2012 Ford F-250

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford F-250 has 423 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is suspension problems (30% of all complaints), specifically: in jan. 2012 i purchased a ford f-250 rated to tow 14,000 lbs. i traded in a ford f-150 rated at 7,700 lbs. when i hooked my camper to my 2000 f-150 the truck did not sag or squat at all. looking to upgrade, i spoke to several sales people at several different dealerships. i was assured that the f-. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 1 crash report 1 injury

423

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

SUSPENSION

125 complaints

30%

• IN JAN. 2012 I PURCHASED A FORD F-250 RATED TO TOW 14,000 LBS. I TRADED IN A FORD F-150 RATED AT 7,700 LBS. WHEN I HOOKED MY CAMPER TO MY 2000 F-150 THE TRUCK DID NOT SAG OR SQUAT AT ALL. LOOKING TO UPGRADE, I SPOKE TO SEVERAL SALES PEOPLE AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. I WAS ASSURED THAT THE F-
• TRAVELING ON BUMPY ROADS AT 55 TO 60 MPH THE FRONT END WILL START TO SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL I HAD TO BRAKE AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN A DAY AND I TOOK THE TRUCK INTO A FORD DEALER IN MINNESOTA. THIS DEALERSHIP PUT A DAMPENER ON TH
• WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, TRUCK HIT IRREGULARITIES IN THE ROAD. VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. VEHICLE HAD TO BE SLOWED TO 10-15 MPH BEFORE THE SHAKING STOPPED. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY OCCURRED ON THIS INCIDENT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND TRACK BAR ASSY / BUSHING WA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“IN JAN. 2012 I PURCHASED A FORD F-250 RATED TO TOW 14,000 LBS. I TRADED IN A FORD F-150 RATED AT 7,700 LBS. WHEN I HOOKED MY CAMPER TO MY 2000 F-150 THE TRUCK DID NOT SAG OR SQUAT AT ALL. LOOKING TO UPGRADE, I SPOKE TO SEVERAL SALES PEOPLE AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. I WAS ASSURED THAT THE F-”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

112 complaints

26%

• TRAVELING ON BUMPY ROADS AT 55 TO 60 MPH THE FRONT END WILL START TO SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL I HAD TO BRAKE AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN A DAY AND I TOOK THE TRUCK INTO A FORD DEALER IN MINNESOTA. THIS DEALERSHIP PUT A DAMPENER ON TH
• WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, TRUCK HIT IRREGULARITIES IN THE ROAD. VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. VEHICLE HAD TO BE SLOWED TO 10-15 MPH BEFORE THE SHAKING STOPPED. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY OCCURRED ON THIS INCIDENT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND TRACK BAR ASSY / BUSHING WA
• I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HIT A SMALL SEAM IN THE ROAD AT APPROX. 60 MPH AFTER HITTING THE SMALL SEAM MY WHOLE TRUCK BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY TO A POINT WHERE I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. ONCE THIS HAPPENED I BEGAN REDUCING SPEED AND AS THE SPEED WAS REDUCED THE SHAKING WAS REDUCED AS WEL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TRAVELING ON BUMPY ROADS AT 55 TO 60 MPH THE FRONT END WILL START TO SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL I HAD TO BRAKE AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN A DAY AND I TOOK THE TRUCK INTO A FORD DEALER IN MINNESOTA. THIS DEALERSHIP PUT A DAMPENER ON TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

46 complaints

11%

• DRIVING THROUGH A FARM FIELD AND SOMETHING HIT THE OIL PAN AND CRACKED IT WITH A HAIR LINE FRACTURE, 1/8 INCH, AND OIL LEAKING. NO VISABLE DAMAGE OR MARKING UNTIL PULLED FROM TRUCK, EVEN THAN NO MARKS BUT A SLIGHT DENT IN PLASTIC. NO OTHER VISABLE DAMAGE ANYWERE ELSE UNDER TRUCK. ASKED IF ALL OI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS OVERHEATING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND ULTIMATELY STALLE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT MOVED OFF THE ROADWAY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER THIRTY MINUTES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“DRIVING THROUGH A FARM FIELD AND SOMETHING HIT THE OIL PAN AND CRACKED IT WITH A HAIR LINE FRACTURE, 1/8 INCH, AND OIL LEAKING. NO VISABLE DAMAGE OR MARKING UNTIL PULLED FROM TRUCK, EVEN THAN NO MARKS BUT A SLIGHT DENT IN PLASTIC. NO OTHER VISABLE DAMAGE ANYWERE ELSE UNDER TRUCK. ASKED IF ALL OI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

