Some Ford trucks suffer from a problem known as the “Death Wobble,” a condition where the vehicle will shake and rattle while in motion. Although no actual deaths have been reported as of yet, this is still scary stuff.
Has the 2019 Ford F-250 had a death wobble recall yet?
Afraid not. As of fall 2020, the 2019 Ford F-250 has five recalls on the record with the NHTSA and one investigation, but none related to the death wobble.
These include:
- Seat belt pretensioners
- Daytime running lights
- Tailgate
- A park pawl
- A fire hazard with the block heater
As you can see, there’s nothing here for the Death Wobble, even as Ford stares down a major class-action lawsuit over the issue. But there have been complaints.
Vehicle Shakes Violently
NHTSA Complaint ID: 11297589
Incident date Dec. 1, 2019, in Chandler, Ariz. The owner noted that the truck has a tendency to shake violently, especially on uneven pavement, when driving 50 to 70 miles per hour.
The owner took the truck into the dealer, where they found that the shock resistance system and steering both needed to be repaired. The owner was informed that it would take up to eight weeks to get the Shimmy Shock part needed to repair the truck.
The dangers of the Death Wobble seem obvious. This level of shaking could result in loss of control, leading to an accident. At the very least, being violently shaken inside your truck could lead to injuries with or without a collision taking place.
Truck Shakes at 70 mph
NHTSA Complaint ID: 11296954
Incident date Jan. 2, 2020. The owner indicated that the truck would shake and vibrate violently at 70 mph any time it hits the slightest bump in the road. The truck had 3,500 miles on the odometer at the time of failure.
Is a Recall on the Way?
The 2019 F250 Death Wobble is an interesting case of how the recall process can work.
The Death Wobble is a known hazard with Ford Super-Duties that can become a significant safety hazard. However, since there are only two NHTSA complaints on file, there may not be a full-scale recall issued anytime soon.
For a recall to be issued, the issue needs to be severe enough and affect enough owners before the NHTSA can reasonably determine it to be a manufacturing defect.
Thankfully, these repairs may be covered by your warranty, meaning that even if there is no recall, you can still get it handled for free.
If you have any shaking taking place with your Ford Super-duty, you’ll want to consider issuing a complaint with the NHTSA. You can also get in touch with Ford at 1-866-436-7332 to see about getting it taken care of.
How Do You Know if You Have any Pending Recalls?
Three easy steps:
- Check your VIN
- Type it into the NHTSA lookup tool
- Call Ford at 1-866-436-7332
You may also want to ask about any recalls or repairs the next time you take your truck into the dealership for an oil change or a tune-up. It’s not uncommon for an automaker to issue repairs without officially sending out a notification letter.