Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Ford F-250 SD owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 65-80 MPH over a bumpy road surface, the steering wheel and the front end of the vehicle shuddered violently. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the death wobble, and almost caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact stated that upon decelerating to approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that a fee would be charged for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
The contact's husband owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated that a bracket was placed on the suspension to prevent the failure commonly known as the "death wobble". Despite the repair, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a loud vibrating noise followed by violent shaking while driving over a bump in the road. Additionally, the steering wheel was vibrating uncontrollably making it difficult to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was discovered that the steering bracket had rubbed against other steering components causing the stabilizer to become bent. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 63,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the front end was shaking violently after driving over a bump in the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who stated that there were no open recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle went into the death wobble and started shaking violently. The contact pulled off the roadway and parked the vehicle. The failure was a recurring failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be repaired; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford-250. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced severe shaking and vibration after driving over bumps on the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the front ball joints were faulty and needed to be replaced. The ball joints were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.
There is a problem called death wobble with our 2016 F250 truck. Driving down the highway and you hit a dip going over a bridge or a hole in the highway and it starts to wobble and you can hardly control it, you can not apply brakes because it feels like it is going to turn over with you. We use this truck in the roofing business and if we had had the trailer behind it there would have been an accident because there was traffic around us but have been able to stop before an accident. There is always two or three worker riding in the truck and they were scared to death. I do not want someone to be killed because of this problem. I called the dealership were I purchased it and they are telling me I have to pay for the repair. I know there is a class action lawsuit against ford for this problem and don't feel I should have to pay for the repair. …
On 08/01/2022 at approximately 1400 hours, I was driving my 2016 Ford F250 4x4 and towing a 5th wheel trailer weighing approximately 14000 lbs. I was traveling at approximately 60 MPH when I hit a small bump on I-215 which caused a violent shaking from the front end of the vehicle (condition commonly referred to as "death wobble"). I immediately released the accelerator to try and correct the violent shake, but the condition continued. I attempted to brake, which caused the condition to worsen and brake efficiency was greatly reduced. Allowing the vehicle to coast and slow down without brake input was the only way to correct the condition. Once we slowed to below 45 MPH, the condition was no longer present. I inspected the front end suspension and steering components of the vehicle. …
DEATH WOBBLE! Driving at any speeds from 30 MPH to highway speeds of 65-70 MPH, the front end (front suspension) of the truck will Wobble Uncontrollably in a Vehement and Violent Manner, making driving unsafe with loss of steering after hitting a small bump or dip in the road/highway. The condition is worse when pulling a 30 foot gooseneck trailer. I have replaced the front shocks, steering damper, and rear shocks and to no avail, the Death Wobble still occurs! This is Major Safety Concern and Life Threatening to myself and anyone on the road during the Death Wobble, and seeing the reaction of other drivers in the opposite direction should be cause for concern! …
Yesterday (3/20/23), as I was driving on the interstate at about 70 miles per hour, I hit a bump in the road and that caused the truck to go into severe shaking which I later learned has been termed as the "death wobble". I had to pull over to the emergency lane and stop the vehicle in order to get the vehicle under control. Luckily, there were not many vehicles on the road at the time so moving from the middle lane to the emergency lane on the right side was easy to do without causing any disruption to other drivers. I called my mechanic about the situation and he was the one to tell me it was the "death wobble" and it is common in Ford trucks and Jeeps. This was my first time experiencing this "death wobble" and it scared the crap out of me. …
This vehicle is part of a fleet vehicle that I received new. I originally complained to the dealer that the vehicle has a front-end wobble. I was told originally that it was either the tires or a bad rim. I recently received new tires and the wobble has become unbearable. It is called the death wobble from the reviews I have seen online. When you are driving, the entire truck vibrates so hard that you feel as if you are on a roller coaster. The faster you go, 60-65, the steering wheel shakes with difficulty holding onto the wheel. I searched recalls and there have been none. My concern is that this can lead to an accident and either I or an innocent driver/passenger in another vehicle can be harmed due to the lack of repair or concern of Ford Motor. I called the owner of the Fleet and haven't heard back from the equipment manager. I did contact Ford customer service and reported this. …
Suspension complaints in other F-250 SD years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2016 Ford F-250 SD?
NHTSA has 112 complaints about the suspension of the 2016 Ford F-250 SD, 39% of the model year's 290 complaints. The component named most often is front (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Ford F-250 SD suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2016 Ford F-250 SD, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Ford F-250 SD suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.