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There are few trucks as capable as the 2020 Ford F-350. In fact, the company claims that the Super Duty truck lineup is “built to keep you moving.” However, many owners are complaining about defects in the powertrain, steering, service brakes, fuel system and structure.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2020 Ford F-350
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power Train | |
| Steering | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Structure:body | |
| Suspension | |
| Engine | |
| Visibility | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Electrical System | |
| Visibility/wiper |
Problems with the Powertrain
The powertrain consists of a multitude of parts that transmit the energy to the wheels, creating movement. When it comes to the 2020 Ford F-350, several problems exist that are causing some form of powertrain failure.
One instance is outlined by this NHTSA complaint. “The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-350. The contact stated that the transmission and torque converter were replaced five times within the last 9,000 miles.”
Additionally, there is a recall that should cause some alarm. NHTSA Campaign Number 20V599000 states that affected models have narrow base axles, causing the inner tires in a dual-wheel model to contact the body and cause damage. If a truck manufacturer can’t get the basic dually design right, it doesn’t deserve to build trucks.
Problems with Structure
Looking at the way the 2020 Ford F-350 was built should reveal a lot of the problems. After all, if the structure isn’t even right, how can anyone expect the mechanical aspects to be built with any level of integrity?
Another NHTSA complaint states, “Tailgate released while towing 5th wheel trailer causing damage to tailgate and trailer. Safety issue and could have caused serious accident.”
Right now, the NHTSA is investigating issues with the tailgate. NHTSA Action Number RQ21001 shows that the tailgate has been unintentionally opening on its own. With nothing being done yet to repair the situation, other drivers should remain far away from the F-350 trucks on the road, lest cargo comes flying out the back when the tailgate fails. If only Ford truck owners would be hauling millions of dollars in the truck bed.
Problems with the Service Brakes
When hauling or towing a lot of goods, it’s imperative that the truck comes to a stop quickly. Yet, this is another major complaint with the 2020 Ford F-350 models.
One Edmunds user writes, “The downside to this behemoth with a 3500lb load capacity is the brakes, both the engine brake and the disc brakes aren’t really up to par with the engine. You could find yourself at the top of a hill that will be very difficult to get down. I’ve not had any personal problems halting this thing, but it does take a while and riding the engine brake down mountain roads isn’t always enough, meaning the brakes may be over temperature at the bottom of the grapevine in LA for example.”
Of course, no one can expect the brakes to function right in a truck that is so poorly made. One other recall shows how very little attention to detail is found with the F-350. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V633000 says that over 640,000 vehicles have a seat back with a defective recliner mechanism installed. If it fails, it will not restrain the occupant during a crash, possibly leading to severe injuries. It seems from every angle, the Ford lineup is failing its clients, ensuring that repeat business won’t be an option.
Problems with the Fuel System
For maximum power, the fuel delivery system needs to be up to par. However, this system has been a sore spot on Ford trucks for many years.
Another Edmunds review states, “DEF system is flawed. DEF froze solid in-20 and the heater faulted. Went into limp mode. Waited til 0c and tried to fill and DEF system would not accept any fluid. Continual issue that still has not been resolved. Still cannot fill DEF.”
Even if the fuel system were to work right, there would still be issues with the engine. Service Bulletin #20B15 talks about a damaged piston oil cooler bracket from the assembly. This defective part allows the cooler to detach, causing low oil pressure, the Check Engine Light and engine noises. Basically, it leaves owners with one more system that needs to be repaired because the assembly workers didn’t do their jobs. Maybe the day the F-350 trucks were built, there was something distracting at the plant, like a dog with a squirrel.
Problems with the Steering System
Finally, a look at the steering system shows the same level of incompetence coming from the Ford lineup.
One last Edmunds review states, “Blew a high pressure power steering hose. Dealership ordered wrong part. Finally got the right part and were missing an adapter.”
Why does everyone come down on Ford and the dealerships? It turns out that Service Bulletin #SSM 48130 illustrates the issues perfectly. You see, 2010-2020 vehicles were ending up with distorted auto glass after going through a car wash. While every other vehicle on the road was also using these car washes without an incident, it’s clear that there is a defect with the car wash solution and not Ford trucks at all, or so the manufacturer wants everyone to believe. Still, the company is able to weasel right out of any warranty coverage.
