2005 Ford F-350 Steering Problems

Twice today, traveling at 75mph on highway [XXX] (northbound and then several hours later southbound) just north of Ardmore OK, I experienced a violent shaking of the steering wheel/front wheel shimmy. The vehicle was difficult to control due to the violent shaking that did not stop until the vehicle slowed to approximately 20mph. Once the shaking stopped the vehicle was okay to drive. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2005 F350 Diesel Pick up has suffered from the Ford death wobble on and off for the last 15 years. While navigating a left hand corner at speeds over 40 it begins to shake uncontrollably after hitting a small bump or pot hole until speed is reduced to 30mph or less. I have replaced bearings, uppper & lower ball joints, torque arms and other suspension parts without finding a cure.

Multiple times driving the truck at speed limit and hit small bump or a little bumpy part of road triggers the death wobble. Have to almost come to complete stop on highway to stop wobble.

When driving 50 mph or above and hitting a bump in the road such as a bridge apron the truck develops an uncontrollable shimmy in the front end. It requires a firm grip from both hands to control the steering and lasts until the truck is slowed to under 20 mph and often until it is completely stopped. Luckily there hasn’t been another vehicle in the lanes next to me when this has occurred. If there had been it may have caused an accident. Tires are relatively new and the alignment is spot on. It feels like the same problem I had as a teenager in my 1959 Ford F100 when the king pins were worn.

DEATH WOBBLE. TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN TRAVELING +50 MPH, EMPTY, OR TOWING OR HAULING LOAD IN TRUCK BED. DOWNHILL BRAKING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. TURNING WHILE BRAKING IS THE WORST.

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I HIT A SMALL BUMP AT 65MPH AND THE ENTIRE FRONT END STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL APART. HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES NOW AND TO MY PREGNANT WIFE 3 TIMES IN ONE TRIP! VERY SCARY AND A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AT 60MPH+ OR ANY SPEED REALLY.

I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE BACK ROAD AROUND 45 TO 50 MPH, AND MY TRUCK STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING AND I LOST ALL CONTROL OF STEERING. I WENT INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS COMING, AND HAD TO HIT MY BRAKES HARD TO GET THE SHAKING TO STOP. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 35-40 ON A CITY STREET AND 60 MPH ON A HIGHWAY. THIS IS KNOWN AS DEATH WOBBLE. THE WOBBLE WAS SO BAD THAT IT LOOSENED THE TRACK BAR AND THE BOLT HOLDING THE POWER STEERING HARD LINE. I LOST ALL POWER STEERING FLUID WITHIN SECONDS. I HAVE RESEARCHED IT, TRIED REPLACING SEVERAL PARTS, LIKE TIE-RODS, AND IT HAS LESSENED A LITTLE BIT, BUT IF I HIT A BUMPY ROAD OR EVEN JUST A PATCH OF NEW PAVEMENT, IT STARTS SHAKING. I HAVE READ A LOT OF OTHER FORD OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR TRUCKS.

DEATH WOBBLE. 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY OFF THE RAMP AND ACCELERATING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AND GOING OVER THE OVERPASS THE BRIDGES IN MASS. ARE A MESS, ANY WAY, WHEN I DROVE THOSE SERIES OF BUMPS AT ABOUT 60-65 MPH IN A TRUCK IT GETS BUMPY ANYWAY BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE TRUCK STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL SO BAD I LOST COMPLETE VISION IT WAS SHAKING SO BAD WITH NO CAPABILITY OF STEERING THE TRUCK..INSTINCTIVELY I APPLIED THE BRAKES NOT EVEN CHECKING TO SEE WHAT WAS BEHIND ME AS IT WAS SHAKING SO BAD, YOU CANT TURN AROUND, YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT THE MIRRORS. AS I STATED YOU KIND OF LOSE VISION AND EVERYTHING GOES BLURRY BECAUSE YOUR SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE SO BAD. A QUICK GOOGLE AND YOU FIND THIS HAPPENS TO MANY MANY OWNERS OF THIS VERY THE SAME TRUCK. IN FACT FORD SENT ME A LETTER STATING THEY KNEW ABOUT IT AND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CORRECT AIR PRESSURE. I USE A $50 AIR PRESSURE GAUGE, THE AIR PRESSURES NOT THE PROBLEM. IT WAS STILL HAPPENING ANYTIME YOU GO OVER BIG BUMPS OR A SERIES OF SMALLER BUMPS WILL SET IT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR OVER 60 MPH. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO US AT SLOWER SPEEDS. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT.

