At 20000 miles the truck started doing the death wobble. If I hit a bump on the highway at between 50 to 70 MPH the truck goes into a uncontrollable shake and loss of control. Very dangerous . Do not feel safe driving this vehicle.
2018 Ford F-350 suspension problems
severe 18 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $900 · see suspension across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
18
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$900
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 18 suspension complaints filed for the 2018 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
No new NHTSA suspension complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2018 F-350 trucks report violent, uncontrollable shaking of the front end and steering wheel triggered by minor road imperfections—bumps, dips, bridge joints, potholes—when driving at highway speeds between 50 and 75 mph. The shaking is severe enough that owners lose steering control and must either reduce speed drastically (to 20–25 mph) or pull completely off the road to regain control. The incident can last 10–30 seconds and creates life-threatening situations, with owners nearly colliding with other vehicles or drifting into adjacent lanes. Most troubling, the issue appears across multiple mileage points starting as early as 14,000 miles and continuing through 40,000 miles.
Dealers have replaced front suspension dampeners, drag links, and alignment bolts at costs of $250–$500 per repair visit, but owners report the problem recurring within days or weeks. One owner spent $250 on a repair, had the issue return, then was quoted $500 more for another attempt—with the truck still undrivable afterward. Ford has told at least one owner it's aware of the issue but has taken no visible action. One separate complaint involves a factory-installed gooseneck hitch that detached without warning while towing at highway speeds.
Same Ford F-350 suspension reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Death Wobble / Front-End Violent Shake
Uncontrollable violent shaking and vibration of the front end, steering wheel, and entire vehicle triggered by road imperfections (bumps, dips, bridge joints, pavement cracks, potholes). Occurs at highway speeds (50–75 mph) with no warning. Steering control is lost; owners report needing to reduce speed to 20–25 mph or pull completely off the road to regain control. Multiple owners report the issue returning days or weeks after dealer repairs.
When: Occurs between 14,000 and 40,000 miles. One instance noted at 20,000 miles; another at 14,000 miles; multiple reports around 35,000–36,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Violent shaking of steering wheel; Front-end vibration and instability; Uncontrollable vehicle shake lasting 10–30 seconds; Loss of steering control; Steering wheel rapidly moving left to right; Vehicle drifting into adjacent lanes; Vehicle difficult to control until speed reduced significantly
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers have attempted repairs including: replacement of front suspension dampeners, replacement of front suspension drag links, replacement of caster/alignment bolts (estimated 2.5 hours labor, several hundred dollars). Owners report repairs costing $250–$500 per visit. Issue recurs after repairs; one owner reports repair did not resolve the problem even after multiple dealer visits.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford has acknowledged awareness of the issue to at least one owner but stated no official recall or technical service bulletin mentioned. One owner received alignment work at different Ford dealerships but issue persisted.
Gooseneck Hitch Failure
Factory-installed gooseneck hitch detached without warning while hauling a trailer at highway speeds. Connection pins and aluminum components failed, causing trailer to separate from the vehicle and damage to both the rear of the truck and the trailer.
When: No mileage reported.
Symptoms owners cite: Trailer detached without warning; Failure of trailer connection pins; Failure of aluminum hitch connection
Repairs/costs cited: Owner's manual did not indicate towing capacity guidelines were exceeded. Vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; awaiting manufacturer response.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified; case awaiting response.
Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
I lost control of my F350 when I was at 50 MPH. It started to shake uncontrollably when I hit a bump in the road… I tried to break and it got worse.. so I took my foot off the gas, ended up of the side of the road. I called back to our mechanic and he said it was safe to drive under 40 MPH. (He looked up the problem and found all the related incidents with the f series trucks…) Since then the…
Had suspension trouble with your 2018 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 suspension problem on the 2018 Ford F-350?
It's a meaningful issue. 18 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $900.
At what mileage does the suspension typically fail?
Across the 14 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most suspension failures cluster between 18,523 and 39,000 miles, with the median around 34,900. A quarter of owners report trouble before 18,523; a quarter make it past 39,000. 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 $900 for suspension 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 suspension?
No active recalls currently cover suspension 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/2018/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.