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Ford pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Complaint Data
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Mar 21, 2023 |
| State | NV |
| Description | The local dealer (corwin ford reno) and ford have not resolved the wiper recall issue in a timely manner. The driver-side wiper consistently stalls mid-stroke rendering the vehicle unsafe and unusable during bad or unpredictable weather. I have made multiple attempts since I received notice of the recall to schedule an appointment to have the issue repaired, but the dealership has yet to return a single call. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Mar 13, 2023 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | My transmission is experiencing a grinding and groaning noise and has occasional harsh shifting. I took it to the dealer and they are saying it's not part of the recall. |
| Category | Back Over Prevention, Power Train |
| Date | Mar 08, 2023 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting hard between gears. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was previously serviced at a local dealer under ford customer satisfaction program: 21b03 to replace the no. 1 planetary and ring gear assembly. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the failure persisted, and that the vehicle was jerking while shifting between gears. The contact had received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v256000 (power train) and 22v644000 (back over prevention); however, the parts to do the recall repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was contacted and was unable to confirm when parts would be available. The contact was advised to file a complaint with the nhtsa hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000. |
| Category | Engine, Power Train, Steering |
| Date | Feb 22, 2023 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was a loss of power steering, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact used an obd scanner to retrieve failure codes for the powertrain control module (pcm) and the engine control module (ecm module). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuse box and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained with the independent mechanic awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the nhtsa hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 164,000. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Feb 22, 2023 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that while the transmission was shifted into park(p), the vehicle rolled back and crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v256000 (power train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Visibility |
| Date | Jan 11, 2023 |
| State | SC |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v250000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 05, 2023 |
| State | GA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350 the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v256000 (power train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated the vehicle was starting to display hard shifting. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the wrench light was illuminated intermittently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| Date | Dec 16, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | 2020 ford f-350. Consumer writes in regard to transmission issues. The gears were slipping and the engine was revving without stepping on the gas pedal. |
| Category | Steering, Suspension |
| Date | Dec 09, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | 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 lane due to my braking and we almost collided due to my not being able to steer. I did get it under control to get back in my lane and avoid the collision. This has been worked on by two different dealers and is about to be looked at again by the original dealer. Almost every front-end component has already been replaced. |
| Category | Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Nov 27, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | Right side headlight always had condensation and much more condensation than the left side, however, ford and dealer always said that it was for ventilation. After a rain, the right headlight light was always on, even when the car was off, and after that the right signal and lamp will not turn on anymore. Dealer did changed the whole headlight assembly, however, the issue still there. |
| Category | Latches/locks/linkages |
| Date | Nov 22, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that when the front passenger's side door was locked, the door could not be opened from outside the vehicle. The contact state that the door could only be unlocked by using the interior door lock mechanism. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. After retrieving the vehicle, the failure continued to occur. The contact was later informed by the dealer that the door actuator was likely the cause of the failure and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 34,000. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Nov 10, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a fleet of 2020 ford f-250. The contact's employees had informed him that while driving at various speeds and shifting between gears, the vehicles were jerking as the check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure recurred on various occasions, and the contact's employee also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes were applied and failed to respond so the gear was shifted into neutral(n) and he had to depress the brake pedal with excessive force in order for them to respond and avoid almost hitting another vehicle. The contact called various local dealers and made them aware of the failure; however, there was no availability or capacity for the fleet vehicles. The vehicles were not yet diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 23, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Door locks. The electric door locks have stopped working on both front doors. I had the drivers repaired under warranty, and now the passenger door I paid for - about 0. This is a major safety concern especially for a 2020 that cost over k. If I forget to manually lock the door, someone can could get in my car without me knowing. I also can't lock the door in the event someone is approaching me. I know prior years were recalled, please add my2020. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 19, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and enter into limp mode upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact stated the wrench warning light had appeared on the instrument panel. The contact called the dealer and was informed that his vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was given a case number. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 07, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350, the contact stated that after the vehicle had been turned off for an extended period, after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle would not immediately drive forward or in reverse; however, the vehicle would roll if on an inclined surface. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the condition was caused by transmission fluid draining back from the torque converter. The contact was informed that manufacturer was aware of the condition and had advised that no service be performed to resolve the issue; but owners should be advised in order to prevent the condition from occurring, to allow the engine to run for a while before attempting to drive. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that no service would be performed to correct the condition. The contact was concerned that in an emergency situation the vehicle could not immediately be moved or the roll away condition would create a safety hazard. The failure mileage was 10. |
| Category | Steering, Suspension, Wheels |
| Date | Aug 30, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | My truck starting shaking really bad while driving after 45 miles per hour. I went to the repair shop today and they told me it was the death wobble. Could have lost control of truck as it was very terrifying. |
| Category | Steering:column |
| Date | Aug 10, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated while driving 5 mph and while going up a hill, the vehicle started to jerk, and the contact felt the vehicle would lose steering. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the steering columns needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure milage was 146,000. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 18, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | On 7/17/2022, while driving, the tailgate unexpectedly released. The tailgate was damaged by the trailer that was being towed at the time. The tailgate was damaged by the trailer tongue jack. The tailgate was confirmed closed prior to driving. No warning messages were displayed from the vehicle. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the dealer but I have an appointment on 7/27. Ford customer service was contacted, case #cas-37657604 was provided. Prior to the incident there had been several occasions where the vehicle would display a warning that the tailgate was open but inspection confirmed it was secured. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jul 08, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 30 mph. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer then followed up with the dealer and was informed that the failure was not associated with nhtsa campaign number: 22v256000 (power train) even though the vin was included. The manufacturer closed the case and referred the contact to the nhtsa. The dealer informed the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 12, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | Twice today I had the truck explode into a death wobble, the first one was so severe on highway 255 outside st louis that I had to do an emergency stop pulling of to the side of the road, the death wobble would not stop till I came to a complete stop. It was so volatile I thought I lost a tire and rim completely off the vehicle. The second was as near violent and didn't cease till I was down to 15 miles per hour. I will be contacting a ford dealership tomorrow as today is a sunday. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Jun 08, 2022 |
| State | ID |
| Description | The contact owned a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 80 mph when the vehicle started emitting a smoke odor. Shortly after smoke started coming from the vents of the vehicle. There were no warning lights. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal to pull over however the brakes began to melt causing an extensive time before the brakes stopped the vehicle. The shifter then slipped when they attempted to maneuver the vehicle. The contact and passengers exited the vehicle. The vehicle then became engulfed in flames while the vehicle continued to run off into the field due to the brakes and shifter completely melting. The vehicle was deemed totaled and was towed. A police report was filed. There were no injuries and no medical attention was needed. The dealer was made aware of the failure and was not able to confirm any recalls. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and transferred them to nhtsa hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 20,050. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 08, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | I am a single mother . I have called paris ford in tx numerous times regarding recall on wind shield. The time I took to them to fix the windshield I was told the manager looked at my windshield and said it didn't need replacement. I found out it shows incomplete. Now I have been calling them to schedule this and they have to out source which can take 3 day's or more. This is my only vehicle at which I need for work, my son etc. They are telling me they have no loaner vehicle's. The last time I called I was told that do to they are waiting on part's for their loaners. I have been dealing with this now over a year. On top of now I have a chunk out because of a stone driving on hwy. I am not fixing this because I do have coverage for that only to have it show as a mark on my insurance. I also feel they should have a loaner by now. |
| Category | Visibility |
| Date | Jun 06, 2022 |
| State | NM |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v250000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Visibility |
| Date | Jun 03, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v250000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side windshield wiper made an abnormal sound before the wiper arm detached. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,877. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | May 18, 2022 |
| State | OR |
| Description | Steering - my steering wheel kept becoming really loose that it felt like it was going to fall off. I have had it fixed at ford twice. It was difficult to drive or want to turn as it was extremely wobbly making me feel at any moment I can lose control. This also caused my lane keeping assistance to fail. The first time ford tightened the steering wheel but the same problem came back then parts were actually replaced. |
| Category | Structure:body, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Apr 01, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | My tailgate has opened on its own three times or more since purchasing the truck new in june 2021. Few times while parked and locked in my drive way. Once while I was driving causing me to have to pull over on a busy highway to re-latch the tailgate to not lose my cargo in the bed which then could have came flying out and hit other motorists and/or caused an accident in which I would have been liable. I was not included in the recall 19v-864; and therefore my vehicle has not been serviced for this issue. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Mar 23, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Brand new 2020 f350 started having issues around 62,000 miles.... We have reported these issues to ford in harriman and ford in lenoir (they do not have a transmission specialist available in lenoir and ford in harriman states they don't honor my extended warranty that we purchased through ford). In january we started having issues when we were traveling on the interstate heading towards chattanooga. Which is only about 45 minutes to an hour away. The wrench light came on and the truck started to shift hard and at a high rpm , getting stuck in 7th gear not wanting to shift between 3rd and 4th gear. The truck started to go into limp mode and we managed to get it home and bring it to ford in harriman (jerry duncan ford). They stated the tcm needed to be reset, and proceeded with that costing 5. Three weeks later, my truck lost all gears including park and makes a really loud grinding/screeching noise when you try to shift to anything but neutral. The truck was presenting the same issues as the first time, we got it towed to jerry duncan and informed them of a recall on the 2020 f350 made between the dates of february 2019- august 2020 and april 2019 - july 2020 manufactured at the kentucky plant during these dates. My truck (same year make and model as recall ) was manufactured from the kentucky plant in november of 2019, showing the same issues and symptoms of the recall. Putting my truck dead smack in the recall time frame, again showing the same issues and symptoms stated in the recall. Preliminary dx from jerry duncan was that the transfer case mechanism has failed, ignoring the recalls on the truck (there is also 1 regarding back up camera and 1 regarding tow capacity that has never been addressed properly) k truck has been sitting in the shop for two weeks and won't be looked at for another week and half, and only has 72,000 miles on it, purchased a year ago. There is not urgency in this matter and I feel we are being booted to the back of the line. |
| Category | Suspension:front |
| Date | Jan 05, 2022 |
| State | NC |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated while driving approximately 58 mph, the steering column started to vibrate excessively. The contact was able to pull over safely. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000. |
| Category | Engine, Unknown Or Other, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jan 03, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The ford is under a customer satisfaction program 21b03, and ford will not honor this for our vehicle, however our truck has the number one planetary and ring gear assembly that has gone out. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Dec 30, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse the vehicle, the engine revved but the vehicle would not move. The power train malfunction warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with number one planetary and ring gear assembly failure. The number one planetary and ring gear assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to customer satisfaction program: 21b03 (number one planetary and ring gear assembly) however, the dealer informed the contact that the vin was not included in the program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with nhtsa. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Dec 08, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v536000 (power train). The contact took the vehicle to local dealer but was not able to complete the recall due to not having and employee to weld the axle. The contact was not content with welding the axle. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Oct 04, 2021 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that the vehicle was hard to shift. The vehicle lunged forward about a foot. While driving, the vehicle skipped 4th, 5th, and 7th gear. The vehicle shutdown and went into limp mode. The power train message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with the pcm needing to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer - cole ford llc (410 e chicago st, coldwater, mi 49036, (517) 278-5661) and diagnosed that the vehicle was working as designed. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 17, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Death wobble. The truck shakes very bad that it is unsafe to drive and causes a threat to other motorists. You literally have to reduce the speed of your truck to about 20 miles per hour to stop it when you on a freeway or not when it starts shaking. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Aug 23, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission experienced rough shifting and the maintenance warning light was displayed. The transmission later became stuck in 7th and 3rd gears and the vehicle went into limp mode reducing the speed to 35 mph. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 152,000. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 20, 2021 |
| State | GA |
| Description | Going 55 mph down a two lane country road hit a washboard patch of roadway, front end of truck shook violently and loss of steering control and truck pulled to the left into oncoming traffic. Upon reduction of speed shaking ceased and was able to regain control of vehicle. The very next day on the very same patch of roadway exact same incident occurred with the truck. Three days later on a different roadway and going about the same speed 55 mph, the truck violently shook, lost steering and proper braking ability. The truck pulled hard to the left into oncoming traffic and I was not able to regain control until the truck slowed to approx 15 mph. This last incident was about three times worse than the first from a loss of control standpoint. Luckily in all three incidents no one was approaching in the oncoming lane. Very dangerous! I returned the vehicle to my local ford dealer, they inspected and stated they could not find any worn parts such as ball joints etc but they did replace the front steering stabilizer under warranty, my truck only has 30,000 miles. Doing some online research I see this is a common problem for ford superduty trucks 2017 and newer. It is known as the "death wobble" aptly named as I am sure someopne has lost their life and/or being seriously injured from this defect. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Aug 05, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The tailgate randomly opens. Sometimes the instrument cluster will give a warning. Today, the tailgate opened while towing a small utility trailer and struck the trailer damaging the tailgate. |
| Category | Steering, Suspension |
| Date | May 31, 2021 |
| State | AL |
| Description | While travelling down the highway at approximately 65mph, came in contact with a rough patch of road, causing the front suspension and steering to shake violently, nearly resulting in a loss of control. This persisted for approximately 30-60 secs, until slowing vehicle down to about 50mph. This is the second time this has happened, within the past 3 months. The vehicle has all new tires, and is serviced and maintained regularly. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Apr 17, 2021 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Tailgate released while towing 5th wheel trailer causing damage to tailgate and trailer. Safety issue and could have caused serious accident. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Mar 23, 2021 |
| State | UT |
| Description | Trucks having a very bad case of death wobble, only 7,500 miles on the truck |
| Category | Service Brakes, Steering, Suspension |
| Date | Mar 17, 2021 |
| State | LA |
| Description | Vehicle hit a rough spot in the highway and the steering wheel started violently shaking causing me to not be able to control the vehicle, brakes were used to slow the vehicle and the issue stopped. Commonly called the death wobble |
| Category | Power Train, Suspension, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Mar 08, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | I purchased this truck on 09/23/20. At delivery the steering wheel was not aligned correctly and had to be adjusted. Truck has had a constant vibration that is felt thru the steering and body. The vibration increases with speed. At 1031 miles a repair attempt was made that was unsuccessful, at 3225 miles again a failed attempt was made at correcting, at 3735 another filed attempt. At 8156 another failed attempt. And again at 8934 another more extensive repair attempt was made with no positive results. I will upload all repair work orders. There is a serious problem in the drivetrain of the vehicle that ford as of yet has been unable to correct. The vibration is constant and at highway speed has made people car sick. I am fearful that there is a failing component in the truck that when it finally breaks will cause a serious accident. They have used a vcmm vibration analizer that listed a host of potential problems and in their words the results were misleading. This is a heavy duty truck that I fear towing my trailers with because they can't tell me why it has the vibration. I almost believe that they know the problem and won't disclose it to me. The most concerning statement made in the repair attempt is that they compared my truck to an instock unit and it drive comparable. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Feb 18, 2021 |
| State | GA |
