILE DRIVING 65-70MPH ON FREEWAY, DROVE OVER ROUGH PATCH AND THE TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE VERY VIOLENTLY, STEERING WAS EXTREMLY HARD TL CONTROL, "DEATHWOBBLEL "IS WHAT IT IS CALLED ,WOULDN'T STOP SHAKING ASUNTILL SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES AND SLOWING DOWN TO ABOUT 30 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPEND TO ME IN MY1989 F250 WITH OVER 250000 MILES ON IT BUT THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 63765 MILES .FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED WAS ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO AND LAST NITE IT HAPPENED 3 TIME IN A SPAN OF LESS THEN 10 MILES VERY UNSAFE HOPE FORD COME UP WITH A FIX BECAUSE SEEMS TO ME THERE IS MORE THEN FEW PEOPLE WITH THE ISSUE

TRUCK DEVELOPED WHAT IS CALLED "DEATH WOBBLE". WHEN I HIT A BUMP ON HIGHWAY, USUALLY AT SPEEDS AROUND 65 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL AND WHOLE TRUCK SHAKE VIOLENTLY UNTIL I SLOW DOWN TO 35. REPLACED TRACKBAR, DRAGLINK, TIE RODS, STEERING DAMPNER, HAD THE FRONT END ALIGNED BY TWO DIFFERENT SHOPS, STILL DOES IT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I WILL PUT THE DATE OF THE LATEST BELOW.

I WAS TRAVELLING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 72MPH AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENT AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL. MY WIFE DROVE IT AND I WAS BESIDE HER ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT HAPPENED TO HER ALMOST CAUSING HER TO WRECK THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO CALL HER TO CALM HER DOWN. PLEASE HELP FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A HARD BUMP IN THE ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE FRONT TIRES BEGIN TO WOBBLE. THIS IS CAUSES THE WHOLE VEHICLE TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND IT WILL NOT STOP UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP. THE INTERNET CALLS THIS EVENT A DEATH WOBBLE.

AT 125,000 MILES, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THE "DEATH WOBBLE". HITTING A ROUGH SPOT ON THE HIGHWAY, ESPECIALLY ON A CURVE, THE TRUCK WILL RANDOMLY BEGIN TO SHAKE. IT BEGINS IN THE FRONT, SHAKES THE STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY UNTIL I AM ABLE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO STOP IT. I HAVE REPLACED FRONT STABILIZER (STEERING DAMPER), DRAG LINK, TIE ROD END, ALIGNMENT, TIRE ROTATION, TRACK BAR BUSHING, BALL JOINT, TIE RODS AND ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. IT STILL WILL RANDOMLY START TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AFTER I HAVE HIT A ROUGH SPOT AND ESPECIALLY IN A CURVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I CANNOT FIND ANYTHING ELSE TO REPLACE. I HAVE HAD TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS WORK ON THE VEHICLE AND WE HAVE TOGETHER SEARCHED THE WEB FOR OTHER CURES, BUT THERE ARE NONE TO BE FOUND. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE MY TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY...THE SHAKING BECOMES SO VIOLENT THAT I BECOME A TRAFFIC HAZARD AND DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TO HANDLE IT SAFELY. THE MOST RECENT EVENT WAS TODAY, 3/5/2019 BUT IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING, IN BETWEEN STAYS AT THE MECHANIC, SINCE NOVEMBER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING OVER UNEVEN LAND AND BUMPS IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND THERE WAS A STRONG VIBRATION FELT IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. GERMAIN FORD OF BEAVERCREEK (2356 HELLER DR, DAYTON, OH 45434, 1-(937) 429-1300) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WITHOUT GUIDELINES FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

FOR THE SECOND TIME FIRST AT 42,000 NOW AT 82 000 AT HIWAY SPEED OF 66 MPH THE VIOLENT STEERING DEATH WOBBLE HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. THE ONLY WAY IS TO HOLD ON SO TIGHT AND SLOW TRYING TO GET OFF THE TRAVEL LANES ..THIS SO DANGEROUS AND UNFORESEEN. INSPECTED FRONT STEERING AND SUSPENSION ,ALL IN TOLERANCE. FIRST TIME I USED MY ESP WARRANT PAYING THE DEDUCTIBE.