26 complaints

• DRIVING THROUGH A FARM FIELD AND SOMETHING HIT THE OIL PAN AND CRACKED IT WITH A HAIR LINE FRACTURE, 1/8 INCH, AND OIL LEAKING. NO VISABLE DAMAGE OR MARKING UNTIL PULLED FROM TRUCK, EVEN THAN NO MARKS BUT A SLIGHT DENT IN PLASTIC. NO OTHER VISABLE DAMAGE ANYWERE ELSE UNDER TRUCK. ASKED IF ALL OI
• THERE IS NO WAY TO SECURE REAR FACING INFANT CHILD SEAT INTO VEHICLE. NO CLIPS OR RINGS TO ATTACH THE CARRIER TO. SEATBELT ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT. INFANT CARRIER IS EQUIPPED WITH CLIPS ON BOTH SIDES TO ATTACH TO SECURE RINGS AT BASE OF SEAT. MY FORD FOCUS HAS CLIPS FOR THREE REAR FACING SEARS. WHY
• JAN 01 2015 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK 6AM, WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON A MESSAGE READ " PULL OVER NOW SAFELY", I PULL TO THE SIDE ALONG THE FREEWAY THE TRUCK SHUT DOWN. I HAD TO CALL INTO TO WORK TO ADVISE I WON'T BE IN AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A TOW INTO FOLSOM LAKE FORD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

21 complaints

• DRIVING THROUGH A FARM FIELD AND SOMETHING HIT THE OIL PAN AND CRACKED IT WITH A HAIR LINE FRACTURE, 1/8 INCH, AND OIL LEAKING. NO VISABLE DAMAGE OR MARKING UNTIL PULLED FROM TRUCK, EVEN THAN NO MARKS BUT A SLIGHT DENT IN PLASTIC. NO OTHER VISABLE DAMAGE ANYWERE ELSE UNDER TRUCK. ASKED IF ALL OI
• I WAS SAFELY OPERATING MY FORD F 250 ON A CONCRETE BRIDGE IN PINE ISLAND FLORIDA . I WAS TRAVELING @ 63 MPH AND WAS MAKING A SLIGHT LEFT BEND . THE TRUCK CROSSED AN EXPANSION JOINT AND WENT INTO UNCONTROLLABLE VIOLENT OSCILLATION OF SUSPENSION AND STEERING . THE OSCILLATION WAS SUCH THAT THE STEERIN
• RED FLUID FOUND ON GARAGE FLOOR. I TOOK MY TRUCK IN AND FORD COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAK. WITHIN A WEEK LATER I TOOK IT BACK AND SHOWED THEM WHERE IT WAS LEAKING. FORD BROUGHT THE MASTER MECHANIC OVER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS SOMETHING LOOSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE UP HIGH THEY DID NOT TELL ME WHAT IT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 423 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
SUSPENSION: IN JAN. 2012 I PURCHASED A FORD F-250 RATED TO TOW 14,000 LBS. I TRADED IN A FORD F-150 RATED AT 7,700 LBS. WHEN I HOOKED MY CAMPER TO MY 2000 F-150 THE TRUCK DID NOT SAG OR SQUAT AT ALL. LOOKING TO UPGRADE, I SPOKE TO SEVERAL SALES PEOPLE AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. I WAS ASSURED THAT THE F-
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: TRAVELING ON BUMPY ROADS AT 55 TO 60 MPH THE FRONT END WILL START TO SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL I HAD TO BRAKE AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN A DAY AND I TOOK THE TRUCK INTO A FORD DEALER IN MINNESOTA. THIS DEALERSHIP PUT A DAMPENER ON TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: DRIVING THROUGH A FARM FIELD AND SOMETHING HIT THE OIL PAN AND CRACKED IT WITH A HAIR LINE FRACTURE, 1/8 INCH, AND OIL LEAKING. NO VISABLE DAMAGE OR MARKING UNTIL PULLED FROM TRUCK, EVEN THAN NO MARKS BUT A SLIGHT DENT IN PLASTIC. NO OTHER VISABLE DAMAGE ANYWERE ELSE UNDER TRUCK. ASKED IF ALL OI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: DRIVING THROUGH A FARM FIELD AND SOMETHING HIT THE OIL PAN AND CRACKED IT WITH A HAIR LINE FRACTURE, 1/8 INCH, AND OIL LEAKING. NO VISABLE DAMAGE OR MARKING UNTIL PULLED FROM TRUCK, EVEN THAN NO MARKS BUT A SLIGHT DENT IN PLASTIC. NO OTHER VISABLE DAMAGE ANYWERE ELSE UNDER TRUCK. ASKED IF ALL OI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)