Ford F-250 F-350 death wobble lawsuit Paused Pending Appeal Over Warranty Claims

The “death wobble” is a phenomenon that causes severe, terrifying shaking through the steering wheel and suspension, and Ford has been facing an ongoing class-action lawsuit over the issue in its heavy-duty pickups. Unfortunately for the 13 plaintiffs, the Ford F-250 F-350 death wobble lawsuit has been put on hold until the results of an appeal by the automaker are released by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2019 and alleges that Ford knowingly sold trucks with suspension and steering defects. The sudden, violent shaking has led to over 1,200 complaints to the NHTSA and 12 reported crashes.

screenshot — 2017 Ford Super Duty — Source: Ford

Here is a look at the technical cause of the wobble and the legal reasons for the current delay.

What Causes the Death Wobble?

The “death wobble” is a problem closely associated with vehicles that have a solid front axle, such as the Ford Super Duty series. The violent shaking typically surfaces when the pickup is traveling at over 50 mph and hits a groove or bump in the road.

The wobble is often described as a self-sustaining resonance in the solid front axle system, requiring a sudden speed reduction to stop the vibration.

The Legal Delay and Ford’s Appeal

The current delay in the Ford F-250 F-350 death wobble lawsuit stems from Ford’s petition to appeal a ruling regarding implied warranty claims.

Implied Warranty Claims: Ford argues that the judge was incorrect in finding that common issues predominated over implied warranty claims for the states of Maine and South Carolina. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted Ford permission to appeal this key ruling.
Class Certification: The legal team is also challenging the logic of replacing a class representative from Maine with a customer from South Carolina, arguing that a representative must be part of the class certified for a specific state.

The oral arguments for the appeal are scheduled to begin this month (December 2025). No further actions in the class action are permitted until the appeals court releases its decision, prolonging the frustrating wait for affected customers who seek a compensation or a permanent solution to the safety defect.

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