2012 Ford E-350 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
60/100
#7 most-complained of 16 E-350 years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2012 Ford E-350 has a Complaint Index of 60 with 16 complaints and 12 recalls, ranking 7th worst of 16 model years with a Caution verdict. Engine and transmission issues each make up 25% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 16
- Recalls
- 12
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 12.5
- 10.5 city / 14.5 hwy
Top 2012 Ford E-350 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine4 (25%)
- Transmission & Powertrain4 (25%)
- Other3 (19%)
- Brakes2 (13%)
- Electrical System2 (13%)
- Fuel System2 (13%)
- Steering2 (13%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (13%)
What owners report
- Engine stalls or dies suddenly at low speed, sometimes with loss of steering and brake boost.
- Vehicle fails to accelerate past 40 mph, including during highway driving in high winds.
- Transmission planetary gears fail, causing sudden loss of power and shutdown while driving at highway speed.
- Vehicle drifts to the right on its own at highway speed, unresolved by dealer adjustments.
- Electrical faults include loss of high beam headlights and rear view monitor malfunctions.
- Original tires separate from the wheel well below 20,000 miles despite proper maintenance.
2012 Ford E-350 recalls
12 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V350000May 24, 2016Other2 vehicles
Equipment adaptive/mobility
New England Wheels (New England) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-250, E-350, and 2015 Ford Transit vans equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts by Ricon. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk: If the platform side plates crack or the platform mounting fails from out-of-position bearings, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the vehicle's doors are opened, the platform may fall onto the lift operator, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: New England will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2016. Owners may contact New England customer service at 1-800-886-9247. New England's number for this recall is 16E-020.
- NHTSA 15V779000Nov 20, 2015Other278 vehicles
Equipment adaptive/mobility
New England Wheels is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-250, and E-350 cargo vans modified to be equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts built by the Ricon Corporation. The affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk: If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.
Remedy: New England Wheels will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on January 5, 2016. Owners may contact New England Wheels customer service at 1-800-866-9247, or Ricon Customer Service at 1-800-322-2884. New England Wheels' number for this recall is 15E-068. Note: These vans and wheelchair lifts were subject to a similar recall in 2014. All vehicles that received that recall remedy are still affected by this recall as well.
- NHTSA 15V763000Nov 17, 2015Other285 vehicles
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Mobility Specialists, Inc. (Mobility Specialists) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-250, and E-350 vehicles modified to be equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk: If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator. Additionally, if the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.
Remedy: Mobility Specialists will notify owners to take their vehicles to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on November 13, 2015. Owners may contact Mobility Specialists customer service at 1-877-777-5438, or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884.
2012 Ford E-350 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 10.5 MPG
- Highway
- 14.5 MPG
- Combined
- 12.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $5,200
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other E-350 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Ford E-350 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 16 complaints and 12 recalls for the 2012 E-350, giving it a Complaint Index of 60 and a Caution verdict relative to other E-350 model years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford E-350?
- Engine and Transmission & Powertrain issues each account for 25% of complaints, followed by Brakes, Electrical System, Fuel System, Steering, and Suspension issues at 13% each.
- Does the 2012 Ford E-350 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 12 recalls for the 2012 E-350, mostly involving Ricon wheelchair lift installations on modified vans, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2012 E-350 compare to other years?
- Among 16 model years, the 2012 E-350 ranks 7th worst with a Complaint Index of 60, better than 2010, 2011, 2021, and 2022, which carry Avoid verdicts.
- At what mileage do 2012 E-350 problems typically occur?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported complaints is 69,750 miles, though engine complaints show a higher median of 80,543 miles.