WHILE GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE WHOLE TRUCK WILL START TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP OR ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO HOLD AND THE TRUCK EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL. SLOWING DOWN TO 30 MILES AN HR WILL STOP THE SHAKING. THIS PROBLEM JUST STARTED AT 105K MILES. IT HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY AND MAKES THE TRUCK ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO USE. LOCAL MECHANIC CAN NOT FIND ANY ISSUE WITH SUSPENSION OR STEERING. AFTER LOOKING AT THE INTERNET THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE RAMPANT WITH FORD OFFERING NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

SPEED APPROXIMATELY 55 ON CURVE, TRUCK FRONT END BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHIMMY AND WOBBLE TO POINT OF LOSS OF CONTROL. DESTROYED FRONT ROTORS, BRAKE SHOES, AND MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER AS PER PEP BOYS REPAIR RECEIPT. REPEATED AFTER REPAIR AT SAME SPEED. TRUCK HAS 50,000 MILES, VERY LITTLE OFF ROAD MILEAGE. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES OTHER DRIVERS' INSTANCES WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK AS "DEATH WOBBLE".

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOBBLED AND SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (MAC HAIK FORD LINCOLN HYUNDAI 4506 N NAVARRO ST, VICTORIA, TX 77904), BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED UNKNOWN PARTS ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

WHEN DRIVING THIS TRUCK, IF YOU HIT A POTHOLE OR ANY UNEVEN SURFACE, THE TRUCK WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND IT'S ALL OVER THE ROAD. IT TAKES ALL THE STRENGTH IN MY BODY JUST TO HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS COME ALMOST TO A COMPLETE STOP. SOMEONE'S GOING TO GET KILLED, BECAUSE WHEN IT START TO SHAKE, YOU HAVE KNOW CONTROL OVER THE DIRECTION IT'S GOING TO GO. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ON THE NET, THIS SHAKE IS CALLED THE DEATH WOBBLE AND FOR GOOD REASONS. I ALSO HEARD THAT FORD HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT FOR YEARS, BUT WANT DO ANYTHING EXCEPT GIVE YOU THE RUN AROUND.

WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED IT PROCEEDS TO SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY THAT YOU ALMOST LOSE CONTROL. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT AN ANTI-WOBBLE TRACK BAR WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. IF THAT IS THE CASE, FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT. IT IS DANGEROUS AND A TICKING TIME BOMB. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TIRE PRESSURE. IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. A PERSON SHOULD NOT SPEND $60,000 ON A VEHICLE ONLY TO HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND SINK THOUSANDS MORE JUST TO HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND CORRECTED BY FORD. HOW MANY CRASHES/DEATHS HAVE HAPPENED BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THIS AS IT HAS NOT OFFICIALLY BEEN A RECALL ISSUE??

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT TOOK SEVERAL SECONDS FOR THE CONTACT TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

DEATH WOBBLE. SEVERE STEERING WHEEL AND TIRES SHAKING ON THE FRONT.

PURCHASED 2011 F-250 86000 MILES ON IT. GOING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT THE TRUCK WE WENT OVER A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD AND THE TRUCK VIBRATED AND SHOOK SO BAD WE NEARLY LOST CONTROL. HAD TO STOP ON A BUSY HIGHWAY SHOULDER AND LOOK TO SEE IF WE HAD A FLAT TIRE. NOTHING OBVIOUS BUT BROUGHT IT TO OUR MECHANIC ANYWAYS A COUPLE DAYS LATER. EVERY BUMP ON THE ROAD WILL NOW CAUSE THIS REACTION AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD BE DEVASTATING. OUR MECHANIC IS GOING TO TRY A NEW STEERING STABILIZER AND FRONT AXLE JOINTS BUT I FEAR THIS TRUCK HAS THE DREADED "DEATH WOBBLE". VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS.

VEHICLE DEVELOPED VIOLENT, RESONANT SHAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. REDUCTION TO 40 MPH WAS REQUIRED TO REGAIN VEHICLE CONTROL.

