2005 Ford F-350 SD Steering Problems

Which parts fail

• Linkages
  3
• Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
  1
• Linkages › Tie rod assembly
  1

Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  1029%
• 25k–50k
  926%
• 50k–75k
  823%
• 75k–100k
  411%
• 100k–150k
  39%
• 150k+
  13%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Ford F-350 SD owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

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.

Making a left hand turn the steering failed causing the truck to run into a pole. The truck is being repaired using a much stronger steering box by my Ford dealer. This is being paid for by my insurance co. Even thow the truck has only 26000 miles on it and is under factory warrenty. I will get the undersize broken steering box. The truck has the original suspension,wheels,and tires it came with. Thanks Ford.

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 have a 2005 Ford f350 superduty and on several occasions I have been driving down the road and have gone over blemishes in the highway and it has caused a violent shaking in the front end. It has gotten so bad at points that it almost caused a severe accident which might have involved many. This has happened on many occasions and I have to slow down and stop before it subsides. I have been to several dealers and they all say that they have a quick fix but nothing seems to work. Everytime I have tried to fix the problem I have paid for it out of my own pocket. I have spoekn with many for superduty owners that have had this problem and they all say the same thing. This is not only a problem for the driver of the vehicle but also for others on the road as well. Do people need to start dying before there is a service recall to fix the problem. …

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 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. …

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 have a 2005 Ford f350 super duty, with dangerous front end problems. When going at highway speeds (55-70mph), and hitting a bump in the road(even worse while going through a slight curve) the front end starts to shake violently. This oscillation is so strong, that it almost yanks the steering wheel out of my hands. The only thing that makes it stop is to slow down to about 20mph. Very dangerous to do on the interstate!!! After doing some research and reading some of the online forums for Ford truck owners, I find that this is a major problem and also a very common one to boot. The most worrisome part of this problem, is that is very unpredictable. Sometimes I can go a month or so with no problems. However, this past weekend, it did this three times during a 10 mile trip home from a restaurant. This is a major problem that Ford motor co. Should be responsible for correcting. …

Tl contact owns a 2005 Ford f-350 super duty. In January of 2006, while driving approximately 35 MPH or more, the vehicle began to shimmy and jump on the opposite side of the road when making left turns. The dealer stated that bolts were missing and the shock mounts failed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. He returned the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the tires needed to be replaced. After replacing the tires, a front stabilizer was installed on the front end of the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle has not been repaired since the last incident. The manufacturer stated that there were no recalls and they were not liable for the repairs. The current mileage was 61,635 and failure mileage was 4,000. Updated 10/21/08.

We own a Ford f350, 2005 model with about 6000 miles. On sun.,3/4, as my wife drove away from a service station pump, she lost control of the truck, I.e. She could not steer. Lucky for her she was able to stop before entering a heavily traveled highway. We found that the nut holding the pivot arm with the steering linkage had sheared off along with the cotter pin holding the nut. The nut threads were stripped off. I have the failed nut along with ring/clip holding the cotter pin. The bolt threads on the linkage, to the eye appear to be o'k. As stated though, the nut threads were stripped off. Was this due to a softer metal being used, over torquing or a bad nut??' the truck was towed to newberg Ford in newberg, or.

Steering complaints in other F-350 SD years