2012 Ford F-350 Suspension Problems

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  24%
• 25k–50k
  818%
• 50k–75k
  49%
• 75k–100k
  37%
• 100k–150k
  1533%
• 150k+
  1329%

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 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 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 that while his son was driving 25 MPH, the front track bar unexpectedly fractured into two pieces, causing the vehicle to swerve off the road. Additionally, the vehicle had experienced the death wobble. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the front track bar fracture caused the rear axle to be pushed into the fuel cooler, which caused the fuel cooler to be punctured and to leak. The contact was informed that the front track bar and the fuel cooler needed to be replaced, and a coolant flush needed to be performed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the contact experienced the death wobble after driving over a bump on a bridge. The contact pulled the vehicle off to the shoulder and coasted the vehicle until the rattling stopped and the vehicle resumed normal operation. The dealer and the manufacturer were both notified of the failure and neither offered any assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 223,000

I believe this is now the 3rd occurrence for me within the last two weeks of what has been termed by other owners as the "death wobble". Two incidents have occurred on "bumpy" roads, though one was just a bumpy interstate. The interstate, while a bumpy, I wouldn't imagine would have been bumpy enough to constitute a poor road condition, travel conditions were pulling about 12,000 lb 5th wheel camper and I was going probably between 55-60mph. The next two occurrences happened truck only. The second occurrence, was a back road and probably the "bumpiest" road of them all, probably going 45-50 mph, so not so bumpy that I had to be going super slow. The third occurrence was on a smooth road and I did hit a "bump" which probably wasn't much more than a crack in the road traveling at probably 50-60 mph. I experienced the wobble. …

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. …

When driving at speeds above 55 miles per hour the pickup will develop a violent vibration commonly known as the death wobble most commonly happening when hitting a dip in the road or a bump. When this happens myself, passengers and other motorists are put at risk of a deadly accident. Most recently it happened doing 75 mph on the freeway, we were almost struck by others trying to stop the pickup and this happened three different times during a trip trying to make it home. I have taken the pickup to the Ford dealership with no solution or long-term fix to the problem for the last 4 years. I have been told that they see nothing wrong with it. I have also taken it too two different tire shops with no long-term solution. I have spent thousands of dollars to try and find a solution by replacing parts, tires twice and replacing the wheels and nothing has worked.

While traveling on the highway at 70~75 mph the vehicle went over a small highway joint. This caused the truck to shake violently with little to no control. Only after dropping speeds less than 45mph did the violent shaking stop. The sudden slow down in the middle of the highway, the violent shaking and the lack of steering control was extremely dangerous and caused an immediate life safety issue to myself , my family and other vehicles and motorists near mine. The vehicle was inspected by a mechanic. The tires have been balanced and rotated are not worn. The shocks on all four tires were replaced. The steering stabilizer shock was replaced and joints inspected. The problem persists and only is replicable during highway speeds. The event comes without any warning and the vehicle is uncontrollable.

I'm currently experiencing the "Death Wobble" with my vehicle, making it unsafe to drive past 60 mph due to intense shaking. This is a serious safety concern for both me and my family. This issue happens frequently on the freeway, and we all fear that the wheels could fall off or the vehicle might flip over. When I took the vehicle to the service center, the advisor told me I needed to add a stabilizer to my front wheels and suggested that I buy the part online and install it myself, recommending YouTube for guidance. However, I have no idea what part to buy or where to get it. I'm not the designer of the truck, and I shouldn't have to add extra parts for it to drive properly. I also believe this is a manufacturer issue, especially since multiple people seem to be experiencing the same problem.

Suspension complaints in other F-350 years