2008 Ford F-250 Suspension Problems

Death wobble

NHTSA ID

11591721

Incident

May 31, 2024

Serious uncontrollable violent shaking in the front end of the vehicle when it hits a pot hole or runs over a bump. It’s almost like one side starts to bounce which leads to the other side to start bouncing and it goes back and forth from either side very fast which sounds like a loud rumble

NHTSA ID

11588891

Incident

May 15, 2024

Experiencing the ford “death wobble”. Around 50 mph going over small road transition the vehicle start shaking violently and I have no control. The only way to stop it is come close to a dead stop in the middle of a highway.

NHTSA ID

11510098

Incident

Mar 3, 2023

When going over 45 mph the steering wheel of the truck violently shakes and is hard to control.

NHTSA ID

11441071

Incident

Nov 3, 2021

My truck is having the same issues as listed in the recalls but isn’t on the recall list. Running rough dash board turns off and loses power to the cab. Low voltage light comes on but batteries and alternator test fine. Factory installed lift blocks have cracked and caused can bushings to fail.

NHTSA ID

11438963

Incident

Jan 1, 2020

The contact owns a 2008 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 35-45 MPH, the vehicle hit a bump and he heard abnormal sounds coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for an inspection, he was informed that the body mount bushings that hold the cab to the train and cushion the road and the engine vibrations from the body were detaching from the frame. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired, and the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a second inspection and the dealer diagnosed that the body mount bushings had detached from the frame. The dealer informed the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair because the vehicle was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11433209

Incident

May 25, 2021

Mileage

70,000 mi

TRUCK HAS STARTED DOING THE "FORD DEATH WOBBLE" TRUCK VIOLENTLY SHAKES AT CERTAIN SPEEDS UNTIL YOU SLOW DOWN OR STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT SPEEDS AROUND 60MPH.

NHTSA ID

11399941

Incident

Feb 24, 2021

Mileage

175,000 mi

DRIVING MY 2008 FORD F250 AT OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR AND HITTING BUMPS IN THE ROAD CAUSES THE CURSED "DEATH WOBBLE". IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. ONCE WITH MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE AND MY WIFE DRIVING. ALMOST CAUSED HER TO WRECK BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE INTERSTATE. HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS MULTIPLE TIMES, WITH THE SAME THING HAPPENING AFTER REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID

11363177

Incident

Dec 19, 2018

Mileage

200,000 mi

DRIVING 60 ON THE HIGHWAY AND TRUCK AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING. SEARCHED ONLINE AND IT IS DESCRIBED AS THE DEATH WOBBLE.

NHTSA ID

11351201

Incident

Jul 30, 2020

Mileage

320,084 mi

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK STARTS VIOLENTLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY SHAKING AND DOESN'T CEASE UNTIL YOU SLOW DOWN BELOW 20 MPH. THE FRONT END ALSO DOES THIS IF I'M DRIVING MORE THAN 25 MPH AND THE PAVEMENT CHANGES. THE COUNTY REPAVED A PORTION OF MY ROAD. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 55. EVERYTIME I REACH THE CHANGE IN ASPHALT, I HAVE TO ALMOST STOP TO GET THE SHAKING TO STOP.

NHTSA ID

11350367

Incident

Mar 15, 2019

Mileage

180,000 mi

THE DEATH WOBBLE. THE FRONT END STARTS SHAKING REALLY BAD HIT A BUMP IN ROAD GOING ABOVE 50 MPH AND WILL NOT STOP UNLESS I SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST A STOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329044

Incident

Jun 15, 2020

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IF I HIT A BUMP THE WHOLE TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I NEED TO BRAKE HEAVILY TO STOP THE SHAKING. I'VE READ UP ON IT AND IT HAS BEEN DUBBED THE 'DEATH WOBBLE' AND APPARENTLY IS A HUGE PROBLEM. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK, SO I AM KEEPING IT OFF THE ROAD FOR THE SAFETY OF ME AND THOSE AROUND ME. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

