We were on vacation driving from [XXX] to [XXX] and experienced the Death Wobble. I though we were going to die. We stopped in [XXX] and took to a dealership there and they replaced the track ball joint for $757.59. We left there and 25 miles down the road it happened again. Went to [XXX] and they kept the truck and we had to rent a truck to continue our vacation. We rent back on our way back to [XXX] and they had replaced the steering stabilizer shock for $733.53 but we were afraid to drive home so we paid for it to be transported back to [XXX]. We had to pay $1414.00 to have it transported back but at least we made it back safe. Experiencing this death wobble 11 times as a passenger has given me PTSD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Ford F-250 SD ball joint problems
159 of the 6,554 owner complaints about the Ford F-250 SD describe ball joint or control arm failure, most of them for the 2019 model year.
- owner complaints
- 159
- worst model year
- 2019
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,156
- typical mileage
- 47,181
By model year
Often reported together
Power steering loss 8Pulling 3Knocking 3Steering lock-up 2Shudder 2Premature wear 2Harsh shifting 2Stalling 1
What owners say
While driving at speeds above 30mph truck will have the death wobble. We will lose complete control in direction of steering. Have to try to stop and then turn the wheel right and left before the truck will regain normal travel. Is a huge safety issue and has almost caused us to wreck. Has happened multiple times and we have been unable to determine what has caused the issue. We have had the steering column recall fixed and have even changed the tie rod ends with no change.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 - 65 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the vehicle experienced the death wobble, causing the vehicle to independently shift into either the left or right lane. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the result was unknown. The contact was informed that a steering dampener could be added to the control arms. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 185,000.
Only had my truck for 6 months, my suspension is worn out causing a known issue known as death wobble. I was driving at 65mph with my family and extreme shaking occurred. Yes by a Ford dealership. Yes the truck and the area was inspected and confirmed to needing replaced parts. No warning lamps/lights appeared due to it being mechanical, I went to another shop after i already took it in to Ford, and they told me a missing component that may be the leading issue of it was deleted never there to begin with when i bought the vehicle at the ford dealership. •Truck details (2019 F-250 XLT 4x4, 88k miles) •Death wobble at highway speeds •Firestone confirmed factory stabilizer was deleted •DEF system not working •Worn tie rods, drag link •Low oil at purchase (indicating no inspection) •Dealer is refusing to help •Ford Corporate says there’s no active program — but i know TSB 19-2274 and CSP 20N04 exist
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH over a bumpy road surface, the front end of the vehicle and the steering wheel started shuddering violently, causing the vehicle to veer to the right into the slow lane independently. The contact swerved and was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact resumed driving at a slower speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering damper had failed, and the tie rods and ball joints were damaged due to the shuddering. The dealer informed the contact that Ford Campaign Number: 20N04 only covered the steering linkage damper replacement. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 11,137.
Failure of the track bar bushings, failure of tie rod ends and failure of steering linkage dampers. This results in “death wobble” while driving at random speeds and contacting abnormal road surfaces. This results in the vehicle violently shaking and can lead to serious injury or death.
After receiving a repair for the failure of track bar bushing, steering linkage dampers and tie rod ends from the ford dealership, death wobble continues in my vehicle. This results in an almost $2000 fix. The vehicle violently shakes and could lead to serious injury or death.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds over bumps in the roadway, the vehicle experienced a "death wobble". The failure caused the front of the vehicle to shake uncontrollably, causing the contact to temporarily lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions where the front steering damper and tie rods were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and automatically transferred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle violently shook while driving over a bump on the roadway. The contact slowed down, pulled over, and turned off and restarted the vehicle several times and was able to drive the vehicle; however, the failure recurred while driving over bumps on the roadway. The vehicle was taken to three different independent mechanics and the contact was informed that an alignment, shocks, ball joints, and the traction bar needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and verified that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The contact researched online and discovered that the failure was related to a steering linkage damper. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had previously issued a Customer Service Program for the failure however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 249,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle experienced the death wobble, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle once the vehicle had slowed down. The contact stated that the violent shaking also ceased after slowing down. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the tie rods and all four tires were replaced; however, the failure returned approximately 30,000 miles later. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Ford F-250 SD ball joint
Which Ford F-250 SD years have ball joint or control arm failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2019 (22 complaints), 2017 (21 complaints) and 2015 (20 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix ball joint or control arm failure on the Ford F-250 SD?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,156 (median of 18 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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