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Ford F-350 SDModel year report

2010 Ford F-350 SD Problems

Compared with other Ford F-350 SD years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

8/100 0.4× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
50filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
70,000miles, 39 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2010 Ford F-350 SD (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a violent front-end shake, often called death wobble, that follows bumps, expansion joints or highway speeds, and is sometimes described as coming on without warning. Cracked rims, tire tread or belt separation, engine stalls while driving, and exhaust smoke are also reported. Where mileage is listed, the shaking reports range from about 20,000 to about 135,000 miles.

  1. Steering

    Front-end shake or death wobble

    • 25 complaints (50%)
    • median 77,227 mi at 9.7 yrs old (18 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2023

    Owners describe a violent front-end shake, often called death wobble, that starts after a bump, expansion joint or bridge and can shake the steering wheel and cab. Some report having to slow to a low speed, sometimes 5 to 30 mph, before the shaking stops. According to complaints, the manufacturer reportedly said there were no reports or that the vehicle was out of warranty, and repeated repairs did not always stop the shaking. Where mileage is listed, the reports range from about 20,000 to about 135,000 miles, and many describe it after bumps or at highway speeds.

    What to check: On a test drive, drive over an expansion joint or rough patch at highway speed and watch for front-end shake through the steering wheel. Ask for repair records for steering, suspension and shock work, and whether the shaking was ever diagnosed rather than only treated by replacing parts.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving our Ford super duty f 350 on numerous occasions , ifour front tries or tire hit a bump we loose control of our truck it shakes very violently until we show down and are able to pull over. We have had the front end replaced, also replaced damper and shocks. This has not stopped the issue, at this point we will not put our family in danger by riding in this vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #11231471, filed 2019-07, 124,000 miles

    “I have what the Ford dealerships and master mechanics call the Ford death wobble . Type or surface of road makes no difference, nor does speed. Hitting a bump, or expansion joint on the highway or bridge causes the front end of the truck to shake so vilently I have to slam on breaks and come to a complete stop to bring the truck back under control. I have no photos however, social media, utube, etc. Has an overwhelming amount of videos on this problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10950093, filed 2017-02, 126,000 miles
  2. Wheels

    Cracked rims or tire tread separation

    • 8 complaints (16%)
    • median 28,161 mi at 2.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2010–2018

    Owners describe cracks in the rim, including a crack running parallel to the bead. Tire failures described include tread or belt separation, and tires that exploded or blew out at highway speed. According to complaints, the dealer sometimes found no known fault with the rim or attributed the crack to an impact, and the manufacturer was reported to have said there were not enough complaints for a bulletin or recall. Reported mileage ranges from about 100 miles, on tires that wore out early, to about 115,000 miles.

    What to check: Inspect each wheel for cracks, especially along the bead and inside the rim, and check the tires for uneven wear or separation. Ask for records of any rim or tire replacement and whether a cause was documented.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have now found the 2nd rim in 3 weeks with a crack in the rim. After looking online I have found several forums with numerous people stating they've had the same issue. Upon calling Ford several were told they dont have enough complaints to create a service bulletin or a recall the 1 forum alone had over 100 pages of people complaining about cracked rims on their f350 2006-2010 models”

    NHTSA complaint #10929853, filed 2016-12, 115,000 miles

    “The front drivers side rim has an approximate 5 crack that runs parallel to the bead between spokes. The crack is visible from the outside and inside of the rim. Rims are original from purchase of vehicle. Truck has less than 33,000 miles and rim shows no other faults (ie out of round, dents etc.) I took the vehicle to the local dealership. They stated there were no know defects. After reviewing several sites and instances online, I am hopeful that NHTSA will do some research into this all to common problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #10522760, filed 2013-07, 32,423 miles
  3. Engine

    Engine stalling or shutdown while driving

    Mentioned in 4 of 47 sampled complaints

    Owners describe the engine stalling or shutting down while driving, sometimes with the check engine light and a range warning lamp on. In some reports the dealer diagnosed a faulty exhaust fuel temperature sensor or fuel system parts such as injectors, and the vehicle was not repaired at the time of the complaint. Where mileage is listed, the stalls are at about 15,900 and 67,000 miles, and the speeds described are about 20 and 70 mph.

    What to check: Ask the seller for any stored fault codes and whether the exhaust fuel temperature sensor, injectors or fuel system have been serviced. On a test drive, check that the check engine and range warning lamps stay off and that the engine runs steadily at highway speed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Submission from constituent re issues with Ford f-350 truck (full document not imaged). The dealer had the consumers vehicle for 12 days. The vehicle was returned to him damaged. When he attempted to start the truck, there was metallic engine rattle. He shut the truck off and inspected the engine, but found no problem. As the consumer drove home, the truck stalled several times, the transmission would not shift properly and the steering wheel started to shake violently at 30 MPH. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10652253, filed 2014-11

    “Went out camping. Went driving down road and truck shut down. Had to have someone bring us an alternator because the closet place to get one was in minnesota. We live in utah.”

