In some of the affected vehicles, customers may experience sustained steering wheel oscillation after hitting rough pavement or an expansion joint at speeds typically above 45 mph (72 Km/h).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2019 Ford F-250 steering problems
moderate 768 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
768
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
6crashes
5injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 768 steering complaints filed for the 2019 Ford F-250, 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.
How fast does it fail?
Cumulative share of the 11 mileage-bearing steering complaints filed against the 2019 Ford F-250 by each odometer reading. Median failure: 19,450 mi.
10% have failed by16,500 mi
Half the fleet by19,450 mi
90% have failed by63,000 mi
Curve based on owner-reported odometer mileage at the time of complaint. Reflects when owners filed, not when symptoms first appeared. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve.
What stands out
Of the 21 model years of Ford F-250 we track for steering problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 768.
Steering accounts for 67% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 11 categories tracked.
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.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 13 most recent
Driving 70 MPH on interstate i40, on a straight section of road, I crossed a bridge when the steering wheel began to violently rotate side to side shaking the truck (death wobble). The steering wheel bruised my right hand and stretched my elbow ligaments. Luckily the two tractor trailers beside me and the one behind me saw my 4 way lights and backed off. Showing down to 45 MPH ended this issue.…
UNKNOWN While driving at highway speed when a mild bump is hit in the road the front end starts to wobble violently first happened around 35000 miles and now is so bad the vehicle is not safe to driver at highway speed
I have started experiencing a vibration in the front end of my truck. After research and speaking with my local alignment center he informed me that this is common on the 2019 f250. He said this is part of the death wobble problem in the f250. Following the research and having right at 100k miles it's dishearting that Ford is ignoring a safety problem with this defect. It's happening at highway…
Driving at 79 MPH on interstate I-10 near casa grande arizona on 12/29/2019 went over a bridge expansion joint, on newer pavement since the expressway was redone this year, the truck experienced the "death wobble". Severe wheel bouncing and steering wheel vibrations. Had to rapidly reduce speed to under 60 MPH to regain control of the truck. This the second such occurance on different roads…
When hitting a rough patch or expansion joint on road going around 45 MPH or higher the truck starts vibrating really bad. This has happened multiple times, with the latest on 12/28/2019, 3 times on my 117 mile trip. Once so bad, that I was almost taken off of the interstate and going into the median. I have contacted the dealership and taken truck in soon to have fixed. Ford is aware of the…
On three occasion now while driving on the highway at a high rate of speed around 75-80 MPH the vehicle started shaking and I couldn't control the steering. Felt like I was loosing control of the vehicle and was thankful there was no other vehicle next to me because I would have surely been in an accident because of the violent vibration and loss of control of the steering and the drifting of…
When at speeds of 50 or more or when driving on a bumpy road we experience extensive steering wobble to the point that the truck is thrown into another lane.
Wheel began shaking violently while driving on highway at 70-75mph and would not cease until almost complete stop occurred on side of road. Violent shaking of vehicle without any warning or reason. Vehicle only has 50k miles. Almost caused collision with daughter in vehicle.
While driving on the highway at speeds greater than 60 my truck experienced the issue know as death wobble. After hitting an expansion joint the steering wheel will start to oscillate uncontrollably until the speed is reduced to below 40 MPH. You lose all control of the vehicle and are unable to steer. This has now happened 7 times starting around 15000 miles.
There is a severe oscillation of the steering system when hitting a bump in the road, bridge expansion joint, etc. This is knows as death wobble. The vehicle shakes violently and control is lost until there is a significant decrease in speed. Mine will do this oftentimes at 40-50mph and also at highway speeds. This is a very widespread issue. Ford has been putting "band aid" on things to get…
Had steering trouble with your 2019 Ford F-250?
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 2019 Ford F-250?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 768 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 424 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 13,000 and 28,000 miles, with the median around 20,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 13,000; a quarter make it past 28,000. 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/2019/Ford/F-250.
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.