10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
62,136 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2006 Ford F-350:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #27

Nov 152006

F-350

  • 2,500 miles
This vehicle since new has had numerous incidents with a severe uncontrollable shimmy in front end and steering wheel.I have had it to the dealer numerous times and they tell me there is nothing wrong with it. Ford has sent a few notifications stating that they are aware of the problem, but that it is just caused from improper inflation.I have set the tires to manufacturers recommended psi weekly, and doesn't make a bit of difference.Ford is closing their eyes on this one, and it is going to cost lives!!!.when this occurs you have absolutely no control of the vehicle.another problem with this vehicle is the engine is junk. My vehicle has 43000 miles currently, and has had the motor taken out of it twice already for repairs!!!,and has been to dealer at least 6 or 7 times.I own a small tree care company and really cant afford a $45000 mistake to a multi billion dollar company.

- Woodstock, IL, USA

problem #26

Dec 032011

F-350 4WD 8-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,500 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-350. The contact stated that he drove over a road bump at 30 mph and the vehicle began to vibrate uncontrollably. The contact was unable to control the vehicle as it steered into the oncoming lane of traffic. The contact released the accelerator pedal and regained control as the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 60,500. Updated 1/20/12 updated 02/01/12

- Bow, NH, USA

problem #25

Mar 052011

F-350 8-cyl

  • 57,000 miles
2006 F-350 lariat Super Duty- in March while driving on I-70 I hit a bump in the road at 65mph and the front end and steering wheel shook violently and I was immediately thrown into the passing lane. I took the truck to summit Ford in silverthorne, co where they called my description the "death wobble" and they replaced the track bar, ball joint and steering dampener. I felt fortunate that no traffic was near me and I survived the uncontrollable event! now with the $600 "repair" expense I left the service center satisfied that I would be safe on the road. Two weeks ago while on a trip, the same "death wobble" happened again and I was out of control and in the other lane again, thankfully no traffic was beside me or oncoming which would have caused an accident. So now I have lost all confidence in the safety of my truck and drove conservatively to get home avoiding all bumps and slowing dramatically when approaching any imperfect road surfaces. Even with my new cautious approach to driving the "death wobble" happened again at only 50mph. I have since discovered numerous complaints and you-tube videos of others with the same problem as well as complaints on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website. I have found 2 documents issued by Ford Motor Company regarding this problem, a technical service bulletin 04-26-1, and a letter dated April 2009 (literature program 09L02) addressed to [xxx] regarding "shimmy, a severe vibration and oscillation in the steering wheel...........". I am running the truck at the label specified tire pressure and there are no suspension modifications. I am considering replacing the F-350 with another vehicle that I can be assured of not having this problem. My question to Ford is, what am I supposed to do now? [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Newbury, NH, USA

problem #24

Jul 142011

F-350

  • 126,000 miles
2006 Ford F350 experience extremely violent shaking when driving 45 plus mph and hit any type bump. Shaking is so violent steering is not capable and braking only makes shaking worse. I've contacted dealer and they said they replaced a bushing but problem persisted. They have not corrected the problem. Vehicle is basically out of control when this happens. Last date of occurrence is July 14,2011 and this problem has persisted since truck was purchased new from dealer. Truck has no lift and is stock model. Please help!

- Port Orange, FL, USA

problem #23

May 232011

F-350

  • 134,800 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph the vehicle began to shake violently on the front end. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor was it repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 134,800.

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #22

Apr 022011

F-350 4WD 8-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
Ford F350 death shake has happened multiple times truck hits bump or pot hole regardless of speed (but shake is worse over 40 mph)and starts a very dangerous shake that gets worse until the whole truck is out of control. Braking hard to stop will stop it but accident seems to be around the corner. I have taken to dealer and tire shop they say nothing wrong.

