Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Ford F-350 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving at 55-60 MPH on cruise control, the vehicle hit a bump and started shuddering uncontrollably, causing the steering wheel to shudder as well. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that as he was losing control of the vehicle, he depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle stopped shuddering. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The contact stated that the vehicle was not yet diagnosed; however, the dealer replaced the steering bar. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving at 50-65 MPH, and sometimes at slower speeds. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who replaced the reductant heater however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the first repair was covered under Manufacturer Communication Number: 10137151 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who determined the same failure had occurred and a similar repair needed to be completed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the fix was not covered under warranty. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence and a friend diagnosed the vehicle. The contact was informed that the CP4 pump, hard lines, and injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 262,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the message "Loss of Engine Power" was displayed before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and DTC: P0087, P2291, and P2A00 were retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,843.
Exhaust manifold stud broke causing leak in exhaust manifold. See NHTSA Notice SSM 50330 for a full description of the problem. This notice covered ALL Super Duty pickups from the F250 through the F550 from 2011 through 2014. Ford also noted the problem in a Customer Satisfaction Program letter, #17M05, dated 5 December 2017 but it was limited to the F450 and F550 models. My vehicle is an F350 ... Nevertheless, these models all use the SAME 6.7L diesel engine and would have the potential for the same issue. I have contacted Ford HQ about this. Theystate I must go through NHTSA at this point. My Ford Case File Number is CAS44584909. It may be just me, but I consider an exhaust leak under the hood to be a life-safety issue due to the potential for exhaust gases, especially CO, to leak into the cab of the vehicle. …
Summary: We purchased a brand new 60000 dollar truck in 2012 or 2013 and was assured by the dealer that it had a warranty to cover any issues until either 100,000 miles or 5-6 years, whichever came first. After 4 years of ownership and around 67,000 miles, the truck started experiencing problems with a high idle and then abruptly shutting off. When taken to the dealer, they couldn't replicate the issues during a brief evaluation. However, a week later, while on the way to the bank, to get cash out for are stay at the hospital to give birth to are 6th child the truck shut off and wouldn't start again. The dealer diagnosed the problem as a faulty high-pressure fuel pump due to water in the fuel and tried to charge the author $15,000 for repairs. …
We have a 2012 Ford F30 Diesel and We are having issues with one of the Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensors (Bank 1 Sensor 3) which would have been covered under Ford's Recall Campaign# 15M02. However, since our vehicle is 11 years and 9 mo old, they are declining coverage as the campaign is limited to 11 years.
We have been maintaining our vehicle and had no warning lights at the time our truck died . At the time of the incident it had oil and water. We were driving on the florida turnpike at full speed when suddenly, the truck started shuddering, and then it completely lost power. A cloud of blue-white smoke came out of the back of our truck. We were lucky to be able to get off of the turnpike to a safe place. We could have been killed. The mechanic has determined that the engine is locked up and can't be fixed. Our truck only has 134,000 miles - it should not have blown up like this.
The "cold air tube/hose" for the turbo catastrophically ruptured and blew pieces and oil across the top of the engine. Maik haik Ford in pasadena texas said they see this failure occur about 2 times per month for my make, model, and year vehicle. My truck is only 6 years old. The delaership had 11 replacement hoses in stock. Ford appears to have since redesigned the part, but has not issued a recall or TSB to warn customers of this defective/poorrly designed tube. When I tried to file a claim with Ford the corporate warranty rep literally laughed after I told him that I was glad my head not under the hood at the time of failure. This was not an appropriate or professional response. Ford did not cover any of the material or labor. At the time of failure I was travelling about 30 MPH on a freeway. At first I thought I blew a tire due to the very loud noise. …
I was 300 miles from home for work for a week. On day 1, while driving on a residential street, I suddenly got a message on the dash that stated "stop safely now". Seconds later, as I was pulling over by the curb, the truck shut itself down and would not start back up. I had to rent a vehicle (being away from home). On day 3, I tried again and it started. I drove it a block away to the place I was staying. Entering the parking lot, I got the message and it shut down again just as fast. At this point I had to arrange transport of my truck back home. $650 and 3 days later, I finally got it home. Started it, ran for a few minutes parked so tried to drive it. Made it about 1000 feet when it shut down again and left me stranded on the highway. Each time it shut itself down, I had to wait a minimum of 1 hour before it would restart. …
Related recalls
Engine
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 F-350/450/550 Ambulance Package vehicles manufactured February 22, 2010, through October 19, 2012 and equipped with a 6.7L diesel engine. Due to an exhaust sensor problem, the vehicles may experience loss of power followed by an engine stall.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the exhaust gas temperature sensor, free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2013.
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Manning Equipment Inc. LLC (Manning) is recalling certain model year 2012 Ford F-350, F-450 and F-550 gasoline engined dual rear wheel chassis vehicles manufactured October 2011 through June 2012.
Remedy: Manning Equipment has notified owners, and dealers will install tailpipe extensions free of charge. The recall has already begun. Owners may contact Manning Equipment at 1-502-426-5210.
Engine complaints in other F-350 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2012 Ford F-350?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2012 Ford F-350, 22% of the model year's 149 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Ford F-350 engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 13V-535 (engine, Oct 30, 2013); NHTSA recall 13V-380 (manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe, Aug 23, 2013). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2012 Ford F-350 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.