Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 74 | 52% | 99,000 miles |
| 2013 | 37 | 39% | 121,000 miles |
| 2012 | 112 | 42% | 90,000 miles |
| 2011 | 102 | 41% | 64,000 miles |
| 2010 | 30 | 41% | 85,000 miles |
| 2009 | 32 | 59% | 68,000 miles |
| 2008 | 80 | 41% | 78,000 miles |
| 2007 | 23 | 38% | 46,000 miles |
| 2006 | 78 | 35% | 61,000 miles |
| 2005 | 39 | 27% | 60,000 miles |
| 2004 | 10 | 6% | 170,000 miles |
| 2003 | 11 | 9% | 104,000 miles |
| 2002 | 10 | 6% | 165,000 miles |
| 2001 | 22 | 10% | 83,000 miles |
| 2000 | 48 | 15% | 92,000 miles |
| 1999 | 49 | 8% | 69,000 miles |
| 1998 | 3 | 5% | 190,000 miles |
| 1997 | 23 | 8% | 99,000 miles |
| 1996 | 17 | 10% | 263,000 miles |
| 1995 | 8 | 4% | 165,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH and attempting to change lanes, the contact felt a small bump. Shortly afterwards, the vehicle started to wobble violently, almost causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle due to the increased steering effort. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway to inspect the vehicle, but found no cause for the issue. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 116,668.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving over a bump at approximately 70 MPH, the front end was shaking violently. After the vehicle decelerated to approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stopped shaking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic and was informed to contact NHTSA. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 59,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving approximately 70-75 MPH and driving over a bump in the roadway, the vehicle experienced the death wobble. The contact stated that the steering wheel and the entire vehicle were shuddering violently, almost causing loss in control of the vehicle. The contact decelerated to 45 MPH and was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics, where the front end of the vehicle, the wheel alignment, and other unknown parts were inspected; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving on bumpy road surfaces. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
Ford 2013 F250 Death Wobble, it is real! It is scary! It is unpredictable and extremely dangerous. Something in the design of the front end needs to be fixed ASAP. My latest experience with this happened on 7/13/23. The worst death wobble that I have ever experienced happened today on the freeway at full speed (65mph). The first time today, my truck started to violently shake, prompting me to immediately slow down from 65mph to about 30-40mph during my morning commute to work/in traffic. Then, again a minute later, but this time it was seven worst! The death wobble started again at full speed and the front end started shaking uncontrollably and drifted my vehicle from the number 2 lane into the number 1 lane with other cars doing same speed. This violent shaking caught the attention of the other drivers and everyone slowed down, so I could make it into side of the road. …
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle drove over a bump and experienced the death wobble. The contact pulled over and slowed down to stabilize the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and repaired, however, the failure recurred. The contact stated the vehicle was repaired six times for the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000. The VIN was not available.
Over 1 year (2025) steering front end shaking began. Our dealership on oil changes did not tell us to watch for anything and we should have been warned. When the shaking occurred we changed Ford shock asborbers from Ford dealership. Problem still occured. We lost faith in Ford and our regular dealership. We then at Moore's tires purchased 4 Michelin premium tires for F250 heavy duty truck and told them about the severe shaking in front end that we will crash because we can't maintain control only to pull off the road with a prayer. Very difficult when this happens on the route 80 highway going 70 mph speed limit. So, Moore's tires store replaced with new tires and replaced some suspension parts thinking they fixed it but not sure. No recall to alert any Ford owners or repair shops... no warnings to anyone. We spent over $7,000. in trying to solve the front end shaking issue. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 68-70 MPH, the vehicle drove over a bump and experienced a death wobble. The contact attempted to turn the steering wheel with force, but the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. The contact developed blisters on the palms of his hands from gripping the steering wheel, but medical attention was not received. Police arrived on the scene; however, no police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was informed that he needed to pay for the diagnostic. The vehicle was then towed to the residence, where the contact replaced the steering gearbox, ball joints, tie rod ends, track bar, shocks, front springs, and wheel bearings. The failure recurred. The vehicle was later taken to three different independent mechanics; however, the cause of failure was not found. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving over a bump at a high rate of speed, the contact experienced the death wobble and the contact temporarily lost control of the vehicle. The contact slowed down and the violent shaking ceased. The contact stated that the tie rods, ball joints, and other front-end parts were replaced to reduce the risk of the failure recurring. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH and towing a trailer, the contact experienced the death wobble. The vehicle drifted from the far-left lane over to the far-right lane and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact called a local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer and was provided a case number. The manufacturer advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. …
Related recalls (2)
Steering › Gear box › Shaft sector
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, if the intermediate shaft yoke separates from the steering gear input shaft, the steering system becomes disconnected.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering intermediate shaft yoke to determine if the yoke is fully seated on the steering gear input shaft. If the yoke is fully seated no service is required.
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Vehicle description: medium duty trucks and chassis-cabs. One or more of the four rivets on the lower steering shaft flex coupling May not have been crimped during the sub-assembly process.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lower steering shaft rivets and replace any shafts with uncrimped rivets.
NHTSA investigations
Steering shaft separation
See attached summary for technical details
Steering shaft fracture
Alleged that the steering shaft May fracture
Alleged Loss of Steering
The Office of DefectsInvestigation (ODI) opened PE13-014 after identifying five complaints alleging steering gear failure in model year (MY) 2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pick-up trucks and to evaluate the relationship between the design history of the steering gear assembly and the alleged defect.As background, ODI investigated steering gear sector shaft fractures in approximately 1.3 million MY 1999 - 2001…
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford F-250 years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2012 (112), 2011 (102), 2008 (80), 2006 (78) and 2014 (74) model years. Steering complaints make up 42% of all complaints for the 2012.
Is there a recall for Ford F-250 steering problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 03V-196 (shaft sector, May 27, 2003); 98V-116 (gear box (other than rack and pinion), May 29, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford F-250 steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles; 30% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the hydraulic power assist system (43 mentions), followed by the steering wheel/handle bar (25).
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.