NHTSA Complaint #11265328 — 2017 FORD F-250

WHILE TRAVELING IN THE #3 LANE AT 57 MPH AT 6:10 P.M. ON INTERSTATE 80 IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA; AS I DROVE OVER A ROUGH PATCH OF ROADWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE/OSCILLATE VIOLENTLY AS WAS THE ENTIRE TRUCK, WHICH HAD VERY LITTLE CONTROL OF THE STEERING AT THAT POINT. I DECELERATED THE TRUCK WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES AS I THOUGHT THAT WOULD SEND ME INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SPIN, POSSIBLY CAUSING A CRASH OR WORSE. LUCKILY, DRIVERS AROUND ME REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND GAVE ME AS MUCH SPACE AS THEY COULD SO THAT I COULD REGAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. ONCE I SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE SHAKING WAS NOT AS INTENSE AND I BEGAN TO CAREFULLY BRAKE ALL THE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. I STOPPED THE TRUCK ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY. SINCE MY FORD DEALER WAS CLOSED AT THAT TIME; I DROVE THE TRUCK ON SURFACE STREETS BACK HOME AND CONTACTED MY DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE TRUCK OVER A TWO DAY PERIOD AND SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR FIND ANYTHING AMISS WITH THE TRUCK. A DAY PRIOR, THE SERVICE ADVISOR ASKED ME IF THE "DEATH WOBBLE" STARTED BEFORE OR AFTER I HAD THE TRUCK SERVICED. I TOLD HIM I HAD THE TRUCK SERVICED ON SATURDAY AND THE "DEATH WOBBLE" STARTED ON THURSDAY, SO IT WAS AFTER. THE NEXT DAY ON HIS RETURN CALL TO ME HE INDICATED THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING AMISS WITH THE TRUCK OTHER THAN THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NOT CORRECT, FOR WHICH THEY ADJUSTED TO "PROPER" INFLATION. BELOW IS THE SYNOPSIS OF THE REPAIR AS IT IS WRITTEN ON MY INVOICE: 24748 PERFORM TEST DROVE STEERING WOBBLE DO NOT DUPLICATED AT THIS TIME PERFORM PUT VEHICLE ON RACK AND INSPECTON FRONT END CHECK ALIGNMENT OK PASS CHECK AIR TIRES PRESSURE FOUND FRONT TIRES AT 70 PSI REAR 60 PSI PERFORM ADJUSTMENT TO SPECS FRONT 60 PSI REAR 65 PSI RECOMMEND RETURN VEHICLE TO CUSTOMER AT THIS TIME CHECK ON FUTURE CONCERNS