YearToAvoid

2012 Ford F-250 Engine Problems

Owners filed 63 engine complaints for the 2012 Ford F-250, 20% of all complaints for the year. NHTSA lists no related recalls for this engine issue. Median mileage at failure was 50,000, and many reports describe sudden stalling with a 'stop safely now' warning.

Engine complaints
63
20% of 323
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
50,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine stalls suddenly at highway speed, sometimes triggering a 'stop safely now' warning message on the instrument panel.
  • Vehicle loses power and drops speed unexpectedly while driving, in some cases dropping from around 65 mph down to 30 mph with the check engine light on.
  • Owners report the EGT exhaust sensor failing and causing stalling, with the problem sometimes recurring after dealer repair.
  • Some drivers describe the engine stalling at low speed for a few seconds, which they say is dangerous when merging into traffic.
  • A few complaints mention smoke or fire coming from the engine area, including one incident where flames were seen shooting from under the vehicle.

When 2012 Ford F-250 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 16, 2011, latest Jul 23, 2025.

2012 Ford F-250 engine complaints: complaints filed per month6Dec 2011Jan 2014Nov 2014May 2015Feb 2016Aug 2017Feb 2021Jun 2024
63 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2011 to Jul 2025; peak Nov 2014 (6).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Ford F-250

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by F-250 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201023 (22%)
  2. 201168 (18%)
  3. 201263 (20%)
  4. 201322 (19%)
  5. 201421 (13%)
  6. 201549 (17%)
  7. 201635 (12%)
  8. 201751 (4%)
  9. 201818 (5%)
  10. 201936 (3%)
  11. 202033 (13%)
  12. 202115 (9%)
  13. 202222 (18%)
  14. 202312 (28%)
  15. 20244 (11%)
  16. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Ford F-250?
NHTSA lists 63 engine complaints for the 2012 Ford F-250, which is 20% of all 323 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Ford F-250 engine problems?
No. NHTSA does not list any related recalls tied to this engine complaint area for the 2012 Ford F-250.
At what mileage do 2012 Ford F-250 engine problems typically occur?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this engine issue is 50,000 miles, though individual complaints span a wide range of mileages.
What do owners say happens when the engine problem occurs?
Owners commonly report sudden stalling, a 'stop safely now' warning message, and in some cases a drop in speed or loss of power steering and brakes.
Were there any crashes or fires linked to these engine complaints?
Among the 63 engine complaints, NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 2 fires reported, along with 1 injury.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.