WHEN DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AT 65 MPH, THE TRUCK ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHT BUMP AND THE FRONT END STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY, INCLUDING THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY. THE TRUCK WANDERED OUT OF THE LANE DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE SHAKING ONLY STOPPED AFTER SLOWING TO ABOUT 35 MPH. THE FAILURE REPEATED ITSELF A FEW MINUTES LATER BEFORE I COULD PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. THIS OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY (6 MONTHS / 3000 MILES AGO). THE FORD DEALER SUGGESTED I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION MECHANIC. HE INSPECTED THE TRUCK AND SAID ALL THE FRONT END COMPONENTS WERE FINE BUT HE NOTED THAT THE STEERING DAMPER HAD ABOUT A 1" DEAD ZONE. ON HIS RECOMMENDATION I REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPER AND THE FACTORY SHOCK ABSORBERS. THIS VIDEO ATTRIBUTED TO NHTSA DESCRIBES THE FAILURE PRETTY WELL: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=GT8CKIQSXJE

AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE HIGHWAY THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON OUR 2011 FORD F250 4X4 PICKUP BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR TO GET THE SHAKING TO STOP. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE DEATH WOBBLE OCCURRED AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE TRACK BAR BUSHING AND BALL JOINTS AT A COST TO ME OF ABOUT $400. NOW 3,000 MILES AFTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY FORD THE DEATH WOBBLE HAS OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND COULD EASILY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO HAVING TO QUICKLY SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN 30 OR 40 MPH TO GET THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO STOP WOBBLING COULD EASILY CAUSE AN REAR END ACCIDENT LEADING TO CASUALTIES. *TR

FORD SUPER DUTY F250 & F350 ARE WELL KNOWN TO HAVE THE DEATH WOBBLE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. STARTING AS EARLY AS 10000 MILES. IF THE DEATH WOBBLE HAPPENS DURING A RAIN STORM YOU ARE PRETTY CERTAIN TO LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WILL START SHAKING VIOLENTLY AFTER HITTING THE SMALLEST UNEVEN SURFACE IN THE ROAD. I HEAR THAT THE DODGE HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM THIS CAN BE GOOGLES AND THERE WILL BE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DISCUSSING THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON STRAIGHT ROADS, IF YOU ENCOUNTER ROUGH ROAD SURFACE (CONSTRUCTION, POTHOLE, ETC) STEERING AND FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO OSCILLATE VIOLENTLY. IT IS ALMOST LIKE THE OSCILLATION CREATES A HARMONIC FREQUENCY THAT INCREASES THE INTENSITY TO A DEGREE THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE SLOWED OR STOPPED TO RECOVER. *TR

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THROUGH A ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORK ZONE WHEN SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND JUMPED OUT OF HIS HANDS . HE LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK . THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE ABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE OUT OF CONTROL TRUCK AND AN ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED . I WENT ON TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE . I FOUND A FORUM WITH MANY OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE . MY HUSBAND TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH ISSUES . THEY TOLD HIM IT WAS POOR TIRE PRESSURE OR OUT OF ALIGNMENT . MY HUSBAND HAD BOTH CHECKED AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM . I FEAR IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS A SEVERE ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS ISSUE . THE OTHERS SAY THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO DO THE" DEATH WOBBLE" AS IT HAS BEEN COINED ONLINE . PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM . I HAVE ALSO EMAILED FORD MOTOR COMPANY . *TR

WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IF MY TRUCK HITS A RIDGE OR BUMP IN ROAD, IT STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN. I SLOW DOWN AND FIGHT THE WHEEL TO GET THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SO FAR, THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 18 TIMES. MOST OF THE TIME, IT STOPS SHAKING AS I SLOW DOWN. TWICE IT STOPPED SHAKING AFTER I CROSSED TRAFFIC TO GET TO EDGE OF ROAD TO STOP. VERY SCARY! THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT BOUNCED UP & DOWN SO HARD, IT PULLED THE WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS. AS I GENTLY BRAKED TO SLOW DOWN, IT STOPPED BOUNCING UP AND DOWN, BUT THEN STARTED UP AGAIN WHEN I HIT THE NEXT EXPANSION SEAM ON THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES ON MY WAY TO WORK THAT DAY. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE TO GET TO WORK IN A 65 MPH ZONE BECAUSE I WAS SCARED TO GO FASTER. TRAFFIC WAS ZOOMING AROUND ME AND HONKING. THE VERTICAL SHAKING DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS ALTHOUGH I TRAVELED THE SAME HIGHWAY WITH THE SAME BUMPS AND THE SAME SPEED (GRITTING MY TEETH). MY MECHANIC EXAMINED THE TRUCK 2 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF INCIDENTS AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END, STEERING, OR SHOCKS. NOTHING WAS LOOSE, BROKEN, OR OUT OF SPECS. I INFORMED FORD.COM ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. ALL OF THE DISCUSSION GROUPS SAID THAT THE DEALERS COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO RECALL FOR THIS INCREDIBLY FRIGHTENING PROBLEM. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED FORD TRUCKS (LAST TRUCK IS A 1996 F250 THAT WAS A WONDERFUL TRUCK - STILL HAVE IT). AS BACKGROUND, THERE ARE SEVERAL VIDEOS OF THIS HAPPENING ON YOUTUBE WITH SEVERAL DISCUSSION GROUPS TALKING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE "DEATH WOBBLE" SHOWN IN THE VIDEOS IS THE SAME THING I EXPERIENCED. *TR

MY TRUCK STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY AT 40-60 MPH. STEERING CONTROL IS LOST AND CAN ONLY BE REGAINED BY COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. TRUCK WILL NOT SWITCH LANES AND PULLING OVER TO THE SHOULDER IS IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO LOSS OF STEERING. SHAKING IS VIOLENT TO THE POINT OF LOOSENING BOLTS. TAKEN TO DEALER TO BE CHECKED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY CLAIMED IT WAS AIR PRESSURE OR THE NEED FOR NEW TIRES. THE VEHICLES TIRES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND AIR PRESSURE IS SET AT FACTORY RECOMMENDED LEVELS. FORD SAYS THIS BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL. A SERIOUS ACCIDENT EXTREMELY POSSIBLE. AN INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION SHOP CLAIMS ISSUE IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS, LACK OF STEERING DAMPER, AND DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS. *TR

WHILE TOWING MY 8000LB TRAILER, I WENT OVER SOME UNEVEN HIGHWAY PAVEMENT AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING TO THE POINT I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO CONTROL WHERE THE TRUCK WENT I HAD TO LEFT OFF THE GAS UNTIL IT COASTED TO A TOP. 50 MILES LATER, I ENTERED A SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER A 500 FOOT DROP WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AS I CROSSED OVER THE BRIDGE/ROAD SEAM THE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING AGAIN THIS TIME IT WENT IN TO THE LANE OF THE SEMI TRUCK AFTER LEAVING A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RUBBER HE AND I AVOIDED A DEADLY ACCIDENT. I GOOGLED THESE SYMPTOMS AND IT APPEARS YOU HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR SOME TIME, PLEASE I BEG YOU FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY MAKE FORD CORPORATION FIX THIS ISSUE WITH THESE TRUCKS. *TR

THIS STARTED IN MARCH 2014. TERRIBLE STEERING WOBBLE (DEATH WOBBLE) AT HIGHWAY SPEED. LAST NIGHT IT WAS HORRIBLE AS I WAS PASSING A CAR ON I-29 ON A BRIDGE AND WE GOT THE WOBBLE AFTER GOING OVER A BRIDGE JOINT. I HAD TO STAB THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AS THE TRUCK STEERING WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL. SEVERAL VEHICLES BEHIND ME ALSO HAD TO NAVIGATE AROUND ME AS I TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THIS TRUCK IS DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEED! THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK ANYWHERE BUT AROUND CITY STREETS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL SUPER DUTY TRUCKS WITH A STRAIGHT FRONT AXLE AND COIL SPRINGS. I WANT FORD TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND FIX THESE ISSUES. IT'S A FIXABLE ISSUE THAT THEY WON'T ADDRESS. FOR $50,000 I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR ENGINEERING GEOMETRY BLUNDER. *TR