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 ↗2015 Ford F-350 steering problems
moderate 67 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
67
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 67 steering complaints filed for the 2015 Ford F-350, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 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 9 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 67 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
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: CERTAIN 2013-2015 F-SUPER DUTY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 6.7L DIESEL ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS EXITING THE FORCED IDLE STRATEGY IN COLD TEMPS BELOW FREEZING.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2015 F-350 Super Duty pickups report a violent, recurring front-end shake triggered by road imperfections—bumps, potholes, bridge transitions, or pavement seams—at speeds above 50 MPH. The steering wheel oscillates rapidly and the truck bounces side-to-side, making steering nearly impossible. The wobble stops only when the vehicle is slowed to 25–45 MPH, often forcing dangerous emergency braking in traffic. Owners call it "Death Wobble."
The failure happens regardless of load, towing, or mileage—some trucks exhibit it early in ownership with under 50,000 miles; others develop it after 75,000+ miles. Multiple owners describe near-accidents, swerving into other lanes, and episodes severe enough that they've stopped driving the truck.
Dealers acknowledge widespread awareness of the problem and commonly refer to it by name, yet no recall exists. Owners report attempted fixes costing hundreds to thousands of dollars: steering stabilizers, track bars, tie rods, ball joints, drag links, shocks, wheel bearings, alignments, and axle hubs. Parts are replaced repeatedly, sometimes with temporary improvement, but the shake returns within days or weeks. One owner spent several thousand dollars over two years replacing nearly every front-end component without resolution. Fleet operators have added dual aftermarket dampers with reported success, though one owner's Ford OEM damper fix lasted only 2–3K miles. Many dealerships cannot reproduce the failure in the shop, halting diagnosis and repair.
Same Ford F-350 steering reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Death Wobble (Violent Front-End Shake)
Uncontrollable violent shaking and vibration of the front end and steering wheel triggered by road imperfections (bumps, potholes, bridge transitions, seams) at highway speeds. The steering wheel oscillates rapidly and the truck bounces side-to-side, making directional control extremely difficult or impossible. Stops only when vehicle is slowed to 25–45 MPH.
When: Typically occurs at speeds above 50 MPH; most common at 55–75 MPH. Often triggered immediately upon hitting uneven pavement; some owners report it develops after 37,000–120,000 miles, while others experience it early in ownership.
Symptoms owners cite: Violent shaking of steering wheel and front end; Rapid side-to-side oscillation of the truck; Loss of directional control or near-total loss of steering response; Difficulty holding vehicle in lane; Requires severe braking or significant deceleration to stop; Objects and loose items thrown around the cab; Can occur loaded or unloaded, towing or not towing
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report extensive part replacement attempts with mixed or no lasting results: steering stabilizer shocks, track bars, tie rods, ball joints, U-joints, front axle hubs, drag links, sway bar links, shocks, wheel bearings, caster bolts. Individual repair costs cited range from $670 to $6,128. Some temporary relief reported after part replacement, but problem typically recurs within days to weeks. Dealers often unable to reproduce the condition in the shop. Some fleet operators have added dual aftermarket steering dampers; one owner notes Ford OEM steering damper replacement lasted 2–3K miles before problem returned.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls identified in any narrative. Dealers acknowledge awareness of the issue (multiple owners report dealers calling it 'Death Wobble' and stating it's common on Super Duties). Ford dealership responses vary: some suggest aftermarket parts or maintenance items (tires, stabilizers) without resolving the issue; some cannot reproduce the failure; some decline warranty work on parts beyond the original repair window. No manufacturer-level acknowledgment or formal TSB mentioned in narratives. Manufacturer not notified in some cases; in others, no assistance offered.
Steering Lock-Up / Loss of Steering Return
Steering wheel sticks or locks when turning right or left, requiring excessive force to return to center. Failure to return creates dangerous loss of directional control. Occurs intermittently during normal turning maneuvers at low speeds in city driving.
When: Occurs during turns at city/stop-and-go speeds; no specific mileage window given in narratives.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel sticks or locks during turns; Feels like a flat tire when stuck; Requires muscling the wheel to opposite direction to regain control; Correcting the stuck direction creates over-correction in the opposite direction; Unpredictable onset and offset
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports Tri-State Ford rebuilt the front end at a cost of approximately $1,200 without resolving the problem. Issue recurred the day after repair. No lasting fix documented in narratives.
Electronic Power Steering Malfunction
Power steering system fails to return steering wheel to center after a turn is completed. Wheel must be manually repositioned. Malfunction intermittent; no warning lights. Functionality returns temporarily but issue recurs regularly.
When: One owner reported at 120,000 miles; no specific speed or condition trigger mentioned.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel does not return to center after turn; Requires manual correction; No warning lights illuminated; Intermittent but recurring
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; owner did not take to dealer or mechanic.
Synthesized from 67 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
A little over 2 years ago my truck started the death wobble. I didn't know at first what it was but after internet searches I quickly came across the so called "death wobble". I have taken it in to the dealer multiple times They have changed a few parts when taking it in, at my own expense, but never have fixed the problem. It is progressively getting worse and is very dangerous to drive.…
The truck has the death wooble. I thought we were going to wreck every time it happens. Going 30+ MPH hour and hit a bump the front wheels and sterring wheel wooble, vibrate uncontrollably.
This is not an isolated incident with our trucks, it's a nationwide problem that is very very dangerous. In a 10 mile ride it would happen 3-4x at 70 to 75mph hitting the slightest bump, the truck would violently shake. I would have to slow down to 20 MPH for it to stop. Very difficult on a highway, *bf
Every time I hit any sort of bump on the road (I.e the the lip on a highway overpass approach, or any standard road lip or bump) I lose complete control of my truck, it violently shakes and I have to come to a complete stop to get rid of it, which is dangerous when in traffic, I’ve owned the truck for a year and a half and have never been able to fix the problem, the local ford dealership I…
I just had new breaks and rotors, shocks and some small front end parts replaced. Alignment also completed. While driving south on I-17 down from sunset point at 75 mph the speed limit, I went over a small bump or hole on the road and the death wobble started and violently began to wobnble from passenger side to driver side, or jumping or boucing 6" to 12". items in the door storage and on the…
when i hit a bump or pot hole the truck front end goes out of control at speeds of about 50 to 70 mostly making it shimmy out of control.i have replaced most everything on the front end at my cost and it still does it.what is scary is that you dont know when it is going to happen.this truck is a 350 ford super duty ford with 92464 miles.i understand there is a Defect on the front end of these…
Was driving on highway on December 10, 2020 and when entered bridge doing approximately 70 mph experienced extremely violent frontend shaking (death wobble). Had to pull to shoulder of highway and stop to reduce it. This occurred again during same trip under similar conditions. Thought something on frontend had broken, but all seemed to be alright upon visual inspection. Plan to take into Ford…
I lost control of the vehicle on the highway due to a "Death Wobble" in the steering system. It threw me into the next lane and I was lucky to survive. This happened on an interstate highway at about 55 MPH. It included violent shaking in the steering after passing over a minor bump in the road and came without warning. Ford replaced the steering damper under warranty. I still get this…
Had steering trouble with your 2015 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 2015 Ford F-350?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 67 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 31 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 55,000 and 91,985 miles, with the median around 70,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 55,000; a quarter make it past 91,985. 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/2015/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.