On 3 occasions since I bought the pu new on july 24th, 2020 I experienced what the Ford dealer now calls death wobble. The first time happened on sept 2nd while driving down hill pulling my trailer at about 50mph. When I stepped on the brake the steering wheel and brake pedal started to shake violently. I had little control until my speed dropped. I took the pu to the dealer sept 16th. They said…
2020 Ford F-350 steering problems
severe 35 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
35
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
4crashes
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 35 steering complaints filed for the 2020 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
Owners have filed 35 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.
Steering accounts for 19% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 9 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe two primary steering catastrophes: violent oscillation and structural failure.
"Death wobble"—rapid, uncontrolled steering wheel shaking triggered by road bumps or curves at 45–75 mph—appears most common. The wheel shakes so hard owners cannot control it; the truck drifts across lanes. The wobble only stops when the vehicle slows to 20–30 mph or brakes hard. Some owners report multiple episodes; one experienced 12 incidents over 2,500 miles. At least one episode occurred at just 7,500 miles.
Steering column failures are more catastrophic: the upper shaft separates from the housing, rendering the wheel either loose and wobbling or completely inoperable with zero steering control—no warning, no gradual decline. One owner's shaft failed at 63 mph while towing a 5th-wheel trailer.
A third failure mode involves loss of power steering assist entirely, with one truck also losing motive power and failing to restart.
Early complaints (September–November 2020) saw dealer denials—"we can't find the problem unless our technician drives it." Later, Ford acknowledged the defect and issued recall 25V626000 in October 2025, authorizing upper shaft repair or replacement. However, parts are backordered into 2026 with no expedited timeline. Owners report being unable to drive their trucks safely for months; Ford denies covering full steering column replacement even when the upper shaft fix is insufficient.
Same Ford F-350 steering reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Death Wobble—Violent Front-End Oscillation
Uncontrolled, violent steering wheel and front-end vibration triggered by road bumps or rough pavement at highway speeds. Oscillation is rapid and jerky, steering becomes uncontrollable; vehicle drifts across lanes. Wobble persists until speed drops to 20–30 mph or vehicle brakes hard. Owners report multiple episodes; some dealers have attempted component replacement with recurring failure.
When: Highway speeds 45–75 mph, especially on curves or rough pavement; low as 55 mph in some cases; one case at 7,500 miles; others at 45,000–146,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel shakes violently left and right; Loss of steering control or inability to hold steering wheel; Vehicle drifts across lanes; Brake pedal shakes when applied; Oscillation stops only when speed drops below 20–40 mph or vehicle is braked hard
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers replaced front-end components (suspension/steering parts); some repairs unsuccessful and wobble recurred. One owner reported tightening of steering wheel followed by parts replacement after recurrence.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer initially could not replicate and refused repair in early complaints. Problem later acknowledged in recall 25V626000 (Steering). Some owners denied warranty coverage when outside warranty period despite new-model recalls being active.
Steering Column Upper Shaft Separation
Upper steering shaft detaches or separates from the steering column housing. Wheel becomes loose, may pull away from column, or shaft falls out entirely. Shaft separation renders steering inoperable with no prior warning. Some shafts separate mid-drive; others discovered on startup. Associated with NHTSA recall 25V626000.
When: 8,000–164,000 miles; one incident while towing at 63 mph; one at 5 mph startup; one at approximately 75,000 miles; another at 100,000 miles; another at 125,924 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel is loose or detaches from housing; Steering wheel moves independently up and down; Loss of all steering control; Steering wheel spins with no stop or resistance in either direction; Wheel pulls away from steering column or shaft falls out of lower column
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed steering shaft separation, U-joint replacement, or steering column repair/replacement needed. Recall 25V626000 authorizes repair/replacement of upper shaft, but full steering column replacement is not covered by recall. Parts delayed; in some cases not available until Q1 2026.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 25V626000 issued (described as addressing 'potential loss of steering control resulting in a crash or injury or death'). Repair limited to upper shaft repair or replacement; full column replacement denied as covered repair. Owners report parts backordered into 2026 with no timeframe acceleration. Manufacturer denied additional repair cost assistance when column replacement needed.
Loss of Power Steering
Power steering assist fails suddenly, making steering extremely heavy and difficult. Vehicle loses motive power and fails to restart. No prior warning.
