NHTSA Complaint #10483423 — 2005 FORD F SUPER DUTY

TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70 MPH ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WHEN CROSSING TRANSITION ON INTERSTATE BRIDGE FRONT END OF TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY; STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL. BROUGHT VEHICLE SAFELY TO A STOP, MOVED INTO EMERGENCY LANE, CHECKED ALL TIRES, NO APPARENT PROBLEM. RETURNED TO DRIVING LANE AND IN LESS THAN 1 MILE UPON HITTING ANOTHER BUMP IN THE ROADWAY TRUCK AGAIN BEGIN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY*. AGAIN, DRIVER HAD VIRTUALLY NO CONTROL OVER STEERING UNTIL VEHICLE HAD SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, AT WHICH TIME DRIVER ELECTED TO RETURN HOME RATHER THAN CONTINUE TRIP. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. DEALER STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE 'DEATH WOBBLE' HOWEVER THEY HAD NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. DEALER EXAMINED TRUCK AND DETERMINED THAT THE BALL JOINTS, DAMPERS, AND AXLE SE SHOULD BE REPLACED. HE DID NOT INDICATE THE PARTS WERE WORN, AND SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAVE NOT DRIVEN VEHICLE OVER 50 MPH SINCE RECEIVING IT AFTER REPAIRS, SO DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS ACTUALLY REPAIRED. *THE SHAKING IS SO VIOLENT THAT EVERYTHING LOOSE IN THE TRUCK IS THROWN ABOUT. THIS WAS NOT A TIRE PRESSURE ISSUE! TIRES PRESSURE WAS CHECKED AND ALL 4 TIRES WERE WELL WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TOLERANCES. *TR