2016 Ford F-350 Super Duty · symptom sheet
Steering wheel shakes or the "death wobble"
- 69owner reports
- 45,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Jul 15, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
76 of the 209 complaints on this car are about the steering system. 69 of those describe death wobble. Only suspension is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 69 reports
Death wobble on other F-350 Super Duty years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2020, 2022.
What this problem usually is
This is the violent one. Owners describe the steering wheel shaking hard at highway speed, often right after the front end hits a bump or an expansion joint, and it keeps going until they slow way down. Six in ten complaints in this group use the word wobble, and plenty of owners call it the "death wobble."
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the steering damper (3 reports), the tie rod (3 reports), the track bar (3 reports) and the ball joint (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the steering system covers the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
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.
All 4 recalls on the 2016 Ford F-350 Super Duty, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the steering system on the F-350 Super Duty
Alleged loss of steering. Closed jan 31, 2014.
Sector shaft fractures. Closed aug 19, 2003.
None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 28,700 and 95,782 miles, from the 36 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“I was driving as normal and truck started shaking vigorously until I came to a stop. From I can tell, they call this a death wobble. I almost hit another car and have some video of it.”
Filed Jul 15, 2025
“Death wobble happened 5 times driving on the interstate. Couldnât control steering and everything was violently shaking.”
Filed Sep 30, 2024
“While driving on the freeway (65-70mph) headed home from work my front end began to shake so hard along with my steering wheel. I had no idea what was going on their was no warning of something wrong. It lasted a min or two but very unsettling. My mother-in-law called this a death roll, her roommate has a 2011 F-250 and just experienced this same feeling. Thank you in advance for your time, Danielle”
Filed Apr 25, 2023
“While driving severe shaking (wobbling) of steering wheel. Had to break and pull off road. Had heard of ford death wobble before , first time for me.. Really frighting, luckily no traffic.”
Filed Feb 20, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 69 reports involved a crash. 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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 81 reports