Ford F-350 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 514 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Ford F-350 across 18 model years. The 2012 model year has the most (66). The words owners use most often: “death wobble” (25% of reports).
- 514steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 46mention a crash
- 28mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 71%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Death wobble: mentioned in 128 of 514 complaints (25%)
- Front end: mentioned in 93 of 514 complaints (18%)
- Bump road: mentioned in 34 of 514 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 274 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 514 complaints, 46 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 28 an injury.
Ford F-350 steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 F-350 | 46 | 51% | 73,000 |
| 2013 F-350 | 30 | 39% | 107,500 |
| 2012 F-350 | 66 | 44% | 112,040 |
| 2011 F-350 | 50 | 37% | 69,000 |
| 2009 F-350 | 14 | 50% | 168,714 |
| 2008 F-350 | 47 | 36% | 88,500 |
| 2007 F-350 | 8 | 22% | 58,000 |
| 2006 F-350 | 51 | 35% | 57,000 |
| 2005 F-350 | 28 | 25% | 42,500 |
| 2004 F-350 | 9 | 6% | 67,097 |
| 2003 F-350 | 6 | 7% | 36,620 |
| 2002 F-350 | 16 | 14% | 63,000 |
| 2001 F-350 | 28 | 18% | 63,400 |
| 2000 F-350 | 44 | 14% | 63,424 |
| 1999 F-350 | 48 | 12% | 107,000 |
| 1997 F-350 | 12 | 8% | 92,000 |
| 1996 F-350 | 6 | 5% | 50,000 |
| 1995 F-350 | 5 | 4% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Model years: 1999
Problem: 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.
Risk: If a rivet is not crimped, the flex joint can rotate on the shaft and there would be a reduction in or loss of steering control.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the lower steering shaft rivets and replace any shafts with uncrimped rivets.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Yes the steering wheels are coming loose on all these trucks. Customers are having to fix their own steering wheels because there are no recalls. I don't believe steering wheels should be coming loose. The only thing they've done to fix it is make it easier to fix on the newer models.
Driving along at 70 mph and just crossed a bridge and met the asphalt when all of a sudden the steering wheel shook violently & almost caused a fatal accident. Tractor trailer & cars swung to avoid me. Went to pull out onto expressway & at 15 mph & the rumble strips along the right shoulder caused…
On this day, I financed the vehicle and was promised that it was safe to be on the road. This is the second vehicle. Heâs done this to me with. He gets these vehicles and just put stickers in the windows and then people break down or their lives are in jeopardy so I left there After I purchased…
Was driving at 55mph and suddenly truck went into a terrible death wobble & almost caused a serious crash. On 11/25/2025 I had taken it in to the ford dealership to correct this problem since it had happened four times in August & September of this year. Which also almost caused four serious…
Steering became erratic & uncontrolable while driving at 55mph. Steering wheel shook . It was a death wobble and almost caused a serious accident. This has happened four times in the last two months. This is a 2013 ford f-350 with 102,000 miles. Each time truck had it happen, it was after a…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford F-350s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 514 owner complaints about steering for the Ford F-350. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford F-350 steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Ford F-350?
The most frequent phrase is “death wobble”, in 128 of 514 complaints, followed by “front end” (93).
Other Ford F-350 problems
- Suspension problems (397)
- Tires problems (382)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (313)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (252)
- Power Train problems (237)
- Engine problems (162)
- Electrical System problems (152)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (111)
See all Ford F-350 problems.