NHTSA Complaint #10266509 — 2006 FORD F-250 SD

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2006 FORD F250 PICKUP. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2006. AT APPROXIMATELY THE 30,000 MILE MARK THE TRUCK STARTED TO EXPERIENCE A SEVERE SHIMMY AFTER DRIVING OVER A BUMP. THIS WOULD OCCUR RATHER RANDOMLY AND APPARENTLY UNDER ONLY THE PERFECT "BUMP OSCILLATION." ONCE THE SHIMMY STARTED THE IT WOULD GET WORSE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS NEARLY STOPPED. VERY DANGEROUS AND UNNERVING. SINCE IT WAS RANDOM AND INTERMITTENT AND I WAS VERY BUSY I PUT OFF TAKING THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER UNTIL SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES HAD PASSED AND THE SHIMMY EPISODES GREW MORE FREQUENT. AS A FORMER MECHANIC (CURRENT OCCUPATION IS ENGINEER), I STAYED ON TOP OF MAINTENANCE AND TIRE PRESSURES. AT APPROXIMATELY 37,000 MILES I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT FOR EVALUATION AND REPAIR OF THE SHIMMY. EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS BARELY OUT OF WARRANTY THE DEALER CHARGED ME APPROXIMATELY $1000 TO FIX IT. THE REPAIRS APPEARED TO CORRECT THE SHIMMY AS IT HAS NO DONE SO IN THE 10,000 MILES SINCE THE REPAIRS. ON 4-22-09 I RECEIVE A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY STATING THAT FOMOCO AND NHTSA ARE STUDYING THIS CONDITION. SINCE I HAD A DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THE SITUATION AND HAVE VALUABLE INSIGHT TO HOW VEHICLE OPERATE I THOUGHT I WOULD PASS ALONG MY EXPERIENCE. FORD DID NOT CARE TO HEAR ABOUT IT AS THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT ME ASKING FOR MY REPAIR MONEY TO BE RETURNED. SO NOW I AM CONTACTING YOUR AGENCY. IT IS VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THIS IS NOT A TIRE INFLATION OR A SUSPENSION MODIFICATION CAUSED ISSUE AS THE LETTER ELUDED TO SINCE MY TRUCK HAS ZERO MODIFICATIONS, WAS ON THE ORIGINAL TIRES WHEN IT SHIMMIED, WAS REPAIRED AND CEASED SHIMMYING ON THE ORIGINAL TIRES, AND HAS SUBSEQUENTLY HAD 4 NEW TIRES INSTALLED AND DOES NOT SHIMMY. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION GEOMETRY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH MORE THAN A LETTER OF NOTIFICATION TO CHECK INFLATION PRESSURE. PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR