NHTSA Complaint #10176685 — 2005 FORD F-250 SD

(1) POSSIBLY TRIGGERED BY A MINOR BUMP IN THE ROAD (2) SEVERE STEERING AND/OR FRONT AXLE OSCILLATION RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE OSCILLATION WAS MUCH MORE SEVERE THAN THE COMMON "DEATH WOBBLE" FROM OUT OF BALANCE OR OUT OF ROUND TIRES, AND APPEARED TO INVOLVE NOT JUST THE FRONT TIRES, BUT THE ENTIRE FRONT AXLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE, ONCE BEFORE THE FIRST SET OF REPAIRS, ONCE AFTER THE FIRST SET OF REPAIRS. VEHICLE RAN COMPLETELY OFF THE HIGHWAY BOTH TIMES. (3) THE FIRST TIME, THE STEERING BOX BROKE AS A RESULT OF THE VIOLENCE OF THE STEERING OSCILLATIONS, SO THE STEERING BOX WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE'S ALIGNMENT WAS CHECKED, THE TIRES WERE ROTATED, THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS ADJUSTED. THE DEALER PERFORMED ALL THE STEPS OUTLINED IN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, BUT SAID THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE PROBLEM. NOW, OUR DRIVERS ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS TRUCK AGAIN. THIS IS A FLEET VEHICLE, AND AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION WE HAVE LEARNED THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST FIVE OTHER TRUCKS OF THIS DESIGN (2005 AND 2006 FORD 4X4 F-250) THAT HAVE EXHIBITED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT AN AFTERMARKET STEERING STABILIZER (THAT FORD WILL NEITHER SUPPLY OR STAND BEHIND) WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT WE DON'T BELIEVE IT. IT MIGHT REDUCE THE SYMPTOMS, BUT WE ARE CONVINCED THE PROBLEM IS DESIGN RELATED. THE FRONT END DESIGN ON THESE TRUCKS WAS CHANGED IN LATE 2004, AND THE OSCILLATION PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO A LACK OF LATERAL (BY THAT I MEAN SIDE TO SIDE) STIFFNESS IN THE SUSPENSION. *NM