    NHTSA complaint #10721177, filed 2015-05
  4. Engine

    Exhaust smoke or cracked exhaust manifold

    • 5 complaints (10%)
    • median 29,850 mi at 2.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2012–2021

    Owners describe heavy exhaust smoke, including white smoke under acceleration, black smoke with the clean exhaust warning light on, and smoke during diesel regeneration. According to complaints, the manufacturer provided no assistance in some reports, and cracked exhaust manifolds are also mentioned. Where mileage is listed, reports range from about 6,000 to 76,000 miles, and smoke is described during regeneration, under acceleration, or at around 30 mph.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Watch for exhaust smoke on a test drive under light and heavy acceleration. Ask for the regeneration and emissions service history, and any exhaust manifold or sensor repairs.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The truck has begun blowing white smoke while under acceleration. This is a very blinding smoke. I have found numerous other truck owners with the same 6.4 l diesel engine experiencing the same issue. Ford has not offered a fix for this and say it is doing no damage to the engine. It has caused me to be pulled over by the police as it is that severe. I would like the truck fixed, a new exhaust system which works or I want Ford to buy the truck back for what I have in the vehicle. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10446597, filed 2012-02, 29,850 miles

    “The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-350 SD. The contact stated that while traveling 30 MPH, the clean exhaust warning light illuminated as black smoke was emitted from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was able to be driven to the dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the issue. The failure mileage was 9,500 and the current mileage was 14,000. ...updated 12/17/12”

    NHTSA complaint #10483501, filed 2012-11, 9,500 miles

Buying note. Buyers considering this model year may want to test for front-end shake over bumps and at highway speed, and ask for records of steering, suspension and wheel repairs. Checking the rims and tires for cracks or separation is also a practical step.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 47 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.

NHTSA recorded 50 consumer complaints for the 2010 Ford F-350 SD. 39 of the complaints include a mileage, and 41% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 70,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 43 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 12 Ford F-350 SD model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 8 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Other or unknown (2), Air bags (1), Brakes (1), Electronic stability control (1), Equipment (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Body and structure (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1).

Example complaints

Suspension: “Two to three weeks ago while driving on the highway in my Ford f350 srw, $wd, crew cab truck I went over a bridge. Went I came off the bridge and went over a little bump my vehicle started shaking uncontrollably. First I was yanked to the left and then I was able to steer it to the right. I could not control the vehicle until I was in the breakdown lane. I was almost struck by two tractor trailers who, by the grace of god where paying attention and braked before colliding with me! The shaking was so violent that my arms hurt for two days after. …”

NHTSA complaint #11348979, filed 2020-08, 135,426 miles

Steering: “2010 fordf350 super duty, 127,000 miles. I have the dreaded Ford death wobble , I've contacted Ford all the way to corporate. Ford's response is we're not aware if any issues, and there is no recall on your vehicle. My wife won't ride in the car, that's how coolant the shake is. I've contacted Ford both in writing and verbally, there answer is out of warranty, your problem mn. They are aware if the problem as it is all over the internet. Their answer is you can't believe the internet. I guess they'll take ownership when someone is killed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10969398, filed 2017-03, 125,000 miles

Wheels: “Loss of control when driving on bumpy section of freeway, due to extreme shaking of front end. It seem to amplify in the severity and violence of the shaking until I was able to slow the truck to under 10 miles an hour on the shoulder of the road to regain control. I have had the truck in shop at the dealer 3 to 4 times for repair for this recurring problem. The Ford service technician admitted that this was a common problem for this make and model but that neither Ford or the dealer would take responsibility for the repair. …”

NHTSA complaint #10763032, filed 2015-09, 37,000 miles

Engine: “The contact owns a 2010 Ford F-350 SD. While the vehicle was parked and turned off, the engine compartment caught fire without warning. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10939476, filed 2017-01, 102,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

41% of the 39 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 23,900 and 100,700 miles.

18%0–1010%10–2513%25–5015%50–7515%75–10028%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (39 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 70,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’117’13’15’17’19’21’23
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2010 Ford F-350 SD → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 43 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 43 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ford F-350 SD

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20268—7———Too new
2025142,0507———Too new
20244514,0003——Too new to compareToo new
2023419,50015——50 · TypicalToo new
202211350,00017——66 · MoreRising
20219889,54514——51 · TypicalRising
202018959,00015——78 · MoreRising
201946721,00011——100 · MoreFalling
201820525,0009——88 · MoreFalling
201757526,00013——100 · MoreFalling
201620948,3003——39 · TypicalFalling
201520855,0003——35 · FewerFalling
2014740,0004———Not enough data
2013926,0009———Not enough data
20122936,0009——0 · FewerRising
20114343,1007——0 · FewerRising
20105070,0006——8 · FewerFalling
20091914,7754———Stable
200810139,7500——2 · FewerFalling
20072536,2751——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200612738,0001——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200521744,9003——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200413075,4782——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200313245,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200212463,5253——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200115858,2952——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200015779,2002——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199914295,5002——Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Ford F-350 SD model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford F-350 SD?

Owners of this model year most often describe a violent front-end shake, often called death wobble, that follows bumps, expansion joints or highway speeds, and is sometimes described as coming on without warning. The issues reported most often: Front-end shake or death wobble; Cracked rims or tire tread separation; Engine stalling or shutdown while driving.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2010 Ford F-350 SD have?

NHTSA recorded 50 consumer complaints for the 2010 Ford F-350 SD as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2010 Ford F-350 SD is reported most often?

Suspension is named most often, in 18 complaints (36% of the total), followed by steering with 17.

Has the 2010 Ford F-350 SD been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2010 Ford F-350 SD reported?

Among the 39 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 70,000 miles and the middle half falls between 23,900 and 100,700 miles; 41% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.