NHTSA Complaint #11073058 — 2008 FORD F-250

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.