WHEN EVER THIS TRUCK HITS A BUMPY PART OF ROAD (E.G. POT HOLE, CRACK IN PAVEMENT, OR DEBRIS) THE VEHICLE (AND STEERING WHEEL) WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH FOR SEVERAL SECONDS (4 TO 5 SECONDS) OR UNTIL I SLOW TO SPEEDS AROUND 35MPH OR BELOW. THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE TWO YEARS AGO. THE TIRES ARE LIKE NEW, AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND DETERMINED TO BE IN GOOD USABLE CONDITION. SEARCHING THE WEB FOR POSSIBLE CAUSES OR FIXES OF THIS ISSUE, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE ALSO HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, WITH LITTLE TO NO HELP COMING FROM SERVICE REPAIRS AT A DEALERSHIP. *TR

I HAVE A 2005, CREW CAB, SHORT BED, 6.0 DIESEL F-350. WHEN DRIVING AT 55-75MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, I PASSED A SMALL BUMP TRIGGERING A RIGOROUS SHAKING OF THE FRONT END. I COULD NOT APPLY BRAKES RAPIDLY, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. I BARELY HAD CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT AFTER FINALLY SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP THE SHAKING STOPPED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS, AND HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES SINCE AT 55-75MPH. *TR

DRIVING ST HIGHWAY SPEED (50-55MPH) I RAN OVER THREE SMALL BUMPS IN SUCCESSION, THE STEERING WHEEL WENT INTO A VIOLENT SIDE TO SIDE SHAKING AND I EXPERIENCED A SEVERE AND VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK. I MANAGED TO SLOW THE TRUCK AND PULL TO THE SHOULDER OF THE DIVIDED HIGHWAY. I GOT OUT AND INSPECTED THE TRUCK TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE. I COULD SEE NONE SO I DROVE CAREFULLY BACK ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRUCK SEEMED TO DRIVE OK FROM THAT POINT ON. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A FRONT END ALIGNMENT SHOP AND HAD THE FRONT END AND SUSPENSION CHECKED. THEY SAID IT ALL LOOKED GOOD, BUT AFTER THAT ABOUT A MONTH LATER I HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. SAME DEAL, I HIT A SUCCESSION OF SMALL BUMPS , THEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE, VIOLENT SHAKING AND OSCILLATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO THE BERM IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND HAD TO PULL BACK OUT INTO FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. THESE F-350'S ARE A DEATH TRAP ! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65-70 MPH MY VEHICLE WILL GO INTO A VIOLENT SHIMMY IF IT HITS ANY SORT OF ROAD BUMP (SUCH AS BRIDGE EXPANSION). THIS HAPPENS EVERYDAY IN THIS VEHICLE. IT WILL NOT GO AWAY UNTIL I SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN TO 45 MPH. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK NORMALLY LIKE ANY OTHER DAY, WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AROUND 45MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE FRONT END SHOOK SO VIOLENTLY, THAT IT PULLED SO HARD TO WHERE I HAD TO BRAKE VERY QUICKLY AND STOP THE TRUCK IMMEDIATELY. THIS PROBLEM THAT EXIST HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED YET. I HAVE IT AT A MECHANIC, I ALSO CAN NOT DRIVE IT, VERY DANGEROUS. I GOT ONLINE AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME TROUBLE AND HAVE LABELED IT THE FORD DEATH WOBBLE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC ON 12.14.11 WERE IT IS STILL AT AND ON THAT SAME DAY I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD THAT THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL SOON DUE TO EXCESSIVE SHAKING AND TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE. FRONT END ALIGNMENT, TIRE SIZE ETC. THIS NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, ON THE INTERNET BACK IN 2007 THEY HAD AT LEAST 61 COMPLAINTS. WHATEVER IS CAUSING THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES CONTROL AND SERIOUSLY HURTS SOMEONE OR THEMSELVES. *TR

2005 FORD F-350. LETTER ON BEHALF OF REGARDING HER CONCERNS WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE 6.0 LITER DIESEL ENGINE VEHICLE; REPLY ATTN: KIM CORDELL/BLOUNTVILLE, TN OFFICE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TURBO WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES. SHE ALSO STATED FORD HAS IGNORED THE FRONT END AND STEERING PROBLEMS AS WELL. *JB