| Description | While driving the tailgate has come unlatched several times. It caused damage to the camper I was towing and the tailgate itself. A 30lb propane cylinder almost rolled out of the truck after the tailgate came down. It has been during highway traveling. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Steering, Structure:body |
| Date | Jan 24, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The vehicle upon starting will give two warnings: pre collision not available and steer assist fault service required. This does not happen all the time I turn vehicle off and it resets. I will not this message for awhile and then will occur again I have also notice that my throttle appears to raise on its own while driving. The tail gate also just opens on its own. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 21, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Sudden surging at slow speeds. When trying to idle through an area that is tight, crowded etc. Rpm's will rise to 1,200 or slightly higher. |
| Category | Power Train, Service Brakes, Steering |
| Date | Dec 26, 2020 |
| State | OR |
| Description | 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 they could find no problem and stated if their agent could not experience the problem while driving the pu they could not fix it. On the second time I was driving the pu empty at highway speed and again while braking the steering and brakes shook violently. Up to this point I was thinking the brakes were the problem. I started tracking the brake temperature which showed a large variety of temps for similar driving conditions. I provided the numbers to the dealer. I was told a few days later on oct 29th that the temps were normal and my driving style needed to be adjusted for a vehicle of this type. On the third time nov 15th I was again pulling the trailer but this time at 40mph in wet and snowy conditions when I stepped on the brake I experienced the shaking to the point of losing control. When I took the pu to the dealer with just 8000 miles on the truck they again said they could do nothing without their agent seeing the problem themselves. But this time on the paperwork they described the problem as 'death wobble'. I checked the nhtsa site finding several complaints similar to mine. The internet is also loaded with complaints and possible fixes since ford won't or can't fix the problem. Ford clearly knows this problem exists because they have put a name to the problem but they are doing nothing on my pu (and many others) to fix the problem. |
| Category | Service Brakes, Steering |
| Date | Nov 26, 2020 |
| State | VA |
| Description | 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 highway where this would have been bad with all that traffic and going speed limit . Why would brakes go out if power steering quit? |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Nov 26, 2020 |
| State | VA |
| Description | Brought a new ford super duty f-350 dually on november 5,2020. On november 6 2020, the passenger door caught behind the front fender, causing the passenger to not be able to open door. When we got door open , notice that the passenger door was out of line and had dropped down. The front fender was out of line with the door and hood. When door stuck it caused a dent in door and fender also chipped paint off. The issue is if passenger had to exit door in emergency without a lot of force it may not open properly or fast enough because of body parts way out of line. If a person was trying to open door from outside and it hung it could cause that person to loose grip of door suddenly and make them fall to ground causing injuries to them. Truck was not in motion when this occurred and parked in gravel driveway. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Nov 23, 2020 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Tl* the contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that the transmission and torque converter were replaced five times within the last 9,000 miles. The vehicle was taken to caruso ford lincoln (3500 cherry ave, long beach, ca 90807; (562) 426-3301) where all the repairs were made however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000. |
| Category | Back Over Prevention: Warnings, Power Train |
| Date | Nov 12, 2020 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The same problem as the recall is 20s33. Torgue converter damper fracture. The truck was sold with technical problems of the backup camera, that totally doesn’t work till now. The biggest problems starts on 07 th of october 2020, when I noticed a huge noise in the car according to the transmission system. On the 08 th of october 2020, I have been to dealership located at 8445 45 th st lyons, il, 60534, and I left the car at their service center to diagnose the technical problem and for sure to solve it. During one week they can’t diagnose the problem. After that, they called me, and said that the problem was diagnosed but unfortunately they didn’t have the necessary spare parts, because the ford motor company doesn’t produce more this kind of spare parts. But how it’s possible to sell the cars without necessaries spare parts, what have to do the consumer if the car is a new one and it brakes? They didn’t repair the truck in 30 days; I called the ford customer service, but the ms at the phone told me that they can’t solve such kind of problems, and I have to find another dealership who can repairs the truck. According to the law they have to repair the car in 30 days, and they didn’t, the car it’s worse then it was before. And now I don’t know what to do, why the car new warranty doesn’t work, the additional premium care warranty doesn’t work. And I have to say that the truck is a new one, with 58 000 miles. I paid a lot of money for this car, and now I’m in the situation that I have to pay the credit rate and I have no possibility to do it, because the truck is broken and I can’t work. Now I drove the truck to another service (not ford) where I was told the cost of the repair would cost . 000. They said that I cannot drive the truck now because it is dangerous. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 29, 2020 |