When: One incident at approximately 164,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power steering assist; Vehicle loss of motive power and failure to restart; Steering becomes inoperable
Codes mentioned: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) failure codes, Engine Control Module (ECM) failure codes
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic diagnosed fuse box and wiring harness replacement needed. Vehicle awaiting repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer advised filing complaint with NHTSA Hotline. No direct assistance offered.
Steering Wheel Loose or Wobbly at Startup
Steering wheel is loose, wobbly, or has no resistance when vehicle starts. Feels like it will fall off or separate from the column. Recurs even after dealer tightening or part replacement.
When: At startup; 80,000 miles in one case; recurred after first repair in another
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel feels very loose; No resistance in steering wheel; Wheel feels like it will fall off; Excessive wobble in steering input; Lane Keeping Assistance failure (one case after repeated looseness)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer tightened steering wheel on first repair (temporary fix); parts were replaced on second service. One case required Lane Keeping Assistance reset after repairs.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty had expired in one case; dealer refused coverage despite issue persistence. One owner reported warranty expiration just before failure.
Steering Return-to-Center Impeded by Electric Power Steering
Electric power steering assist continues to 'assist' even when there is no crosswind or road crown, preventing the steering column from returning to center naturally. Steering wheel does not self-center after turns, requiring constant left-right input to maintain lane. Vehicle continues navigating turns after steering wheel is released.
When: During normal driving between 30–50 mph, particularly on curves
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel does not return to center after turns; Constant left and right steering input required to maintain lane; Vehicle continues to navigate turns after steering wheel is released; Driver fatigue from continuous correction input; Difficulty maintaining lane on slippery, icy, or rough road conditions
Repairs/costs cited: Owner reported issue to Ford; vehicle not equipped with lane-keeping or auto-steer system. No repair note provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford acknowledged the electric over hydraulic system is designed to assist during crosswind or heavy road crown, but confirmed it continues to assist even without those conditions present. No remedy offered.
Steering Column Electronic Faults and Warning Messages
Steering column or related steering electronics produce warning messages such as 'Pre-Collision Not Available' and 'Steer Assist Fault Service Required' on startup. Messages reset after vehicle is turned off but recur intermittently. One case also reports associated throttle creep and unintended tailgate opening.
When: Intermittent at startup; does not happen consistently
Symptoms owners cite: Pre-Collision Not Available warning; Steer Assist Fault Service Required warning; Warnings reset after vehicle shutdown but recur; Associated throttle creep (unintended throttle raise while driving) in one case; Unintended tailgate opening in one case
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted or completed. Issue ongoing.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented in narrative.
Synthesized from 35 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
This has occured multiple times. While driving on freeway at speeds between 65 and 75 MPH and hitting rough asphalt, the vehicle begins shaking violently, almost to the point of losing control. It will only stop if I slow down to under 40 mph or stopping altogether. This has been very frightening when it occurs in traffic on freeways. It seems to occur mainly when on a curve.
Repeated “death wobble” where the steering components oscillate rapidly left and right causing a lack of steering control. One repair attempted. Later occurrence and another repair. A third event, this time while pulling a 14,000 pound 5th wheel trailer. At about 63 mph the wobble started. I braked, the truck pulled left and I could not maintain my lane. An 18-wheeler behind me moved to the left…
Brought this truck on november 5,2020. It is a Ford f-350 super duty dually . On november 25,2020 the power steering went out couldn't steer truck then within a few mins. Lost the brakes on the truck. Had to hold brakes to floor to get truck stopped beside of road. Look like lost fluid from power steering . Was a good thing on a two lane road with little traffic. Was about to get on interstate…
While traveling to and from New Orleans from New Jersey I had 12 incidents of the Ford Death Wobble. The first time I was traveling at 70 mile per hour when I hit a bump in the road and the wobble started. I was able to slow to about 30 miles per hour and the wobble stopped. Over the 2500 miles traveled I experienced this wobble at speeds as slow as 55 miles per hour. I will be taking my vehicle…
Had steering trouble with your 2020 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 2020 Ford F-350?
It's a meaningful issue. 35 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 3,200 and 125,924 miles, with the median around 52,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 3,200; a quarter make it past 125,924. 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/2020/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.