2015 FORD F-350 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera displays a blue screen or a blank screen while in reverse. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000(Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was notified of the failure and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to repair the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and gave the contact the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-350. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black image while in reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where two modules were replaced, and the new modules were reprogrammed at the contact's expense; however, the failure reoccurred approximately two months later. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V270000 (Back Over Prevention), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall repair was completed. The contact requested reimbursement from the manufacturer and sent supporting documents; however, the manufacturer denied reimbursement because the vehicle was previously repaired due to a rearview camera black image while the recall pertained to a blank image. The failure mileage was approximately 35,576.

Odometer Fraud. The contact's spouse recently sold a 2015 Ford F-350; however, the spouse still had the vehicle in possession. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after viewing the post online. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the sale, the mileage was 650,000. Upon checking Facebook Marketplace, the mileage was 120,000.

What component or system failed? The Steering and Suspension system failed. Specifically, the front axle hubs, track bar, and U-joints failed, causing a violent loss of steering control known as "Death Wobble." These components are currently available for inspection; however, they were diagnosed as "FAILED" and requiring immediate replacement to make the vehicle safe to drive. How was safety put at risk? The failure caused violent, uncontrollable shaking of the steering wheel and front end at highway speeds. This resulted in a near-total loss of directional control, putting the driver and surrounding traffic at immediate risk of a collision. The defect made the vehicle impossible to steer safely above 45 MPH. Has the problem been confirmed? Yes. The failure was reproduced and confirmed by an independent certified service center, AutoNation Ford Gulf Freeway. Their inspection explicitly diagnosed the front axle hubs, track bar, and U-joints as "FAILED" and unsafe. The repair estimate to correct these safety defects totaled $6,128.09. Has the vehicle been inspected? Yes. It was inspected by AutoNation Ford Gulf Freeway (a certified Ford dealership) immediately following the incident. Were there warning symptoms? The symptoms (violent wobble) appeared immediately after purchasing the vehicle. During the pre-purchase test drive, the selling dealer's agent physically manipulated the steering wheel ("pulled the wheel") to prevent the wobble from occurring, concealing the pre-existing safety defect. The failure manifested fully as soon as the vehicle was driven at highway speeds without the agent's interference. Summary: The vehicle was sold with critical safety components (hubs, track bar) in a "FAILED" state. The selling dealer (AutoNation Ford Corpus Christi) concealed this known safety hazard. The vehicle is currently a roadway hazard until the $6,100+ repairs are completed.

What component or system failed? The Steering and Suspension system failed. Specifically, the front axle hubs, track bar, and U-joints failed, causing a violent loss of steering control known as "Death Wobble." These components are currently available for inspection; however, they were diagnosed as "FAILED" and requiring immediate replacement to make the vehicle safe to drive. How was safety put at risk? The failure caused violent, uncontrollable shaking of the steering wheel and front end at highway speeds. This resulted in a near-total loss of directional control, putting the driver and surrounding traffic at immediate risk of a collision. The defect made the vehicle impossible to steer safely above 45 MPH. Has the problem been confirmed? Yes. The failure was reproduced and confirmed by an independent certified service center, AutoNation Ford Gulf Freeway. Their inspection explicitly diagnosed the front axle hubs, track bar, and U-joints as "FAILED" and unsafe. The repair estimate to correct these safety defects totaled $6,128.09. Has the vehicle been inspected? Yes. It was inspected by AutoNation Ford Gulf Freeway (a certified Ford dealership) immediately following the incident. Were there warning symptoms? The symptoms (violent wobble) appeared immediately after purchasing the vehicle. During the pre-purchase test drive, the selling dealer's agent physically manipulated the steering wheel ("pulled the wheel") to prevent the wobble from occurring, concealing the pre-existing safety defect. The failure manifested fully as soon as the vehicle was driven at highway speeds without the agent's interference. Summary: The vehicle was sold with critical safety components (hubs, track bar) in a "FAILED" state. The selling dealer (AutoNation Ford Corpus Christi) concealed this known safety hazard. The vehicle is currently a roadway hazard until the $6,100+ repairs are completed.