NHTSA Complaint #10188890 — 2005 FORD F-250 SD

SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2005 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY PICKUP I EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING, WHEN TRAVELING OVER 55 MPH, AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. WHEN I BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE AND MENTIONED THIS EPISODE. THE SERVICE MANAGER ACTED AS THOUGH IT WERE AN ANOMALY, MAYBE THE ROAD CONDITIONS OR SOMETHING ELSE. THIS DIDN'T SEEM TO BE THE TRUTH, SINCE IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER, HE SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON AMONGST THESES LARGE PICKUP TRUCKS, AND JUST TAP THE BRAKES UNTIL THE VIBRATIONS SUBSIDE, IT SHOULDN'T LAST LONG. YESTERDAY I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 60 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN I WENT OVER A SEWER GRATE IN THE LEFT LANE. THE VIBRATION BECAME SO VIOLENT THAT I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING AT ALL. I NARROWLY AVOIDED A COLLISION WITH A FUEL TRUCK AND SEVERAL OTHER CARS ON MY WAY OFF THE ROAD AND INTO WOODS CAUSING MULTIPLE TIRE DAMAGE, AND SUFFERING DENTS AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. I THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT, INCLUDING ME. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AWAY AFTER CHANGING THE TIRES AND CLEANING UP THE MESS FROM MY PERSONAL PROPERTY BEING TOSSED AROUND THE CABIN. NOT ONLY DID I LOOSE STEERING BUT, I WAS SURPRISED THAT SUCH A VIOLENT EPISODE DID NOT DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. I RETURNED TODAY TO THE DEALER WITH MY TRUCK. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD BEEN REPLACED,WITH A NEW ONE. WHEN I INFORMED HIM OF THE SITUATION HE CHECKED THE COMPUTER FOR MY RECORDS AND MAGICALLY HE WAS ABLE TO FIND EVERY OTHER RECORD OF SERVICE AND REPAIRS, EXCEPT THE STEERING COMPLAINTS. TOMORROW, THE 26TH, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WHERE I HOPE TO HAVE THIS CORRECTED. ALTHOUGH THIS SERVICE MANAGER SAYS HE HASN'T HEARD OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRUCKS. I WAS SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON DIFFERENT SITES, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT MADE REFERENCE TO YOUR SITE. THROUGH INSURANCE, I HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME TYPE OF LIABILITY TO THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *JB