2012 Ford F-550 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other F-550 years
- About as many complaints as other years 4th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford F-550. That ranks 4th out of 14 F-550 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (9 complaints, 69%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 13owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Ford F-550 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 9 | 69% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 15% | 83,316 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 15% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 8% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 8% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 8% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 8% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 8% | 7,706 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 8% | 267,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Ford F-550 recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment
Problem: PJ's Truck Bodies & Equipment Co., (PJ's) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty chassis modified by PJ's and equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a thermal blanket covering the exhaust.
Risk: The leaking oil may soak into the thermal blanket covering the exhaust, which when combined with heat from exhaust, may result in an increased risk of fire.
Fix: PJ's has notified owners and dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that moves the switch away from the exhaust system, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2014. Owners may contact PJ's customer service at 1-866-475-8782.
Fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly:mounting
Problem: Almared, Inc., dba A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems, is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-550 transit buses manufactured May 2011 through April 2013, altered to operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). In the affected vehicles, the brackets securing the passenger side CNG fuel tank may break.
Risk: If the brackets break, the CNG tank may separate from the vehicle frame increasing the risk of a crash or possible fire.
Fix: Almared, Inc. has notified owners and all affected vehicles have been remedied, free of charge. Owners may contact Almared at 1-559-485-4427.
Engine
Problem: 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.
Risk: An unexpected engine stall increases the risk of a crash. Additionally, if this were to occur when the ambulance is transporting a patient, there is an increased risk of injury to the patient.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the exhaust gas temperature sensor, free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S10.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Problem: 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. The tailpipe on the exhaust system does not extend out beyond the edge of the body, allowing heat to build up in rear curbside storage compartment.
Risk: Excessive heat build up in rear compartment could result in fire.
Fix: 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.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: 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, âtheft protection.â 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle Commanded Engine Shutdown (RQ14005) — opened Jan 13, 2015, closed Mar 15, 2016, led to recall 15V175000.
- CNG Fuel Container Securement (PE13038) — opened Nov 15, 2013, closed Mar 9, 2014, led to recall 14V040000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-550 chassis with an Earth Roamer RV. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the turbocharger needle on the instrument cluster fell to zero. The…
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-550. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact made multiple attempts to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle repeatedly failed to start up. Due to the failure, the contact called the dealer…
While driving vehicle on trail it was noticed that smoke and fire were coming from the undercarriage. Driver attempted to put the fire out with the vehicle supplied fire extinguisher. After the extinguisher ran out the vehicle fire accelerated and totally engulfed the vehicle.*dt*jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford f-550. While the contact was hauling sand and reground gravel up a hill, the emergency brake was engaged and the gear shifter was placed into park. The engine was running and the contact exited the vehicle. When the contact re-entered the vehicle, shifted gears, and…
I have only used the truck for five months and have had several business interruptions and issues with the truck from the gas tank leaking, problems with the brakes and the box hoist that would not raise. I have had the box hoist fixed multiple times but the weld keeps breaking. I am sure ford…
Other Ford F-550 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 F-550 | 17 | 2 |
| 2019 F-550 | 14 | 4 |
| 2018 F-550 | 8 | 10 |
| 2017 F-550 | 14 | 5 |
| 2016 F-550 | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 F-550 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 F-550 | 2 | 1 |
| 2013 F-550 | 6 | 1 |
| 2012 | 13 | 5 |
| 2011 F-550 | 12 | 5 |
| 2010 F-550 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 F-550 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 F-550 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 F-550 | 0 | 1 |
See all Ford F-550 problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford F-550?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, service brakes problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 9 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Ford F-550?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Ford F-550 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-550 model years, the 2012 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.