11326156

Incident

May 25, 2020

Mileage

107,000 mi

FORD DEATH WOBBLE. TOWING A 5TH WHEEL CAMPER AT 65 MPH. HIT A BUMP ON PA TURNPIKE. THE FRONT END SHOOK VIOLENTLY. ALMOST LOST CONTROL. MADE A PANIC SLOW DOWN TO 25 MPH TO REGAIN CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

11318879

Incident

Mar 19, 2020

Mileage

226,694 mi

AT 65MPH+- ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRUCK CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL / STEER STRAIGHT.AND MAINTAIN POSITION IN LANE. HAVE SPENT $6,000.00 +- WITH FORD DEALERSHIP AND ALSO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FORD REPLACED THE STEERING BOX TWICE, NEW SHOCKS, NEW TIRES, NEW TIE ROD ENDS, ALIGNMENT, TIRE BALANCING AND OTHER NEW PARTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING...AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS TRUCK AND BOUGHT NEW IN 2009.

NHTSA ID

11316778

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

HAVE A VERY BAD DEATH WOBBLE. SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX AND STILL HERE.

NHTSA ID

11316076

Incident

Feb 12, 2020

Mileage

143,876 mi

WHEN TRAVELING MORE THAN 40MPH AND A WHEEL HITS A GROOVE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE ENTIRE TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND IS HARD TO CONTROL, FORCING THE DRIVER TO QUICKLY DECELERATE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. IT FEELS AS IF THE TIRES ARE BOUNCING UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2009. ALSO WHEN DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS OR VERY BUMPY ROADS, THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHEN DEPRESSED, GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKES, NORMAL BRAKING RETURNS, BUT THE INITIAL BRAKE FAILURE IS VERY FRIGHTENING AS IS THE UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING WHEN HITTING A BUMP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID

11296881

Incident

Jan 2, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E026000 (EQUIPMENT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND TRANSFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 186,000.

NHTSA ID

11150428

Incident

Oct 26, 2018

Mileage

186,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMELY UNSTABLE, SHOOK, AND VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13.

NHTSA ID

11112452

Incident

Nov 1, 2008

Mileage

13 mi

MY VEHICLE HAS A DEATH WOBBLE WHEN HITTING A BUMP AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES; SPECIAL FIELD ACTION 09L02 DATED JANUARY 2018. I WASN'T AWARE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT RECENTLY TALKED WITH SOMEONE WHO OWNS THE SAME VEHICLE AND HE HAPPENED TO ASK IF I HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. UPON RECEIVING THE NOTICE AND RECALLING THAT CONVERSATION I THOUGHT I SHOULD FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT. IN PARTICULAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RATTLE AND SHAKE IN A MANNER THAT MAKES THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE UNTIL YOU COME TO A VIRTUAL STOP. I HAVE HAD ALMOST A DOZEN OCCURRENCES. MY MECHANIC CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND ALIGNMENT AND STEERING ISSUES, TIE RODS AND BALL JOINT ETC. THEN AFTER IT HAPPENED AGAIN SENT ME TO THE TIRE SHOP. THE TIRE SHOP CHECKED THE TIRES AND SENT ME BACK TO THE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE VEHICLE AGAIN, REPLACED SOME WARN PARTS IN THE STEERING COLUMN (I BELIEVE IT WAS A BUSHING SOMEWHERE, BUT CAN CONFIRM IF NEEDED, I HAVE RECORDS SOMEWHERE). THAT DECREASED THE FREQUENCY, BUT I STILL HAVE EXPERIENCED IT TWICE SINCE THEN. IT SEEMS INTERMITTENT, AND FRANKLY ALMOST RANDOM AS I CAN NOT ALWAYS RECREATE THE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE PROBLEM. I CAN TRAVEL ALONG THE SAME ROUTE, SAME SPEED, AND NOT ALWAYS EXPERIENCE THE LOSS OF CONTROL I CALL A DEATH WOBBLE. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, AS DESCRIBED IN THE SFA YOU HAVE TO LET OFF THE GAS, APPLY THE BRAKES AND HOLD THE WHEEL STRAIGHT. IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND SCARED THE HELL OUT OF MY FATHER AND DAUGHTER WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED IT WITH ME ON A FREEWAY OVERPASS THAT CURVED AND I HAD TO BRAKE HARD AND COULDN'T STEER.

