Diagsheet

2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty · symptom sheet

Steering wheel shakes or the "death wobble"

  • 667owner reports
  • 28,200median miles
  • $895median quote
  • 6involved a crash

Newest report Apr 5, 2026 · checked Sep 19, 2026

717 of the 1,155 complaints on this car are about the steering system. 667 of those describe death wobble, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2017 F-250 Super Duty.

Tick what matches of 667 reports

440
365
483
161
99
37

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the steering damper (56 reports), the track bar (16 reports), the tie rod (10 reports) and the ball joint (6 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on the steering system covers the 2017 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

20E-090Dec 10, 2020
Steering

Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, possibly causing the steering to lock up.

Risk and remedy
Risk: If the steering locks, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Icon will notify owners, and dealers will install a new shock assembly with a revised foam ring and steel support disc, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020. Owners may contact Icon customer service at 1-951-689-4266.

NHTSA investigations into the steering system on the F-250 Super Duty

PE13-014opened May 7, 2013
Steering · model years 2008

Alleged loss of steering. Closed jan 31, 2014.

NHTSA summary
The Office of DefectsInvestigation (ODI) opened PE13-014 after identifying five complaints alleging steering gear failure in model year (MY) 2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pick-up trucks and to evaluate the relationship between the design history of the steering gear assembly and the alleged defect.As background, ODI investigated steering gear sector shaft fractures in approximately 1.3 million MY 1999 - 2001 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks and MY 2000 - 2001 Ford Excursion sport utility vehicles in Engineering Analysis EA01-009.The investigation determined that the sector shaft failures were the result of extraordinary, possibly multiple, impacts and not the result of fatigue.No defect in design, manufacturing or materials was identified in the sector shaft.EA01-009 was closed August 19, 2003 with 169 complaints, resulting in a rate of 12.9 incidents per 100,000 vehicles after approximately one year of service.Ford increased the diameter of the sector shaft from 1.375 inches to 1.625 inches at the start of MY 2005 production, increasing the resistance of the steering gear assembly to torsional overload by approximately 48% and changing the failure mode from sector shaft fracture to cracked or broken sector shaft gear teeth.The redesigned steering gear assembly was used in approximately 1.1 million MY 2005 through 2009 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks, including the subject vehicles.Figure 1 shows the basic steering system design used in Ford Super Duty trucks investigated
EA02-001opened Feb 6, 2002
Steering · model years 1997

Steering shaft separation. Closed may 29, 2003, led to recall 03V-196.

NHTSA summary
SEE ATTACHED SUMMARY FOR TECHNICAL DETAILS
EA01-009opened Mar 2, 2001
Steering · model years 1999 to 2001

Sector shaft fractures. Closed aug 19, 2003.

NHTSA summary
THIS EA WAS OPENED BASED ON A RESPONSE RECEIVED FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST (IR) SUBMITTED DURING SQ00-018.FORD STATED IN AN INTERNAL SERVICE MESSAGE THAT IT HAD CHANGED THE STEERING GEAR SECTOR SHAFTS AND PITMAN ARMS INSTALLED 1999 MODEL YEAR F-SERIES SUPER DUTY VEHICLES ON MARCH 22, 1999.FORD STATED THAT THESE DESIGN CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE STEERING AND HANDLING, AND THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE REPORTED FRACTURED SECTOR SHAFTS WERE THE RESULT OF EXTRAORDINARY, POSSIBLY MULTIPLE, IMPACTS.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS ATTACHED.
PE98-061opened Nov 18, 1998
Steering · model years 1999

Steering shaft fracture. Closed dec 7, 1998.

NHTSA summary
ALLEGED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT MAY FRACTURE

None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.

What owners paid

18 of the 667 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $600 to $2,300.

$600$895$2,300
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 20,000 and 39,900 miles, from the 571 reports that gave a mileage.

4218
32319
16220
5721
3822
2123
1224
825
426

What owners wrote

“My truck has the Death Wobble . It has been worked on for the incident It happened again yesterday at least 4 times within 30 minutes We turned around and came are parked the truck. Am going to talk to the Dealer where I Purchase the vehicle and want some answers and to fix this major problem with my Ford Superduty 250 2017”

Filed Apr 21, 2024 · 107,235 miles

“While driving on Interstate steering oscillated left and right very fast. Vehicle was hard to control. Came to a stop on the shoulder of the road to stop the shaking. This is what some call death wobble. Truck had steering dampener replaced for this problem a few years ago. It only has 26,500 miles total.”

Filed Feb 23, 2023 · 26,500 miles

“I have a terrible wobble. At 36,000 miles I had this “fixed” under warranty. I now have 54,000 miles and it is terrible and getting dangerous. I know this is an ongoing issue with f250’s and terribly frustrating to have it “fixed”, but not really.”

Filed Nov 28, 2022 · 36,000 miles

“The front end experiences significant head shake and "death wobble" at speeds greater than 50mph. An alignment, balance, and tire rotation did not fix it”

Filed Jan 6, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 6 of 667 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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