| State | WI |
| Description | Steering returnabilty or "return to center" is impeded by electric power steering assist. According to ford the new electric over hydraulic system installed on some super duty trucks assists the driver during cross wind or heavy road crown situations. But when there is no wind or road crown the system continues to "assist" and holds the steering column from immediately returning to center. This vehicle is not equipped with a "lane keeping' or "auto steer" system. Under certain conditions the vehicle requires constant left and right input to maintain lane. When driving between 30 mph and 50 mph the vehicle will continue to navigate turns after the steering wheel is released. This constant input is very fatiguing and when road conditions are slippery, icy or rough maintaining lane is extremely difficult at times. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 22, 2020 |
| State | CA |
| Description | While negotiating steep grades (over 8 degrees) at moderate speeds (~30mph) with the engine brake in automatic a 3rd gear to 2nd gear or 2nd gear to first gear change is proceeded by a significant acceleration by as much as 5mph or more this can be simulated on less steep inclines by engaging the engine brake and manually shifting from 3rd to 2nd.. There will be an increase in speed that can be quite significant there is a minor reduction in braking when the truck performs a 4th to 3rd downshift but it doesn't cause acceleration to the degree that the 3rd and 2nd shifts do. The circumstances under which an engine brake would be used are exactly those circumstances where an unintended acceleration of any kind is most dangerous, such as mountain roads and switchbacks while towing heavy loads the dealer is aware of how to reproduce this event and has seen it first hand while on a test drive. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 11, 2020 |
| State | LA |
| Description | Shifting from 2 to 3rd gear while lightly accelerating, it bangs so hard I think transmission fell out. If it under aggressive acceleration, it's smooth |
| Category | Electrical System, Structure:body |
| Date | Sep 04, 2020 |
| State | GA |
| Description | While traveling vehicle in motion electric tailgate spontaneously released damaging the tailgate and tow vehicle on 8/8/2020, 8/20/2020 and 9/3/2020. Tailgate released on several occasions while towing on city streets and highway. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jul 24, 2020 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Nhtsa id number 10172952. This notification is not being applied to all ford super duty trucks that have the ultimate trailer tow camera system w/pro trailer backup assist. When reviewing any recalls on my truck, this yaw system sensor required to make the pro trailer assist work that is essential for towing 5th wheel and gooseneck trailers was not included with the truck. Ford has not been supplying this item. The owners manual specifically requires this item for operation. I know this memo is out there but is not being applied to the proper vehicles. My dealer is working on this, but was only aware of the problem after the memo was found and I distributed it. The failure is, ford needs to list this missing item under all vehicles that have this option. Ford does not have this item available and could not be found in their parts data base. Ford in essence created fraud by selling this option without parts required to make it work. I could not attache pictures, files are to large. |
| Category | Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 03, 2020 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Fifth wheel andersen ultimate hitch system failed while we were hauling our unit. Hitch broke and safety chains also broke. Unit was blown off the truck while driving on the highway causing the ball to break shear off detaching from truck. Company is not wanting to deal with our incident. Caused our fifth wheel to detach on the highway and rolled over. We were hauling under weight to what there hitch recommends to stand 24,000 lbs of torque. Were just asking for some help. Our new ,000 unit is a complete loss and our truck is in the collision shop being repaired. Thank you*dt*dt consumer stated mechanic did not find any damage.*jb*dt*jb*dt*jb*dt*jb |
| Category | Structure:body:tailgate |
| Date | Jun 01, 2020 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Tl* the contact owns a 2020 ford f-350. The contact stated that the tailgate failed to remain latched while driving. The contact stated that the tailgate opened independently three times while driving. On one occasion, the tail gate opened when the contact was hauling a trailer and damage the trailer camper generator. Randall reed's planet ford (19000 eastex freeway, humble, texas 77338, (800)-850-8751), was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 1,500. *bf consumer stated repair was done on 2017-2019.*jb |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | May 28, 2020 |
| State | CO |
| Description | Vehicle rpm will not drop when taking foot off the gas and in gear. Rpm stays at 1100 and vehicle speeds up on its own. No difference with engine brake on or off. Seems to happen in parking lots or at stop lights when moving at slow speeds 5 to 10 miles per hour. Vehicle will accelerate unless brakes are applied. Brakes have to be applied sometimes very hard to get vehicle to stop and engine rpm to drop. Documented by the dealer with no fix. Ford motor company contacted with no fix. This has occurred multiple times. *tr |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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