Steering. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Steering complaints

10 reports

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262,000 miles · Jan 4, 2018

Steering

MY F250 WHEN I WAS EXITING FOOT ON BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED EVERYTIME I HIT THE BRAKE AND TRY TO TURN THE WHEEL LOCKS

NHTSA ODI #11058451

124,000 miles · Jul 2, 2017

Steering

I PURCHASED USED IN 2012 AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH A VERY WIDE TURNING RADIUS. I'VE DRIVEN OTHER FORDS AT A LOCAL AUCTION HOUSE SAME YEAR/MODEL THAT STEER FINE AND TURN TIGHTER. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN MINE THAT'S DIMINISHING ITS SAFETY AND USABILITY.

NHTSA ODI #11002730

112,100 miles · Aug 6, 2015

SteeringSuspension

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WHILE TRAVELLING ON A STRAIGHT, SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL, DRY SECTION OF HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR, AN EXAGGERATED SHAKING BEGAN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS QUICKLY BECAME AN ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE BOUNCING OF THE TRUCK. IT BECAME INCREASINGLY VIOLENT IN JUMPING TO THE POINT IT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I BRAKED AND SLOWED TO UNDER 20 MPH WHEN IT STOPPED. PULLED OVER, CHECKED ALL, NOTHING OUT OF SORTS. NO SIGN OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR TIRE TROUBLE. FELT LIKE FLAT TIRE AT FIRST.

NHTSA ODI #10746780

190,000 miles · Apr 24, 2015

Steering

WHILE, DRIVING THE TRUCK THE STEERING ERRATICALLY JERKS IN AN OVER STEERING FASHION. IT IS A REPEATING PROBLEM AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712691

91,250 miles · Jun 2, 2014

Steering

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THE FIRST TIME, I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN FROM AN OFF RAMP AND COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS, THE WHEELS WERE GOING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO SEE IF SOMETHING WAS BROKE. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. I LIMPED TO MY MECHANIC SHOP AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED. I LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH HIM FOR 2 DAYS HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE STEERING PROBLEM. HE DID DO MUCH RESEARCH ONLINE AND WITH ONE OF HIS FRIENDS THAT IS A MECHANIC AT FORD AND HE SAID IT IS A MAJOR FLAW BUT, FORD IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I THEN CALLED FORD TO SEE IF THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING AND THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF A PROBLEM AND IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS, IT HAS ALSO HAPPEN 2 OTHER TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 3. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2014 AND IT HAD NO CAR FAX ISSUES AT ALL. I FOUND OUT I AM THE 3RD OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING OUT WHO THE OTHER 2 ARE. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING, AND DID NOT TAKE IT BACK TO FORD DUE TO THE FACT THAT IS WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. AND, MYSTERIOUSLY NOTHING COMES UP ON CAR FAX. SOUNDS TO ME LIKE FORD IS HIDING SOMETHING. PLEASE HELP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OF KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10595607

92,000 miles · Apr 21, 2014

SteeringSuspensionWheels

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH ON HIGHWAYS WITH POTHOLES, I HIT THE POTHOLES AND IMMEDIATELY FELT A VIOLENT SHAKING OR SHIMMY IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THE SHIMMY OCCURS IN WHICH EVER TIRE HITS THE HOLE AND WILL STOP AS SOON AS I REDUCE SPEED TO ABOUT 40 MPH. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF TIE ROD WEA…

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NHTSA ODI #10583894

64,420 miles · Mar 25, 2014

Steering

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I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR A STEERING PROBLEM THAT WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, AND I BELIEVE IT TO BE DANGEROUS. THEY INFORMED ME THERE WAS AN "INTERNAL FAILURE" IN THE POWER STEERING GEARBOX. THEY CANNOT GET A REPLACEMENT PART FOR AN UNDETERMINED LENGTH OF TIME DUE TO IT BEING ON BACKORDER. THEY WARNED AGAINST PURCHASING AN "AFTERMARKET" REMANUFACTURED PART DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THEM. I NEED MY TRUCK, AND AM AT A LOSS AS TO HOW TO GET IT FIXED, AND FEEL THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I DON'T BELIEVE FORD SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE VAST NUMBER OF THESE "FAILURES," AND NOT HAVE A SOLUTION FOR OWNERS OF THESE FAULTY PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10574637

72,000 miles · Aug 19, 2013

Steering

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WHILE MAKING A TURN IN MY 08 F250 I HEARD A CLICK AND MY TRUCK NO LONGER WILL COME BACK STRAIGHT AFTER A TURN. IT WILL EITHER PULL HARD RIGHT OR LEFT. I HAVE TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE WHEEL BOTH DIRECTIONS TO GET THE TRUCK TO DRIVE STRAIGHT AGAIN. NEARLY DROVE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THEN OFF THE ROAD THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. IT NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE. FORD TOLD ME IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. I FOLLOWED UP THE FOLLOWING WEEK WITH NO RESPONSE. IT TOOK ME GOING TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO TELL ME THE BACKORDER IS 120 DAYS! I EXPLAINED ITS UNACCEPTABLE AND THE TRUCK ISN'T SAFE TO DRIVE. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD TRY AND AFTERMARKET STEERING BOX. AFTER TWO WEEKS THEY SCHEDULED MY APPT. ONLY TO TELL ME AT 4:45PM ON FRIDAY THAT THE PART THEY ORDERED WON'T FIT AND THEIR GIVING ME MY TRUCK BACK WITH THE ORIGINAL FAULTY PART. AFTER I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I SPOKE WITH MY FORD DEALERSHIP TODAY ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY HAVE NO RESPONSE FOR ME OTHER THAN WAITING 120 DAYS MINIMUM FOR A STEERING BOX. LOVE HAVING A $60,000 DEATH TRAP IN THE DRIVEWAY. BY THE WAY I ALSO HAVE HAD WHAT PEOPLE CALL THE DEATH SHAKE IN THE TRUCK HAPPEN WELL OVER A DOZEN TIMES. I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD SHOCKS AND TIRES. THEY HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I WON'T LET MY KIDS DRIVE WITH ME IN THE TRUCK ANYMORE AS A RESULT. EVEN IF THEY FIX THE STEERING BOX BY CHRISTMAS (4 MONTHS AWAY) I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT ANYMORE. I LOVE THIS TRUCK, BUT REFUSE TO DIE IN IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10536200

