Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Ford F-350 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle drove over a small depression in the roadway and the vehicle started vibrating violently. The contact was able to steer the vehicle however, it was difficult to keep the vehicle in the lane. The contact stated he stopped depressing the accelerator and was tapping the brake pedal to slow the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after slowing down to 30 MPH, the vibration stopped, and he regained control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vibration failure had become a recurring failure at various speeds. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the front shocks, steering control arms, and ball joints needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving at 55-60 MPH on cruise control, the vehicle hit a bump and started shuddering uncontrollably, causing the steering wheel to shudder as well. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that as he was losing control of the vehicle, he depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle stopped shuddering. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The contact stated that the vehicle was not yet diagnosed; however, the dealer replaced the steering bar. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving at 50-65 MPH, and sometimes at slower speeds. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH on the expressway, the vehicle drove over a bump on the roadway and the vehicle and the steering wheel started shaking violently. The contact depressed the brake pedal and veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred three times while driving over bumps on the roadway the same day. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and test driven. The dealer inspected the suspension and diagnosed that no issues were found. However, the dealer advised the contact that the tires needed to be replaced as they were worn on the inside. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
The contact's mother owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle drove over a depression in the roadway and lost control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was bouncing to the left and right and the steering column and steering wheel was vibrating. The contact stated that the vehicle became almost impossible to control. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was not diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 20N04 -Steering Linkage Damper (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45-50 MPH, the vehicle drove over a bump and experienced the death wobble. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the tie rods and shock absorbers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 05UPF250SW (05-16 Ford F250 / F350 4WD Vehicles with Steering Wheel Oscillation); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the contact rolled over a bump and the vehicle started to shudder and sway to the left and right violently. The contact slowed down to 20 MPH and regained control of the vehicle. The contact stated there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred two years prior. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who installed dampers and a track bar on the front end. The contact had not yet taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic following the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel started vibrating violently, causing the entire vehicle to shake. Upon reducing the speed to 10 MPH, the vehicle returned to normal functionality; however, the failure recurred. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 260,000.
July 10 2023, driving on highway in my 2012 Ford F-350 super duty going 50-55 mph front passenger tire hit small bump in road causing vehicle to "death wobble". Vehicle violently pulled to the left. Luckily there was not a vehicle in that lane otherwise an accident would have ensued. Steering wheel was shaking uncontrollably and I had no control of vehicle until I slowed down to 25 mph. I delivered truck to the Ford dealer on July 11, 2023 explaining my experience. Technician was also able to reproduce the "death wobble" problem and repairs were made at my expense. A year prior to this episode I had noticed a slight wobble in steering but not to this extent. I voiced my concern to the Ford dealer and they had replaced a few ball joints. There has not been any indication of steering issues up to my incident in July 2023. …
Summary: We purchased a brand new 60000 dollar truck in 2012 or 2013 and was assured by the dealer that it had a warranty to cover any issues until either 100,000 miles or 5-6 years, whichever came first. After 4 years of ownership and around 67,000 miles, the truck started experiencing problems with a high idle and then abruptly shutting off. When taken to the dealer, they couldn't replicate the issues during a brief evaluation. However, a week later, while on the way to the bank, to get cash out for are stay at the hospital to give birth to are 6th child the truck shut off and wouldn't start again. The dealer diagnosed the problem as a faulty high-pressure fuel pump due to water in the fuel and tried to charge the author $15,000 for repairs. …
Twice in the last 60 days while driving on the Interstate, once at 75mph and this last time at 60mph my Ford F350 has gone into violent shaking, so much so that I was barely able to contain it. I was able to force it off the road and come to a stop. I had to sit there for several minutes then decided to drive slowly to the off ramp. I was able to drive without any wobble and get off the interstate. I took it the first time to Lynn Wood Automotive in Layton, they kept it for several days and found nothing. The second time I took it to Ed Kennely Ford Service. A few of the service writers gathered around as I explained what happened then were nodding there heads and smiling indicating that they had seen is happen several times. I made an appointment next week on July 11th 7:30 am. This was a very dangerous situation and one that I feel very lucky to have gotten it off the road. …
Steering complaints in other F-350 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2012 Ford F-350?
NHTSA has 66 complaints about the steering of the 2012 Ford F-350, 44% of the model year's 149 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Ford F-350 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2012 Ford F-350, though it has 4 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 2012 Ford F-350 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 115,000 miles, and 4% 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.