- Lebanon, OR, USA

problem #21

Feb 022010

F-350

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-350. The contact stated that the steering wheel shook while driving at any speed. The shaking would worsen when driving over bumps and around turns. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 103,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #20

Oct 202010

F-350

  • 35,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-350 heavy duty. The contact stated that there were four bolts attached to the engine that controlled brakes and steering. While driving at approximately 5 mph, he attempted to brake and was unable to slow down; he was also unable to steer. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the four bolts broke and caused the failure. The four bolts were replaced at the dealership. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The VIN was unavailable. The current mileage was approximately 36,000. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

- Danbury, CT, USA

problem #19

Sep 282010

F-350

  • 52,000 miles
I have an '06 F-350. At 55mph+, hitting a bump will almost cause the truck to self destruct. The steering wheel shakes violently. Ford seems to not be able to fix the issue. Please force a recall before people are killed.

- Camden, NJ, USA

problem #18

Jun 102010

F-350

  • 40,000 miles
I have a 2006 Ford F350 Super Duty truck I purchased new and after 40,000 miles I notices once the front end shook so bad I almost crashed. I thought it was the road but a month later it happened again. I took it to the Ford dealer and they said they could do an alignment and also replace the steering stabilizer. After about $600 it happened 2 more times. It is such a bad shake when your going about 60-65 you could result in a serious accident. Something needs to be done.

- Riverside, CA, USA

problem #17

Jun 152010

F-350

  • 33,000 miles
I own a 2006 Ford F 350 superduty 1 ton pickup with approximately 40,000 miles. I have experienced what is called "death wobble" when hitting a bump, crossing railroad tracks or going over a rough road. The steering wheel will shake violently at speeds from 30-60+ causing a potential loss of control. Ford has sent out a memo stating that "you need to check your tire pressure". I have read hundreds of similar complaints on the internet dating back several years into the 1990's. Ford refuses to do anything about it and from what I have read on the internet, trying to find a fix for the problem, many have had really bad safety issues including accidents involving women drivers with children as passengers.

- Panama City Beach, FL, USA

problem #16

Jun 152010

F-350

  • 33,000 miles
This is in reference to ODI #10336687 filed on 6/16, 2010 concerning "wheel shimmy" on Ford F 350 trucks. After reading "defect investigations" concerning this topic, the NHTSA summary was that it seemed that the problem was caused by underinflated tires. It appears that the NHTSA and Ford, just like bp oil and the mineral department are greasing each others palms. For a safety arm of the govt. To say that this is a tire pressure problem is bull! please check out www.topix.com/forum/autos/Ford-F-350-super-duty and read hundreds of posts with the same problem. What is it going to take, another oil spill like bp has created, crashes with deaths like Toyota is responsible for? I can see that it is useless to report this.

- Panama City Beach, FL, USA

problem #15

Feb 252009

F-350

  • 76,000 miles
At 200am today my horn on my 2006 F 350 started blowing. By the time I realized what was going on the wires had started to smoke under the hood. I had to disconnect both batteries in order for the horn to stop. This is the first time this is has happened to this truck. No other problems to report at this time. I will be having it towed to a dealer today

- Poplarville, MS, USA

problem #14

Nov 012009

F-350

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F350 purchased October 2005. While driving at speeds less than 45 mph and towing a 30 foot trailer in light snow, the steering wheel suddenly turned to the right. He attempted to turn the steering wheel back to the straight position, but it turned in a full 365 degree turn without interference of the driver. He attempted to adjust the wheel however the tires would not respond. The driver then crashed into the median and was turned approximately 180 degrees. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they stated they have seen this type of failure on his year, make and model numerous times. They also found that the steering box in the vehicle was manufactured with the steering box designed for the F450 model as opposed to the F350 model. The highway patrol arrived to the scene shortly after and a report was filed. The failure mileage was 30,000. The current was 31,000.

- Freeland , WA, USA

problem #13

Nov 302009

F-350

  • 30,000 miles
2006 Ford F350 superduty diesel driving on the fwy making a curve about 55mph the front end starts to hop violently and bouncing. Almost lost control due to other cars on the road. I had to apply my brakes on the fwy in a very unsafe manner and location causing car behind me to veer off in many directions as I came to a halt. This loss of control happened about a dozen times now in the last 2years with always the same situation fwy speeds and any type of bump in the road surface. Happened on uphill curves as well as flat or down hill curves. A lesser of driver may fail to make proper adjustments which I sure will lead to a crash or worse a death.