Mileage unknown · May 14, 2013

Steering

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NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED YET BUT I AM CONCERNED. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH "MEMORY STEER" ON MY 2008 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY SINCE THERE WAS LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. IT NOW HAS 49,000 MILES AND I HAVE TO MUSCLE THE STEERING INTO A TURN THEN I HAVE TO MUSCLE IT BACK OUT AGAIN. EVERY OTHER VEHICLE I DRIVE WANTS TO RETURN TO CENTER OR A NEUTRAL POSITION ONCE I'M THROUGH THE TURN. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO ASK WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS ISSUE AND THEY SAID IT COULD BE THE STEERING BOX OR POWER STEERING PUMP. NOW I SEE THAT THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING THE FORD F-250 FOR STEERING FAILURES AND WANT TO CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE IS SAFE OR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I DRIVE INFREQUENTLY BUT WHEN I DO, IT IS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS...NOT A TIME WHEN THE STEERING SHOULD FAIL. IF THE NHTSA WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SYMPTOMS MY F-250 IS EXHIBITING FOR THEIR INVESTIGATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10511865

121,800 miles · Jan 26, 2013

Steering

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I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT A FRONT END ALIGNMENT BECAUSE I HAD NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT MY STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE TURNED ABOUT 30 DEGREES COUNTER CLOCKWISE. CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS INDEED OUT OF ALIGNMENT BUT BARLEY AND GAVE ME THE OPTION TO LEAVE AS IS OR REPAIR...PERMISSION TO REPAIR AND COMPLETED, ON MY WAY HOME I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS AGAIN NOT CORRECT AND HANDLING HAD NOT IMPROVED AND DECIDED I NEEDED TO RETURN WHEN I HAD TIME OFF FROM WORK TO GET REALIGNED AND RECHECKED. A FEW DAYS LATER WHILE ON MY STREET, PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY I HAD LOST ALL STEERING AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN CONTROL I HEARD A LOUD POP IN OR ABOUT MY STEERING WHEEL AREA AND MY HORN WENT OFF TILL I UNHOOKED THE BATTERY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A 4 X 4 REPAIR SHOP AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING GEAR BOX HAD FAILED AND THE CLOCKWORK SPRING MECHANISM HAD FAILED AS WELL, PROBABLY WHILE TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER VEHICLES AND THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED WITH TECH SPECS ABOUT IT ( REPAIRMAN WAS A FORMER FORD MECHANIC) TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS AND LABOR WAS $1225.39. NOT INCLUDING ORIGINAL $69.95 ALIGNMENT FROM FORD. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND EXPLAINED TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP OF THE INCIDENT AND COST OF REPAIRS...WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY RECORDS OF SUCH INCIDENTS, SERVICE BULLETINS NOR RECALLS, SO THEY WOULD NOT OFFER REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY KIND. I WOULD LIKE FORD TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS INFERIOR PART AND PERFORM A SAFETY RECALL, HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THIS INCIDENT MAY HAVE PROVED TO BE FATAL TO MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND THOSE IN THE LANES AROUND ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10494795

Official recalls

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE13014 · Alleged Loss Of Steering

Opened May 7, 2013 · Closed Jan 31, 2014

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)

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 in EA01-009 and PE13-014. Figure 2 shows the locations of failures resulting from impact related torsional overloading of the sector shaft for the subject vehicles and the prior generation Ford Super Duty trucks investigated in EA01-009.Figure 3 shows an example of a failed sector shaft investigated in EA01-009 and comparisons of fracture surfaces of sector shafts failing from fatigue loading and from torsional overload.Ford provided field return part analysis of failed steering gears from MY 2005 through 2009 Super Duty trucks found evidence of broken sector shaft gear teeth and piston damage consistent with incidents of single event overload (Figure 4).Laboratory analysis found no evidence of fatigue or material property defects in any of the fractures.Analysis of complaint rates by vehicle build month showed no patterns indicating potential manufacturing quality issues and no difference before and after Ford introduced design changes to the input shaft and sector shaft seals in July 2007 to address potential leak concerns (Figure 5).Analysis of failures by time in service indicates a random failure pattern/distribution, consistent with incidents of impact induced overload (Figure 6). The complaint rate for the subject vehicles after approximately 5 to 6 years, 7.1 incidents per 100,000 vehicles, is lower than the rate observed in EA01-009. Furthermore, similar to the condition investigated in EA01-009, a number of incident records include evidence of impact loads (e.g., curb strikes) and several alleged crashes include incidents in which information suggests that the steering gear failure was most likely a result of crash forces, rather than the cause of the crash.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at ww

Additional source detail variants (2)

Steering

Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)