2017 Ford F-250 SD Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a violent front-end shake — commonly called "death wobble" — that starts after hitting a bump, pothole or bridge joint at highway speed and only subsides after slowing sharply. Complaints concentrate at low mileage, with many trucks still under warranty, and repeat visits to the dealer often involve steering damper replacements. Scattered reports also cover engine and fuel-system faults, camera problems and unintended tailgate opening.

1. 1
   Steering

   Highway-speed front-end shake ("death wobble")

   • 829 complaints (72%)
   • median 28,000 mi at 3.0 yrs old (691 state mileage)
   • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 17 quotes)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe the steering wheel and front end shaking violently after a bump, expansion joint or rough pavement, usually above 50 mph, with the truck pulling or drifting out of its lane until speed drops well down. Many say the dealer replaced the steering damper or stabilizer, sometimes more than once, and that the shake returned; others were told the parts were on backorder or that no fault could be found. Some repairs also involved the track bar, tie rod ends or an alignment. Nearly all reported between roughly 6,000 and 60,000 miles, frequently in the first years of ownership and on highway trips.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the steering damper or linkage parts have been replaced and with what, and test drive over bridge joints and rough pavement at highway speed. A service bulletin for this vehicle covers steering linkage damper replacement for sustained wheel oscillation.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The truck has only 30k miles on it and last week while driving it on the freeway it suddenly developed a violent shaking at speeds over 60mph. Only by braking and pulling over to the shoulder were we able to stop the shaking. We are trying to work with our local Ford dealership-they think it's a problem with the steering dampner and the track bar.”

   NHTSA complaint #11402676, filed 2021-03, 30,000 miles

   “On 1/21/2020 I was driving highway speeds on sh225, went under bw8, and the truck began shaking uncontrollably. It felt as if the entire truck was going to shake apart. I was almost in a wreck because the truck would not stop shaking and the steering was impacted. The dash, mirrors, seats, and literally everything on and in the truck was violently vibrating and shaking. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11301037, filed 2020-01, 25,000 miles
2. 2
   Suspension

   Loose front end, wander and vibration

   • 119 complaints (10%)
   • median 26,000 mi at 3.1 yrs old (99 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   A second group of complaints describes the truck not tracking straight, wandering between lanes, or showing steady vibration and a pull at speed without always escalating into the full shake. Dealers responded with alignments, tire replacement and inspections of ball joints and drag links; owners often report the fault returned or the cause was never identified. Mostly reported under about 60,000 miles, often shortly after tire rotation or alignment work.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Have a shop inspect ball joints, tie rod ends and the drag link, and check tire wear patterns and alignment history before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am reporting a suspension & steering problem with my 2017 Ford f-250 with 28,000 miles. The tires are in good condition and properly inflated. The vehicle has never been in a collision, had any frame work performed on it and the steering and suspension had been operating acceptably. While driving on a limited access highway at approximately 65 to 70 MPH, the vehicle drove over a moderate bump in the lane. The front suspension and steering began shaking, vibrating and oscillating severely at a high frequency (relatively fast vibration). …”

   NHTSA complaint #11297277, filed 2020-01, 28,000 miles

   “The truck steering vibrate very bad and did not track straight down the road. The truck track in the other lane and close to the ditch back and forth until I slowed down.”

   NHTSA complaint #11324909, filed 2020-05, 54,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine noise and intake manifold faults

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe an abnormal knocking or ticking from the engine compartment that led dealers to diagnose an intake manifold fault, in one case shortly after an oil change. Other reports include sudden loss of motive power with oil on the ground, a cracked fuel line diagnosis and an engine-compartment fire; these are individual reports rather than a pattern. Reported between about 49,000 and 160,000 miles, typically outside the basic warranty.

   Recall 19V278000

   What to check: Listen for ticking or knocking at cold start and during a test drive, check for oil residue underneath, and ask whether any engine-related recall work has been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owned a 2017 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 22 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brake pedal was firm and difficult to depress. The brake pedal was depressed with both feet and the vehicle started slowing down. There was no warning light illuminated. After coming to a complete stop, the contact saw smoke coming from the grill underneath the windshield wipers and the lower windshield. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11719482, filed 2026-02, 190,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal ticking sound emanating from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the intake manifold. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 49,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11574762, filed 2024-02, 49,000 miles

Buying note. The dominant story for this model year is the highway-speed front-end shake, so a thorough test drive over rough pavement and bridge joints at speed matters more than mileage here. Ask for service records on steering damper, linkage and alignment work, and confirm which open recalls and bulletin programs have been completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.