2018 FORD F-350 Wheels Problems

Ongoing problem originally reported 4/12/18, NHTSA ID 11084859. Originally reported failure of one aluminum wheel/valve stem causing loss of air pressure. Since then, all four outer aluminum wheels/valve stems have been subject to ongoing air loss. Ford has replaced all the valve stems because of air loss/leaking 3 times! They have also replaced all four outer aluminum wheels because of air loss/leaking. Truck is out of warranty now and I have had an independent tire seal leaking valve stems on multiple occasions and add air to tires frequently because of this ongoing SAFETY PROBLEM.

Driving at normal highway speed while going over a bridge on highway 290 Worcester, mA the vehicle went over the metal plate that connects the bridge to the road, the front end of the vehicle started to shake. Slowly at first and quickly becoming uncontrollable. The vehicle would not stop violently shaking until I brought the truck to an almost complete stop on an extremely congested highway two days before Christmas at noon time. Many vehicles around me at the time swerved to avoid hitting me, just avoiding accidentally striking my almost completely stopped vehicle in the fast lane of the highway. My confidence in the vehicle has dropped to zero and will not allow my wife or two junior operators to drive that vehicle on the highway anymore until the vehicle problem has been corrected.

Lug Nuts "swell" up and are not easy to remove. I have not had a flat on the side of the road, yet, but I can forsee huge problems trying to remove these Swollen Lug Nuts in a bad situation. Contacted Ford Service since I have an extended warranty, but they would not cover giving me replacement Lug Nuts. Bad Design + Bad Service policy = Stranded Customer in Bad Situation

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving 60-65 MPH, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact stated that air was added; however, the failure reoccurred shortly after. The contact became aware that the TPMS warning light would frequently illuminate shortly after adding air to the tires. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was corrosion between the rim and the valve stem, and that the valve stem was no longer sealed. The independent mechanic replaced the metallic valve stem with a rubber valve stem; however, the failure had been reoccurring on 5 of the 6 rims. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that they did not have the equipment to repair the vehicle. The contact notified a second dealer; San Tan Ford (1429 E Motorplex Loop, Gilbert, AZ 85297) who informed the contact that the vehicle would be repaired at his own expense. An appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,800.

Mileage: 35,800

I CONSTANTLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES GOING FLAT BECAUSE OF LEAKING VALVE STEMS I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE ABOUT 6 TIMES IN 18000 MILES THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED THE VALVE STEMS BECAUSE OF CORROSION AND THEY CLAIMED THAT IT IS NOT A PROBLEM BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM

Mileage: 18,000

THE TRUCK HAS DEATH WOBBLE. WHILE IN MOTION AFTER HITTING ANY ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD THE TRUCKS STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY TIL THE OSCILLATION SUBSIDES AFTER REDUCING SPEED BELOW HIGH SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM IS STILL PERSISTING.

Mileage: 47,000

THIS VEHICLE VIOLENTLY SHAKES AFTER HITTING A GROOVED SURFACE OR A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE SHAKING TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF POWER TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK UNDER CONTROL. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

THIS VEHICLE VIOLENTLY SHAKES AFTER HITTING A GROOVED SURFACE OR A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE SHAKING TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF POWER TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK UNDER CONTROL. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

EXTREME CORROSION AROUND THE VALVE STEM CAUSING THE TIRES TO GO FLAT. NOW HAVE THE 7TH FLAT TIRE ON A TRUCK WITH ONLY 15,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

THE ALUMINUM WHEELS ON THIS TRUCK KEEP LOSING AIR PRESSURE DUE TO GALVANIC CORROSION BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM WHEELS AND STAINLESS STEEL VALVE STEMS. PRESTIGE FORD IN GARLAND TEXAS REPLACED DEFECTIVE STEM WITH THE LIKE PART IN JANUARY 2020. I NOW HAVE A SECOND WHEEL WITH THE SAME ISSUE. FORD HAS A CURRENT TSB REGARDING THIS ISSUE BUT HAS TAKEN THE STANCE OF NO REPAIR UNLESS THE STEM FAILS. THIS TRUCK HAULS A 16,000 POUND TRAILER AND A TIRE FAILURE MAY CAUSE LOSE OF CONTROLS WITH INJURY OR DEATH. DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES THE NTHSA SHOULD MAKE THIS A MANDATORY RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURT OR THERE IS A LOSS OF LIFE FROM AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD BE AVOIDED BY FORD DOING THE RIGHT THING.*DT CONSUMER STATED CORROSION IS HAPPENING DUE TO DISSIMILAR METALS CONTACTING WHICH IS KNOWN AS GALVANIC CORROSION.*JB

