NHTSA Complaint #11182350 — 2017 FORD F-250 SD

WE OWN A 2017 FORD F-250 DIESEL CREW CAB 4X4, UNMODIFIED, WITH 15,094 MILES. ON A TRIP TO FRESNO CA FROM YUMA AZ, AND BACK AGAIN FEBRUARY 22ND AND 23RD 2019, I EXPERIENCE A QUICKLY ESCALATING SEVERE STEERING OSCILLATION NINE SEPARATE TIMES THAT REQUIRED ME TO DANGEROUSLY SLOW DOWN FROM THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, AND MOST TIMES, TO DRIVE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE SHOULDER. MY TIRE PRESSURES WERE AS RECOMMENDED AND VERIFIED BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP, AS WERE THEIR RECENT BALANCE, TOE, CAMBER, AND ALIGNMENT. I FIRST ENCOUNTERED THIS LIFE THREATENING DEFECT WHEN THE F-250 VIN# [XXX] HAD JUST UNDER 9,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS ADVISED BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE PERSONNEL TO CHECK MY TIRE PRESSURE, AND BALANCE. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED I HAVE THEM ADJUST MY ?TOE? IN SLIGHTLY MORE THAN NORMALLY RECOMMENDED. THIS THEY SAID WOULD CAUSE MY TIRES TO WEAR SLIGHTLY FASTER, BUT WOULD COMBAT THE ?WOBBLE? THAT SOMETIMES PLAGUES THEIR UNITS. I FOUND THAT ONCE THE TRUCK HAD AT LEAST ONE SIDE OFF THE FIRM CONTACT OF THE PAVED, OR CEMENT ROADWAY, AND ON THE LOOSE GRAVEL, OR DIRT, THAT QUICKLY ELIMINATED THE OSCILLATION. THE PROBLEM IS THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IS NOT ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE WHEN THIS ATTACK HAPPENS BECAUSE OF OTHER VEHICLES, OR THERE JUST IS NO ROAD SHOULDER AT ALL. ONCE THE VIBRATION STARTS WHICH IS ALWAYS INITIATED BY ENCOUNTERING A JOLTING BLEMISH FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A FEW OTHER IMPERFECTIONS. LIKE A ROAD JOINT, CRACKS, REPAIR PATCH FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY OTHER IMPERFECTIONS LIKE REPETITIVE CRACKS OR POT HOLES. IT CAUSES THE TWO FRONT TIRES TO COUNTER ACT EACH OTHER IN AN ESCALATING SEVERE OSCILLATION. THIS HAPPENS, AND WILL REACH ITS CRESCENDOS WITHIN A QUICK COUPLE OF SECONDS. AKIN TO A SURPRISE SUCKER PUNCH THIS MAKES THE WHOLE TRUCK VIOLENTLY SHAKE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES AN OUT OF CONTROL BACK AND FORTH SHUDDERING COMBATANT. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR