Should I buy a 2011 Ford F-350 with documented engine problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented engine issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2011 Ford F-350 engine problems

moderate Owners of the 2011 Ford F-350 have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 62,363 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →

Failure mileage

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$3,100

engine complaints on the Ford F-350, by model year
Model year	engine complaints
2007 F-350	5
2008 F-350	67
2009 F-350	6
2010 F-350	6
2011 F-350 (this page)	12
2012 F-350	36
2013 F-350	15
2014 F-350	7
2015 F-350	25

When does it fail?

Of the 12 engine complaints filed for the 2011 Ford F-350, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 125,000-150,000 mi.

0-25k

0 (0%)

25-50k

0 (0%)

50-75k

0 (0%)

75-100k

0 (0%)

100-125k

0 (0%)

125-150k

1 (100%)

150k+

0 (0%)

Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.

What stands out

Engine accounts for 24% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 4 categories tracked.

No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 13V535000 October 30, 2013

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

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.

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.

Service Bulletin TSB15-0124 Aug 2015

FORD: 2011-2014 F-SUPER DUTY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6.7L DIESEL ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE A RUNNING ROUGH OR MISFIRE DURING EXHAUST REGENERATION PROCESS

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin 44848 Jan 2015

FORD: CERTAIN 2011-2015 FORD F-SUPER DUTY WITH 6.7 DIESEL ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE A VIBRATION BUZZ NOISE FROM THE DIESEL FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE (DFCM) AND/OR MAY 10/1/1 PRESSURE FUEL LINES W/O DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE POOSA.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin ASI-32207 May 2013

FORD: DUE TO LOOSE, MISSING, MODIFIED OR DAMAGED GROUND G400, VARIOUS MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT (MIL) DTC'S, RELATED TO GLOW PLUG CONTROL MODULE (GPCM), MAY BE EXHIBIT ON SOME DIESEL EQUIPPED TRUCKS. MODEL YEARS 2011-2013. NO MODELS LISTED.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin TSB-13-4-3 Apr 2013

FORD: SOME SUPER DUTY TRUCKS, WITH A STEADY THROTTLE, WILL EXPERIENCE, WITH OR WITHOUT, AN ENGINE SHUDDER OR TURBO FLUTTER NOISE, IN THE ENGINE, AROUND 900-1400 RPM. MODELS 2011-2012 F-250, F-350, F-450.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin TSB-11-8-8 Aug 2011

FORD: AFTER REFUELING VEHICLE, WOULD BE HARD TO START, RUNS ROUGH AND AN AUDIBLE CLICKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

The failure pattern owners describe

Owners of the 2011 Ford F-350 diesel report multiple engine failures, with the EGT (exhaust gas temperature) sensor dominating the complaint pattern. The sensor defect triggers a dash warning ("pull over immediately" or "stop safely now"), then shuts down the engine within seconds, killing power steering and all auxiliaries—a terrifying scenario on a busy highway. Owners replaced the sensor at costs of $100–$600, but Ford denied warranty coverage on non-ambulance F350s despite issuing recall 13V535000 for identical failures on ambulance-chassis trucks built during the same period. Ford later issued recall 14E03 in January 2015, but owners report Ford still refused reimbursement.

Beyond the EGT sensor, owners describe stalling events—engine shutting down mid-drive with no warning, sometimes restarting instantly, sometimes requiring 2–20 minutes of waiting. Dealers could not diagnose or fix these recurring shutdowns. One owner had the entire fuel pump and fuel system replaced, only to experience catastrophic internal engine damage with metal shavings found throughout the block; his warranty claim has been pending unapproved for eight weeks. Another owner had glow plugs fracture inside the engine at 170,000 miles, requiring complete engine replacement. A check-engine light that stayed on continuously generated different fault codes on each scan, and the manufacturer offered only promises of future software fixes, leaving the truck unrepaired. Owners report reading numerous internet posts describing 2011 diesel engines "exploding," suggesting this is a pattern Ford has not adequately addressed.

Same Ford F-350 engine reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2012 · 2013

Failure modes owners describe

EGT Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor Failure

Faulty EGT sensor triggers limp-mode shutdown with dash warning 'shutting down,' complete engine shutdown within seconds, loss of power steering and auxiliary systems. Sensor failures cascade from a manufacturing defect affecting sensors built during a specific timeframe. Ford issued recall 13V535000 for ambulance-chassis F350/450/550 models with identical symptoms but refused to acknowledge the same defect in non-ambulance F350s.

When: 2013 model year; incidents reported at 4,000–62,363 miles; first incident reported 08/29/2013

Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard warning message 'pulling over immediately' or 'stop safely now'; Engine shutdown within 10–30 seconds of warning; Complete loss of power steering; Complete loss of auxiliary power systems; Difficulty restarting; requires waiting 45 minutes to 2–20 minutes before restart

Codes mentioned: EGT sensor fault codes (unspecified), Check engine light (various codes per narrative 6)

Repairs/costs cited: EGT sensor replacement; costs reported $100–$600 depending on dealer. Ford denied warranty coverage on non-ambulance models, citing sensor as non-powertrain component.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 13V535000 issued November 2013 limited to ambulance-chassis F350/450/550 models. Recall 14E03 issued January 2015 (also involving EGT sensor). Ford refused reimbursement and warranty coverage for private-use F350s built during same production run.

Diesel Exhaust Fluid Pump Failure

DEF pump failure causes sudden loss of engine power and check engine light illumination while driving at highway speed. Dealer diagnosed the pump as defective but repair not completed per narrative.

When: ~62,363 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of engine power while driving 60 mph; Check engine warning light illumination

Codes mentioned: DEF pump fault (unspecified code)

Repairs/costs cited: Diesel Exhaust Fluid pump replacement required; cost not stated. Vehicle not repaired per narrative.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; no response documented.

Engine Stall – Undiagnosed Root Cause

Engine shuts down without warning during highway driving, sometimes restarts immediately, sometimes requires extended wait time. Multiple dealer visits and diagnostic attempts failed to identify root cause or implement repair. Owner suspects EGR system involvement. No fault codes displayed on vehicle computer screen in one case.

When: 59,800 miles; recurring over one-month period (4 incidents); other incident at unspecified mileage

Symptoms owners cite: Engine shut-down without warning while driving; Intermittent no-start condition; Vehicle restart after 2–20 minute wait or spontaneous restart; No diagnostic codes visible to owner

Codes mentioned: None retrieved or displayed

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to diagnose or repair; repair not completed.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Not notified per narrative 8; narrative 9 references common internet complaints suggesting widespread issue.

Glow Plug Fracture

Glow plugs fractured internally within the engine block, forcing engine replacement. Failure occurred at high mileage (170,000 miles) without prior warning.

When: ~170,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Engine shut-off while driving at 60 mph

Codes mentioned: None specified

Repairs/costs cited: Complete engine replacement performed by independent mechanic.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; no response documented.

Fuel Pump and Internal Engine Damage – Metal Shavings

Fuel pump failure requiring replacement of entire fuel system. Subsequently, internal engine damage occurred with metal shavings distributed throughout engine block ('something internally blown up'). Extended warranty claim pending for 8 weeks without approval.

When: 65,000 miles on first failure; internal engine damage failure mileage unstated

Symptoms owners cite: Engine malfunction leaving driver stranded; Recurrence of major engine malfunction within short timeframe; Evidence of internal metal debris

Codes mentioned: None specified

Repairs/costs cited: Fuel pump and fuel system replacement completed; internal engine damage repair pending; previous repair took 2+ months. Owner reports reading multiple online posts describing 2011 diesel engines 'exploding.'

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford extended warranty claim pending 8 weeks without approval; owner reports Ford refusing coverage in similar cases.

Check Engine Light – Intermittent Multiple Fault Codes

Check engine light illuminated continuously; multiple diagnostic scans returned different fault codes each time. Dealer attributed issue to pending software calibration updates; no repairs made. Manufacturer claimed to be working on new calibrations but vehicle remained unrepaired.

When: 4,000–8,500 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Continuously illuminated check engine light; Different fault codes on repeated diagnostic scans

Codes mentioned: Multiple codes reported; specific codes not documented

Repairs/costs cited: No repair completed; vehicle left in unresolved state.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated working on software calibrations and code reinstallation; no resolution provided.

Radiator Antifreeze Leak

Radiator developed leak from upper right corner without visible physical damage. Required replacement.

When: Mileage not stated

Symptoms owners cite: Antifreeze leakage from radiator upper right corner; No visible radiator damage

Repairs/costs cited: Radiator replacement required; cost not stated.

Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 1 most recent

engine · 138,000 mi · filed 12/21/2016

I was passing a transport truck and just as I got even with the door of the truck my Ford f350 super duty motor quit, just shut down. A bus was coming in my lane as I was passing, the truck slowed down to let me by but I had no power, no power brakes or power steering. The bus slowed down and I braked enough to get in back of the truck and over to the side of the road. The bus went on by and the…

Had engine trouble with your 2011 Ford F-350? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.

Common questions

How serious is the engine problem on the 2011 Ford F-350?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 12 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the engine typically fail?

Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 56,211 and 69,123 miles, with the median around 62,363. A quarter of owners report trouble before 56,211; a quarter make it past 69,123. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to engine?

Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover engine issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Ford/F-350. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.