Mileage: 1

I FIRST HAD A DEATH WOBBLE AT 9000 MILES. I WAS UNSURE OF WHAT HAPPENED, THOUGHT I HIT SOMETHING OR BLEW A TIRE AT 60 MPH. AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR ANOTHER YEAR. AT 15000 MILES IT BECAME MORE AND MORE RECURRING AND I STARTED ASKING AROUND AND HEARD OF THE DEATH WOBBLE. IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF GREATER THAN 50 MPH AND IS SUCH A VIOLENT SHAKE IT MAY PUT YOU INTO ANOTHER LANE. YOU CAN NOT DRIVE THROUGH IT AND MUST SLOW DOWN TO UNDER 25 MPH. THE LAST TIME I HAD TO HIT MY BREAKS ON A FREEWAY WITH A SEMI BEHIND ME GOING 70 MPH AND NEARLY WAS REAR ENDED OR CAUSING A HUGE CRASH. I WAS TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT AND FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A COMPANY VEHICLE TO USE AS MY DAILY COMMUTER. I CONTACTED MY DEALER AND THEY HEARD OF IT AND SCHEDULED AND ORDERED PARTS FOR THE REPAIR. I SINCE HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED ON A BRAND NEW TRUCK WITH 16000 MILES. THEY INFORMED ME THIS SHOULD FIX IT BY REPLACING THE STABILIZER. REALLY? HOW DID IT WEAR OUT SO QUICKLY, I FEEL THIS IS A BIGGER PROBLEM AND THIS IS ONLY A SIMPLE FIX TO THE SITUATION TO GET ME ANOTHER 10000 MILES. DONT HIT ANY ROUGH BUMPS OR IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU WAS MY WORRY AND BEING REAR ENDED OR THROWN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

Mileage: 9,000

I NOTICED THE STEERING WAS GETTING SLOPPY AT ABOUT 35,000 MILES WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES AND GOING OVER BRIDGE JOINTS. TWO NIGHTS AGO I WAS DRIVING AT 57MPH WHEN I CAME OFF A BRIDGE AND THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY CAUSING ME TO SLOW DOWN QUICKLY AND PULL TO THE ROAD SHOULDER TO AVOID BEING REAR ENDED. AT ABOUT 30MPH THE SHAKING SUBSIDED. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ON LINE HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE I HAVE A TRUCK INFLICTED WITH 'DEATH WOBBLE'. IT WILL BE GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW.

Mileage: 40,250

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN A STRAIGHT SMOOTH LANE AND OUT OF KNOW WHERE THE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY THIS WAS A SCARY EXPERIENCE I SLOWED DOWN AS QUICKLY AS I COULD TO TRY TO STOP IT BUT IT TOOK A BIT TO STOP SHAKING I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS ANYTHING LIKE THAT

Mileage: 14,650

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE TRUCK WILL START TO SHAKE OTHERWISE KNOW AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME I NEED NEW TIRES AND NEED A NEW STEERING DAMPER PER TSB-19-2392. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE 400.00 FOR THE PART. MY RUCK IS UNDER WARRANTY AND I PURCHASED THE FORD PROTECTION PLAN. THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR US TO DRIVE. IT SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS

Mileage: 25,843

TRUCK SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY IN A 10 MILE RIDE IT WOULD HAPPEN 3-4X AT 70 TO 75MPH HITTING THE SLIGHTEST BUMP, THE TRUCK WOULD VIOLENTLY SHAKE. I WOULD HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO 20 MPH FOR IT TO STOP. VERY DIFFICULT ON A HIGHWAY. VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE A VIDEO TO SUBMIT IT IS VERY HARD TO SHOW SHAKING OFF A TRUCK IN PICTURES. *BF PLEASE SEE ATTACHED VIDEO. I HAVE FILED 6 COMPLAINTS FOR 6 DIFFERENT TRUCKS.*JB

THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH OUR TRUCKS, IT'S A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM THAT IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS. IN A 10 MILE RIDE IT WOULD HAPPEN 3-4X AT 70 TO 75MPH HITTING THE SLIGHTEST BUMP, THE TRUCK WOULD VIOLENTLY SHAKE. I WOULD HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO 20 MPH FOR IT TO STOP. VERY DIFFICULT ON A HIGHWAY.*DT*JB

SPEEDS GREATER THAN 70 MPH AND HITTING SMALL BUMP CAUSES TRUCK FRONT TIRES/DRIVE SUSPENSION TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. ALSO KNOWN AS A DEATH WOBBLE.

