Is the 2012 Ford F-250 reliable?

The 2012 Ford F-250 has 423 complaints filed with NHTSA (1.1x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: below-average. Most common issue: SUSPENSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2012 Ford F-250?

Top problems: SUSPENSION (125 complaints, avg repair $500); STEERING (112 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (46 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2012 Ford F-250?

Yes, there are 1 recall(s): POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to insure a 2012 Ford F-250?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2012 Ford F-250 is approximately $1,478/year (sedan-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2012 Ford F-250

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford F-250 has 423 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.1x the segment average of 384. 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-. There is 1 recall issued for this model year. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 1 crash report 1 injury

423

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

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

When Problems Appear on the 2012 Ford F-250

Based on 311 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 78K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 100-150K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

FUEL SYSTEM

Earlier than typicalmedian 80K mi · 17 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

WHEELS

Earlier than typicalmedian 109K mi · 13 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

Earlier than typicalmedian 83K mi · 12 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

Earlier than typicalmedian 31K mi · 10 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ENGINE

Earlier than typicalmedian 43K mi · 38 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

Reported earliermedian 98K mi · 12 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (1)

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION08/12/2011

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 F-150 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 9, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 F-250, F-350, F-450 AND F-550 HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 12, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2011. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 114, THEFT PROTECTION. THE TRANSMISSION CAN BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL DUE TO BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK SWITCH PROBLEM.

Risk: THIS WILL ALLOW THE OPERATOR TO INADVERTENTLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR INJURY TO A NEARBY PEDESTRIAN.

Fix: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK SWITCH FUNCTION AND REPLACE THE SWITCH IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2012 Ford F-250

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,478

Full coverage / month

$123

Liability only / year

$611

vs US avg

-12%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age0.92x

= Full coverage estimate$1478

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford F-250 Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2012 F-250, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

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
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 1 recall have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)