2018 FORD F-350 SD Complaints

TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APROX 65MPH HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING & HAD TO SLOW TO BELOW 30MPH TO GET THE SHAKING TO STOP. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SEVERAL TIMES. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE SHOP & THEY DID A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND CHECKED THE BALANCE OF THE TIRES, NEVER MENTIONING THE "DEATH WOBBLE". IT DID TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR 3 MONTHS HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED.

WHEN TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (70 MPH), I HIT A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD AND MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO GET IT TO STOP. THE TRUCK HAS 13,256 MILES ON IT.

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A FEATURE THAT SHUTS THE ENGINE AND IGNITION OFF AFTER 30 MINUTES OF IDLE WITHOUT DRIVER INTERACTION. THESE VEHICLES HAVE "UP-FITTER SWITCHES" WHICH CAN BE TIED TO THINGS LIKE AUXILIARY WARNING LIGHTS. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, THE HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS TURN OFF AS WELL AS POWER TO ANY AUXILIARY LOADS. I AM A FIREFIGHTER IN NORTH CAROLINA. I HAVE THESE SWITCHES ATTACHED TO AUXILIARY SAE-W WARNING LIGHTS. THE OTHER NIGHT, I WAS ON THE SCENE OF A COLLISION AND AFTER 30 MINUTES, MY TRUCK SHUT ITSELF OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WENT COMPLETELY DARK. THE HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS TURNED OFF, AS WELL AS THE WARNING LIGHTS INSTALLED ON THE PERIMETER OF THE BODY. THIS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC HAZARD AND PUT THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND OTHERS IN THE ROADWAY IN JEOPARDY. THE FEATURE CAN BE DISABLED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, BUT REQUIRES THE VEHICLE TO BE STOPPED AND VARIOUS MENUS TO BE CYCLED THROUGH. I THOUGHT I'D KICKED IT OFF BUT APPARENTLY MISSED THE SETTING WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT AND RENDER AID AT THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT. I HAVE SPOKED WITH RONALD FULLER WITH FORD'S BODY BUILDER ADVISORY SERVICE WHO INFORMS ME THAT THIS FEATURE IS INCLUDED IN ALL RETAIL TRUCKS, AND CAN NOT BE DISABLED. THEIR LOGIC IS THAT THEY WANT TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING THE VEHICLE IN THEIR GARAGE AND ASPHYXIATING THEMSELVES. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO PURCHASE A POLICE PACKAGE VEHICLE WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE. MY CONCERN IS ANY VEHICLE USED FOR CONSTRUCITON, ROAD WORKS, OR FOR GENERAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATION IS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR SITUATION WHICH CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING TOTALLY DARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY.

A SHAKING OR WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END GENERALLY OCCURS AT SPEEDS OVER 60MPH, WHEN YOU RUN OVER A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD OR A ROAD SEAM. THE FRONT END WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL UNTIL YOU SLOW DOWN (40-50MPH). A FORD DEALER HAS LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THAT THE ALIGNMENT AND TIRE BALANCE IS CORRECT. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TRUCK HAS 20K MILES ON IT.

"DEATH WOBBLE" AFTER HITTING BRIDGE JOINT, AT 70 MPH ON HIGHWAY, HAD TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP TO FOR TRUCK TO STOP WOBBLING. TRUCK HAS 14000 MILES ON IT

ELECTRIC TAILGATE HAS RELEASED AND DROPPED OPEN WHILE DRIVING. HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES AT LOW SPEED. TWICE WHILE PULLING FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER AND ONCE NOT TOWING ANYTHING.

TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH OVER ROUGH PAVED ROAD, THE STEERING STARTED OSCILLATING SEVERELY AND CONTINUED UNTIL VEHICLE WAS SLOWED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. HAPPENED THE NEXT DAY UNDER VERY SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES

WHEN HITTING A POT HOLE OR EXPANSION JOINT ON ROADWAYS THE TRUCK HAS A VIOLENT SHAKE OR WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END MAKING IT VERY HARD TO CONTROL AND DRIVE.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, AT SPEEDS OF 55-70MPH I'VE HIT A SMALL BUMP OR ROUGH PATCH ON THE RODE. THIS SENDS THE STEERING WHEEL/FRONT END INTO A VIOLENT, UNCONTROLLABLE, OSCILLATING WOBBLE WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO GET IT TO STOP. THIS VEHICLE IS UN MODIFIED AND WELL MAINTAINED SINCE I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW 9 MONTHS PRIOR. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE CAUSED SHOULDER AND NECK PAIN AND HAVE MADE ME SCARED TO EVEN DRIVE IT. FORD HAS YET TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR REPAIR THIS ISSUE.

DOORS WILL NOT CLOSE, OPEN, AND OR COME OPEN WHILE DRIVING USUALLY ON BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURE DAYS. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE STATIONARY AND DRIVING WHILE MAKING A TURN DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WHIPPED OPEN FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. MOISTURE IN DOOR LATCHES FREEZING IS THE PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO WAY TOKNOW IF THE LATCH IS FULLY ENGAGED WHILE IN MOTION. ALSO CIRCUMSTANCE CAN OCCUR THAT LEAVE YOU LOCKED IN VEHICLE WITH ONLY ESCAPE THRU A WINDOW. FORD HAS CALLED THIS REPAIR CUSTOMER SERVIVE ADVISOR 18N03. HOWEVER THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FOR VEHICLES FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND FORD KEEPS PUTTING OUT REPAIRS THAT ARE OFTEN INEFFECTIVE.