Ford strives to make each of its full-size pickup trucks, including the F-250, as trouble-free as possible. But even the most diligent of efforts doesn’t stop problems from popping up unexpectedly. For instance, some Ford F-250 models have had issues involving the power steering system.
You may be wondering if there were any recalls for the Ford F-250 that involved power steering.
As of September 2020, none. However, numerous customer complaints included the following:
- Loss of power steering assist due to power steering pump failure
- Front end and steering wheel shakes violently at high speeds
Let’s take a close look at the Ford F-250 power steering problems, along with any possible solutions that could help make your vehicle safer and more reliable.
Power Steering Problems
Many owners of the Ford F-250 from model years 1996 to 2014 have reported power steering pump failures. In most cases, the pumps would simply fail without warning and leave drivers without any power steering assist. This makes the steering wheel significantly harder to turn, impacting driver safety.
Another problem Ford F-250 owners commonly encountered was the dreaded “death wobble,” where the truck’s suspension components would violently shake after hitting a bump, expansion joint or groove at highway speeds.
This also causes the steering wheel to oscillate violently, increasing the driver’s risk of losing control at high speeds.
Various reports link the “death wobble” to abnormally worn or defective suspension components, including the track bar bushing, steering linkage damper and control arms.
Were There Any Solutions from Ford?
Ford issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) on September 2019 concerning the death wobble problem. This TSB recommends service advisors to replace the steering linkage damper on affected model year 2017-2019 Ford F-250 vehicles equipped with 4WD.
Despite numerous concerns and complaints, Ford never issued a recall for the F-250 death wobble problem. This led to consumers filing a class action lawsuit against the automaker in June 2019. The lawsuit is still ongoing and it’s currently unknown when or if a settlement will be reached.
When it comes to the Ford F-250’s power steering pump issues, the usual fix was to simply replace the entire pump. However, some owners reported replacing multiple power steering pumps, to no avail.
How Do You Handle an Open Ford F250 Recall?
Don’t know if your Ford F-250 is part of an open recall? Visit the NHTSA website and enter your VIN or vehicle make/model/year information to find out. If you do find a recall, you can find a nearby authorized dealer simply by entering your ZIP Code.
