Ford F-250 SD shudder problems

Filed Jul 23, 2026 · Transmission · TN

10r140 paired with 6.7 powerstroke in a 2020 f250 build date 11/19 at the Kentucky plant. My truck specs and build date and location is in the timeframe of the planetary gear recall, ford has also issued tsb’s about the cdf bushing that should have been a recall because it is a design flaw on every 2020-2022 model truck. It’s not fair that we should have to pay for a tsb bc we don’t have warranty left. My truck has 84,000 miles but is out of the 5 years warranty period. Symptoms I am having with my transmission are: Harsh engaging to drive and reverse Flair shifts bad sometimes almost like it goes into neutral between changing gears Has shifted from 4th to 1st instead of 4th to 5th or 6th, then it started shifting normal right after. Had my factory 3250rpm limiter not been moved to 4500rpm the truck would have locked the rear wheels up and possible caused driveline damage or other damaged. Also had a car been behind me when this happened I would have been in a wreck because it slammed to a low speed and the car would have rear ended me. Slips in 4th and 7th gear the most but sometimes in other gears Bumps when it shifts a lot of the gears Sometimes shudders and shakes and will almost make like a pop noise Will clunk on downshift from 5-3 Sometimes clunks when upshifting 3-5 I have had the truck looked at by an independent diesel mechanic I use and he said there is a problem somewhere in the transmission, it’s either planetary gear or cdf bushing has moved or the drum itself has cracked. The component itself has not been inspected because the only was to inspect this is to tear the transmission down. The pan has been dropped and had a lot of metal material on the magnet. No codes on the dash but my mechanic said I had dtcs stored for the transmission. I have created a case claim with Ford trying to see if they will extend the recall for the known issue but I have had zero luck with them. I have videos of the issues but can’t upload them on here.

Filed Jun 20, 2026 · Transmission · MO

At around 139,000 miles i started to noticed some intermittent noise coming from the drivetrain. I took it to two different repair shops and was told it was tire noise. over time the grinding noise increased to the point of shuddering and jerking while shifting with no warning lamps showing. At 144,500 miles I contacted my aftermarket warranty and they said to take it to a certified shop to get it checked out. They did not have any preferred shops in my area so I took it to US Automotive. At 145,000 miles the shop contacted the warranty company and proceeded with investigation of the issue. After inspection and tear down they confirmed the transmission had the typical failure for the 10R80 10-speed automatic transmissions. They turned over there findings and the warranty company which has agreed to the findings and has offered a replacement used transmission with 125,000 miles on it and will also not cover the full cost to install the used unit. I feel that this is fraud and outside of the warranty agreement. I am now paying the expense to put the original transmission back into the truck to try to take it the 2.5 hours back to the dealership which sold me the truck along with the warranty to see what they will do in the matter. I hope it doesn't fail on the highway on the way.

Filed Mar 10, 2025 · Steering · 11,137 miles · IA

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.

Filed Feb 10, 2025 · Steering, Suspension · 140,000 miles · LA

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 65-80 MPH over a bumpy road surface, the steering wheel and the front end of the vehicle shuddered violently. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the death wobble, and almost caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact stated that upon decelerating to approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that a fee would be charged for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Filed Feb 7, 2025 · Steering · MS

I have been experiencing what is known as the “death wobble”. While driving at normal highway speeds, bumps or rough patches in the road will cause my vehicle to violently shudder. It is extremely difficult to maintain control and the vehicle has to coast to reduce speed to 20 mph before the shudder will stop. This is a known issue in previous year model F-series trucks. I have taken my vehicle to a dealership and had the issue confirmed as the steering stabilizer, however, Ford refuses to remedy the issue stating my year model is not affected. Ford claims the affected years models end at 2019. My vehicle is a 2020, however, my manufacturer date is 10/19. I believe my vehicle is actually what is considered a “half year”, meaning it received certain 2019 parts and certain 2020 parts. This issue is extremely dangerous for me as well as other motorists.

Filed Sep 23, 2024 · Steering, Suspension · NM

Death Wobble. Was driving speed limit of 65mph and vehicle started a violent, uncontrollable shuddering and bouncing movement to the left almost hitting the dividing wall on the interstate. I had little control over steering of vehicle and was barely able to avoid slamming into wall. Finally got vehicle stopped. Has happened before at lower speed. Has happened several times before with less violent shuddering after hitting bumps in roadway. Now understand how very dangerous and scary the less severe incidents have been after this latest incident!

Filed Jun 3, 2024 · Suspension · 78,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and hydroplaned. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall and was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

Filed Oct 20, 2023 · Suspension, Transmission · 38,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered from the front end to the rear end. The contact stated that the failure diminished while decelerating. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the failure recurred increasingly. The contact stated that the failure decreased while decelerating, and he was able to continue driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Filed Dec 27, 2022 · Engine, Fuel system · 20,942 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with the Adaptive Cruise Control activated, the vehicle started shuddering and lost motive power. The message "Engine Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with high-pressure fuel pump failure. The dealer diagnosed that the fuel injectors, the high-pressure fuel pump, and the fuel lines needed to be replaced, Additionally, the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) fuel tank needed to be cleaned. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,942.

Filed Oct 1, 2022 · Steering, Suspension · NJ

At roughly 50mph while on a left hand curve over slightly uneven pavement the front end of the truck started shuddering and bouncing with loss of control in the steering such that only after significant braking could I regain control of the truck and realized I was in the next lane over to the right. Vehicle was brought to Ford dealer and they replaced a stabilizer bar that had a "dead spot" in it. While the problem is slightly better, it is by no means resolved. Waiting for a call back from the service manager of the dealership after being told today that the repair they had done was all that Ford was willing to do. Vehicle is still under warranty. Purchased 2017 vehicle in march of 2021 with 17,500 miles on it. It now (September, 2022) has 25,000 miles on it.