I PURCHASED THE TRUCK USED FROM A PRIVATE DEALER IN AUG 2011 WITH 66,000MI. ON IT! FROM THE DEALER THIS ISSUE STARTED. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 2 DZ TIMES NOW AND FORD REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE ISSUE AS A FORD ISSUE! THEY TELL ME ITS THE TIRE PRESSURE AND I HAVE HAD IT TO THEM 3 TIMES TO FIX THIS ISSUE, THEY HAVE RE INFLATED MY TIRE PRESSURE TO " FACTORY RECOMMENDED PRESSURE" AND WITHIN 5 MILES ITS SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND START AGAIN, THIS WILL CAUSE A DEATH EVENTUALLY!! I WILL NOT LET MY WIFE DRIVE THIS TRUCK AND THAT IS WHAT IT WAS BOUGHT FOR, A SAFE FAMILY VEHICLE. *TR

ON JULY 2, 2011, I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 F350 4X4 FORD TRUCK AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON A DOWNHILL GRADE AND HIT A POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. THE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY THAT I LOST CONTROL AND DRIFTED INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE APPROACHING. THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK SO VIOLENTLY THAT IT BLURRED MY VISION WHILE TRYING TO HOLD ON AND REGAIN CONTROL. THE SHAKING LASTED 10-15 SECONDS AND ONLY STOPPED AFTER I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BELOW 40 MPH. I HAD MY WIFE AND TWO SONS IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. THIS INCIDENT MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH IF THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR IF IT HAD OCCURRED ON A BEND IN THE ROAD. THIS INCIDENT WAS THE MOST VIOLENT EXPERIENCED TO DATE, BUT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS VIOLENT SHAKING ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. I HAD MY TRUCK CAMPER ON THE VEHICLE AND IT SHOOK THE CAMPER SO VIOLENTLY IN THE BED THAT THE TAILGATE DOES NOT FIT PROPERLY ANYMORE DUE TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FLARING OF THE TRUCK BED. I FIRMLY BELIEVE MY ENTIRE FAMILY WAS IN MORTAL DANGER WITH THIS EVENT AND I AM HESITANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THEIR TRUCKS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO AS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ALSO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT 75 MPH. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. ONE HOUR LATER, THE NOISE RECURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE FAILURE CAME FROM THE TIE RODS AND COIL SPRINGS. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON AND THERE WAS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE, BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, BUMPS IN THE ROAD SURFACE CAUSE A VIOLENT SHIMMY. TRUCK HAS STOCK SUSPENSION AND OEM TIRES. TIRE PRESSURE IS PER FORD SPECIFICATION (AS INDICATED ON THE DOOR PILLAR). SEEMS NTSB HAS INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINED THE ISSUE IS DUE TO SUSPENSION MODIFICATIONS OR LOW TIRE PRESSURE. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH THIS TRUCK. ALL STOCK AND DEADLY. NTSB NEEDS TO REOPEN THEIR INVESTIGATION BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

I OWN A 2005 FORD F350, THIS TRUCK STARTS TO SHIMMY AND SHAKE WHEN YOU GO OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD, IT IS SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE YOU TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE AVOIDED A COUPLE OF ACCIDENTS BY DRIVING OFF THE ROAD WHICH IS NOT MUCH FUN. AFTER THE SHAKING STARTS YOU HAVE TO GET THE TRUCK SLOWED DOWN AS FAST AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT CAUSING A CRASH. I LIVE IN SNOW COUNTRY AND TRY TO SLOW A TRUCK DOWN ON SNOW PACKED ROADS AND NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I'VE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR. I'VE HAD THE TRUCK LOOKED AT AND I'VE REPLACED PARTS AND TIRES TRYING TO GET IT TO GO AWAY, BUT NOTHING HELPS. THEY JUST TELL ME TO LIVE WITH IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN AND WILL BE DONE. WELL I WOULD HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THESE TRUCKS ARE DRIVING THEM AND THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. THERE ARE TO MANY PEOPLE WHO OWN THESE TRUCKS TO NOT LOOK INTO THESE CLAIMS. I'LL GLADLY LET YOU ALL DRIVE WITH ME AND CHECK OUT THE CLAIMS AND SEE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES, IT'S NOT GETTING ANY BETTER. AFTER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND NO BETTER SERVICE, I GIVE UP. *TR