In monitoring our technical service inquiries and technical service bulletins from Ford, there is the potential for moderate to severe steering wheel oscillation (wobble) to occur. After extensive testing and outside feedback, the following details have been established to correct or prevent steering wheel oscillation occurrences in lifted 05-16 Ford Super Duty 4wd pickups.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2011 Ford F-350 steering problems
moderate 16 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
When does it fail?
Of the 16 steering complaints filed for the 2011 Ford F-350, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Steering accounts for 32% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 4 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 12 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
FORD: WHEN MAKING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS, THERE IS A LACK OF STEERING ASSIST OR AN EXCESSIVE STEERING EFFORT INVOLVED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2011 F-350s describe a violent front-end wobble triggered at 45+ mph when hitting bumps, expansion joints, or rough road surface—some call it "death wobble." The steering wheel shakes so hard drivers struggle to hold it and must slow to near-stop speeds to regain control. One owner reported lateral movement of 12+ inches, and another experienced tread separation from front tires due to shaking intensity. The issue occurs across mileage ranges from 35,000 to 190,000+ miles.
Dealers and independent shops have replaced U-bolts, steering dampers, torque bars, front shocks, trac bars, bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, and performed multiple alignments and tire services—none permanently fixed the problem. Ford's official position: the wobble is normal and acceptable for unloaded vehicles, becoming safe only once the truck is loaded to 2+ tons. One owner also reports excessive steering wheel play with poor responsiveness, and another documents identical irregular tire wear on both fronts despite alignment and pressure management. Manufacturer warranty claims have been denied.
Same Ford F-350 steering reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2012 · 2013
Failure modes owners describe
Front-end wobble / death wobble
Violent shaking and oscillation of the front end and steering wheel triggered by highway speed and road irregularities (bumps, expansion joints, rough surfaces). The vehicle requires slowing significantly or stopping to regain control. Occurs at 45+ mph, often on curved or uphill sections. Multiple owners report the steering wheel shakes so hard they struggle to maintain grip.
When: Typically 25,000–190,000+ miles; some owners report issue as early as 35,000 miles or on brand new vehicles
Symptoms owners cite: Violent shaking of steering wheel and front end at highway speed; Triggered by bumps, expansion joints, rough road surfaces, or curved sections; Shaking subsides only when vehicle speed drops below 30 mph or comes to near-stop; Can cause 12+ inches of lateral steering input; Steering wheel oscillation that requires both hands to control; Tread separation from tires on two reported occasions due to shaking intensity
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers and independent mechanics have replaced: U-bolts, steering damper/shock absorber, torque bar, front shocks (2), trac bar, bushings, ball joints, steering components, tie rod ends, and performed tire rotation, tire balancing, tire pressure adjustments, and wheel alignments. None of these repairs have resolved the issue for the complainants.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford claims the wobble is normal. Ford stated the vehicle operates unsafely unloaded but becomes acceptable once loaded to capacity (2+ tons). No recalls issued. One dealer informed owner no recalls existed for the failure.
Irregular tire wear pattern
Both front tires exhibit identical irregular wear patterns despite proper tire pressure and rotation. Wheel alignment performed but did not correct the wear. Failure noted as early as 2,000 miles, persisting through 20,000 miles.
When: 2,000–20,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Identical irregular wear pattern on both front tires; Pattern persists despite tire rotation and pressure checks
Repairs/costs cited: Tires were aligned by dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer denied warranty claim (Claim #1512842141) and offered no assistance.
Excessive steering play / loose steering
Steering wheel exhibits excessive play and loose response, turning left to right and vice versa with significant slack. Occurs randomly and can happen at interstate speed. Causes front end shaking and makes the truck uncontrollable.
When: Timing not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive play in steering wheel (loose turning response); Steering wheel movement does not correlate properly with front wheel direction; Random occurrence at interstate speeds; Front end shaking due to loss of steering control
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced tie rod ends and brakes but did not resolve the issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated there is nothing wrong.
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
Was on freeway about 55 to 65 MPH and all of a sudden the truck went into what I would call a death wobble where it seemed to be shaking the truck to death. Once I pulled to the side of the road and stopped and started out again it was fine. 2 days later it did it again only this time I was just getting onto the freeway on the on ramp. It did it again. Did not seem to hit any bump or pothole just…
Vehicle wobbles/vibrates "death wobble" at high speed or when hitting a bump on freeway, only way to stop the wobble is to reduce vehicle speed to under 30 MPH, vehicle only has 35k miles, I have heard of many complaints about this issue occurring around 30k miles on fords, Dodge (a class-action lawsuit was started in 2014) & Jeep (congress has already requested a recall). I am asking that this…
While usually traveling at highway speeds and hitting small bumps such as expansion joints on bridges the truck will shake violently. It has done this with varying degrees, and most recently has gotten worse. The most extreme and recent episode was having to slow down to about 10 MPH on the interstate before it stopped, and in process nearly being hit from behind by a tractor trailer. This has…
When driving at highway speeds hit bump in road the steering shakes really bad and to gain control had to slow down to almost stop speed. *tr
I was driving the truck away from a traffic light. When the truck reached approximately 20 MPH. The engine shut down completely. I lost forward motion, steering control and braking power. I was able to wrestle the truck off the road and into a parking lot. This is a Ford truck powered by a 6.7 Ford diesel engine., the truck is generally used to tow a 13000 pound fifth wheel. If I had been towing…
2011 Ford f-350. Consumer writes in regards to severe steering wheel oscillation problems. *smd the consumer stated he must bring the vehicle to a complete stop, to get the vehicle to stop shaking. It has happened several times. On two occasions, the shaking was bad the tread separated from the tire. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, and nothing was done, except rotating the…
Truck goes into a death wobble when driving 60mph or faster. Usually happens when you go over a bridge, cattle guard or bump in the road. Cause the cehicle to shake uncontrollably and you have to come to almost a complete stop. I have had Ford work on it and nothing has cured the problem. This issue is going to cause serious accidents if not taken seriously.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Ford f350 sd. The contact stated that he noticed both front tires exhibited an irregular wear pattern in the exact same place. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who aligned the tires but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified and a claim was filed (claim number 1512842141) but it was denied by the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The failure…
Had steering trouble with your 2011 Ford F-350?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2011 Ford F-350?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 16 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 15 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 15,000 and 106,000 miles, with the median around 35,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 15,000; a quarter make it past 106,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Ford/F-350.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.