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The 2012 Ford F-350 has 183 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2012 Ford F-350 has 183 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is steering at 75 complaints, typically surfacing around 98,801 miles (~$700 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 F-350 | 47 | 3 |
| 2010 F-350 | 50 | 1 |
| 2011 F-350 | 50 | 4 |
| 2012 F-350 (this page) | 183 | 4 |
| 2013 F-350 | 85 | 1 |
| 2014 F-350 | 98 | 0 |
| 2015 F-350 | 207 | 1 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 76,917 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 4 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
On 12-24-19 I was driving ~55 MPH on a 2 lane road and had an accident occur in front of me in which I had to slam on my brakes to avoid the wreck. My truck slowed but not like it was supposed to and I had to swerve off the shoulder to avoid contact with other vehicles. The…
Moon roof shattered while traveling on a paved highway on a clear day at approximately 45 miles per hour. I heard a loud noise similar to a gun shot and I first thought a large rock had hit the vehicle but I could not see any damage. I was approximately 200 yards behind a…
Truck has a random death wabble and differnt speeds. I've taken the truck to three differnt ford dealers multiple times and they alll can't find any worn parts, the dealers all with say ford knows there is a saftey issue with the trucks but don't have a real fix for the issue.…
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Ford f-350. While switching lanes at 65 MPH on the freeway, the vehicle shook violently and experienced the "death wobble". When the contact released the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stopped shaking and was driven to its destination. The contact…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
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.
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.
Excessive heat build up in rear compartment could result in fire.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 183 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Ford F-350 has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2012 Ford F-350 is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 4 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the steering first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 75 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 98,801 miles. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 183 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is steering. Typical failure occurs around 98,801 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is steering, with 75 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 98,801 miles. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop.
The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 98,801 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 183 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.