NHTSA ID

11073058

Incident

Feb 12, 2018

Mileage

245,000 mi

SINCE OWNING MY F250, IT HAS RANDOMLY EXPERIENCED A SEVERE VIBRATION "DEATH WOBBLE" AFTER HITTING BUMPS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SO BAD, THAT I INSTALLED A STEERING STABILIZER TO HELP MITIGATE THE ISSUE (FORD DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A BETTER FIX). I ALWAYS KEEP MY LOAD "E "RATED TIRES INFLATED PER RECOMMENDED PRESSURES YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VIBRATIONS HAPPENED. FORD HAS YET TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OTHER THAN TO SAY SLOW DOWN WHEN THE SEVERE VIBRATION OCCURS. FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS THIS HAS BEEN AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN FOR MANY F250 OWNERS AND FORD'S ANSWER IS WHEN IT HAPPENS ," SLOW DOWN"? THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE; THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ABOVE ISSUE. NUMEROUS POST, BLOGS AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON LINE, YET FORD CONTINUES TO BLAME THE OCCURRENCE ON LOW TIRE PRESSURE AND PASS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTROLLING A VERY HAZARDOUS "DEATH WOBBLE" TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS. THIS IS AN ISSUE THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR MANY YEARS, YET HAVE FAILED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND CORRECT THE HIGHLY DANGEROUS CONDITION FORD CREATED. ANY DATA ON HOW MANY ACCIDENTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR POOR ENGINEERING/DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT OBVIOUSLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNSAFE HANDLING OF THEIR 7000 LB PLUSS TRUCKS?

NHTSA ID

11067314

Incident

Feb 6, 2018

Mileage

54,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE HAS NO AFTERMARKET ALTERATIONS AND THE FRONT END PARTS ARE IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION BUT AT CERTAIN SPEEDS WHEN HITTING A BUMP THE VEHICLE SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AS IF IT IS GOING TO EXPLODE! IT ONLY HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

11066823

Incident

Jan 1, 2018

Mileage

170,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS 55 MPH OR MORE WHEN DRIVING ON TO A BRIDGE OR CHANGE IN HIGHWAY,OR HITTING A POTHOLE IN THE ROAD THE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY IT ONLY STOP THIS BY SLOWING DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH.THE SHAKING IS SO VIOLENT YOU ALMOST LOSE CONTROL.IT HAPPENS WHENEVER I HIT A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

10825907

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

135,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND WOBBLED OUT OF CONTROL. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE TRACK BAR, THE FRONT STEERING DAMPER, THE CENTER LINK, AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000. MA 09/03/15

NHTSA ID

10731192

Incident

Jun 1, 2015

Mileage

159,000 mi

VIOLENT FRONT END SHAKING WHEN I RUN OVER A POT HOLE OR BAD SPOT ON THE INTERSTATE..

NHTSA ID

10717105

Incident

May 16, 2015

Mileage

109,000 mi

I TOOK MY 2008 FORD F-250 TO THE FORD DEALER TO HAVE AN ALIGNMENT AND OIL CHANGE. I HAD THE VEHICLE ALIGNED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS AGO BUT THE ALIGNMENT HAS STEADILY DETERIORATED. THE VEHICLE HAS A LITTLE OVER 77,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER. I HAVE NEVER BEEN "OFF-ROADING" OR "MUDDING" IN THE VEHICLE. ALL MILES ARE HIGHWAY/CITY MILES. LITTLE TOWING HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE VEHICLE. ALL RECOMMENDED SERVICES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY FORD DEALERSHIPS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE NOR HAVE THERE BEEN ANY ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD EFFECT THE STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED AND STATED THAT MY STEERING GEAR BOX IS ABOUT TO GO OUT. THE FIX FOR THIS WOULD BE OVER $1100.00 WHICH I AM UNABLE TO AFFORD AT THIS TIME. IT SEEMS THE GEAR BOX IN THE "SUPER DUTY" WOULD LAST LONGER UNDER THESE REASONABLE CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10627470

Incident

Aug 22, 2014

Mileage

77,000 mi