- Honolulu, HI, USA

problem #12

Feb 172007

F-350 8-cyl Diesel

  • 24,200 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F350. While driving between 40 to 60 mph and when hitting bumps on the road the front end of the vehicle along with the steering column shimmies. Around may she received a notice about vehicle vibration. The dealer was contacted and a technician concluded that 4- wheel alignment was needed as well as a steering dampner. Updated. The failure mileage was 24200. The current mileage was 42500. Updated 11/04/09. Updated 11/05/09

- Ramona, CA, USA

problem #11

Jun 012008

F-350

  • 10,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F350 crew cab 4X4 which was purchased in 2005. While driving approximately 25 mph, the contact lost steering control when the steering wheel began shaking excessively. The manufacturer stated that they were aware of the failure. The manufacturer also confirmed that there were no related recalls; however, there were technical service bulletins. The front end of the vehicle was replaced as well as previous repairs were performed to correct the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000 and the current mileage was 29,000.

- Morganhill, CA, USA

problem #10

May 142009

F-350

  • 54,200 miles
Excessive front end shimmy on occasion with my Ford F350 4X4. I have received a letter from Ford discussing this issue. The first time the problem occurred, my tire pressure was low and subsequently maintaining proper tire pressure seemed to prevent the problem for a while. However, recently I hit some bumps while traveling on the highway at a speed of approximately 65 mph and the front end began to shimmy very violently. I knew to hit the brakes to regain control of the steering, but I had to stay on my brakes until I slowed to approximately 40 mph before I could regain control of the steering wheel. I called a local Ford service center, but they said they would "only be guessing" at the proper way to fix the problem. I then called Ford customer service to discuss the issue, as I am nervous about riding on the highway with the vehicle. They suggested that I call several service centers until I find one that has experience with trying to fix this particular problem. I have done that and I have made an appointment for service tomorrow. The reason for my writing this complaint is that the last occurring was so severe, that I was afraid of causing an accident due to the quick deceleration I was forced into in order to regain steering control of the vehicle.

- Tewksbury, MA, USA

problem #9

May 152009

F-350

  • 16,000 miles
The Ford F-350 truck I bought is defective, as evidenced by the 7 power steering and brake repairs required in the past 3 years, along with the electrical system and ring and pinion repair. I have contacted Ford 24 times, I have filed a complaint with the mn better business bureau and the mn attorney general's office. I believe the truck was manufactured in a faulty manner, and I am afraid the truck may be dangerous to drive. I need your help in obtaining credit towards a new truck or a new truck due to the unacceptable number and type of repairs required.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

problem #8

Apr 152009

F-350

  • miles
I own a Ford F350 dually Super Duty truck. Ford sent a letter stating that some drivers have experienced a severe steering wheel vibration. They said it isn't a recall, just a notice. We have had trouble w/this truck doing this prior to the letter. It's documented at brad howell Ford in greentown in. After receiving the letter we again went to bhf. We called Ford motor and told them, they said put stabilizers on it at our cost. We did. Plus new front shocks. The problem is still there. It is extremely dangerous when the vibration happens. We have to come to a complete stop sometimes. And we pull trailers behind the truck frequently. Needless to say, we have not been given any cause or solution to the problem. Ford motor took our information, passed it on to bhf, and they inturn said we were responsible for putting the steering stabilizers on. And that's pretty much it. We have to drive the truck to tn in 3 weeks, pulling a trailer. If this vibration occurs while on the interstate we pray an accident does not occur. I don't have another choice for vehicles. I feel that Ford knows there is a serious problem w/the steering, I've taken it to bhf for this particular issue prior to the letter, and still driving a truck that I consider unsafe, but my only option. Ford knows there is a problem, they should protect their consumers and find out the correct way to fix the problem.

- Marion, IN, USA

Read the next 7 complaints »