Mileage: 14,378

DEATH WOBBLE!!! I HAVE 15,600 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND I CAN'T NOT DRIVE IT DOWN THE ROAD DUE TO THE DEATH WOBBLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 50 AND 80 MPH AND HAS NEARLY SENT ME INTO THE DITCH AND OTHER OTHER VEHICLES

Mileage: 15,600

MY TRUCK HAS THE DEATH WOBBLE.. STARTED AT 15K MILES. FRONT STERRING DAMPENER HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES ALREADY AND GETTING THE 3RD ONE DONE TODAY..TRUCK NOW HAS 36K MILES AND AM GETTING SCARED TO DRIVE HER.. SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD CAUSE THE TRUCK TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY UNTIL I GET TO A COMPLETE STOP...VERY DANGEROUS WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY...ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED ISSUES WITH MY TIRES AS WELL AS OTHER SUSPENSION ISSUES

Mileage: 15,000

FOUR VALVE STEMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOR CORROSION AND LEAKING IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS ON 3 OF MY 6 WHEELS. TENDS TO HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. TIRE IS FINE WHEN PARKED THEN NEXT DAY LITTLE TO NO AIR IN TIRE.

Mileage: 15,000

I OWN A 2018 F 350 DUAL REAR WHEEL PICKUP. I HAVE HAD LEAKING TIRES/RIMS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. MY OWN RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THIS TO BE A CONTINUING PROBLEM AND HAVE HAD THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT RESOLUTION. TWO OF THE TIRES STILL LEAK A LOT AND 2 OF THE TIRES LEAK SLOWER. THE INNER TWO REAR WHEELS DO NOT LEAK LIKELY BECAUSE THEY ARE STEEL RIMS, AND NOT THE ALUMINUM ONES CONNECTED TO A STEEL TPMS SENSOR THAT CAUSES CORROSION.

Mileage: 7,500

DEATH WOBBLE ON FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 75MPH, WENT OVER A SMALL BUMP WHEN GOING OVER AN OVERPASS AND IT WAS SHAKING SO HARD I ALMOST CRASHED WITH MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE TRUCK AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND COMPLETELY STOP BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO STOP , TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 18,000 MILES ON IT. TOOK IT IN TO FORD AND THEY SHOW THE CASTER BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. JUST HAD IT ALIGNED AT A DIFFERENT FORD DEALERSHIP A FEW WEEKS AGO. NOW I'M BEING TOLD I HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE SOME SORT OF BOLTS AND IT'LL TAKE ABOUT 2.5 HOURS TO REPLACE, WHICH MEANS A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS?!

Mileage: 17,900

DRIVER EXPERIENCES WOBBLING OR SHAKING IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (>45 MPH). IT STOPS AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH FORD'S TSB 18-2268.

Mileage: 14,000

RECURRING VALVE STEM LEAKS CAUSING LOW AIR PRESSURE WHILE VEHICLE STATIONARY AND MOVING. FORD DOES NOT HAVE A FIX.

Mileage: 6,400

ALUMINUM WHEEL VALVE STEM LEAKING - TIRE LOOSING APPROXIMATELY 10 PSI PER DAY. TPMS ALARM NOTIFIED ME OF A PROBLEM ON HIGHWAY WHEN PRESSURE REACHED 50 PSIG (SPEC =65) BUT IDENTIFIED THE WRONG TIRE BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE INCORRECTLY MAPPED. APPARENTLY A THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE 2017 AND NEWER FORD F350 DRW TRUCKS AS INDICATED HERE AND IN OTHER ONLINE FORUMS: HTTPS://WWW.FORD-TRUCKS.COM/FORUMS/1495539-2017-DRW-RECURRING-VALVE-STEM-LEAKS.HTML BASED ON THIS I AM EXPECTING LEAKS IN THE OTHER THREE ALUMINUM WHEELS SOON. THE INNER STEEL WHEELS APPARENTLY DO NOT GET THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FREQUENCY OF THIS DEFECT DETRACTS FROM THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TPMS BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS IN ALARM.

Mileage: 2,500