Home · 2012 Ford F-250 Super Crew · Complaints

What 323 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford F-250 Super Crew

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (323)Crash / fire / injury (12)Suspension (139)Steering (130)Engine (42)Electrical system (28)Engine & cooling (19)Fuel system (19)Wheels (19)Transmission & drivetrain (18)Brakes (14)Body & structure (9)

5 of 323 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Aug 19, 2023Electrical systemFire

Without any warning, smoke started billowing from the driver's side dash and overhead liner. When looking for the cause, I pulled the solenoid and the smoking stopped. Upon further inspection, I discovered broken, melted wiring in the rear drivers side door jamb. In researching this problem online, I found that other owners had experienced the same problem.

NHTSA ODI 11539604

May 19, 2021Electrical systemFire

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSULATION BURNED OFF THE WIRES FROM THE PASSENGER’S TO THE DRIVER’S SIDE CAUSING THE DOOR LOCKS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,404.

NHTSA ODI 11417757

Apr 8, 2019Electrical systemAirbagsEngineFire

STARTED MY TRUCK TO LET IT WARM UP BEFORE I TOOK IT IN TO TOWN. WENT INSIDE FOR AROUND 150 MIN, COME OUTSIDE AND I SEEN SMOKE COMING FROM MY DOORS AND AS SOON AS I OPENED IT FEOM THE PASSENGER DOOR IT WAS FULL OF SMOKE AND I SEEN A FIRE ON MY DRIVER SIDE FEINT SEAT. IT COMPLETELY BURNT MY TRUCK AND ANOTHER F250 THE WAS PARKED NEXT TO IT.

NHTSA ODI 11194696

Nov 24, 2014Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngineCrash

AFTER DRIVING FOR 5 MINUTES A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE REAR LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL- NO CHANGE IN THE DRIVABILITY. ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THAT THE COMPUTER STARTED FLASHING DIFFERENT SYMBOLS INDICATING MANY PROBLEMS- THE ALARMS WERE GOING OFF NON-STOP- THEN THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN BY THE COMPUTER. THIS TRUCK IS HEAVY AND I MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN IT HAPPENED BECAUSE I HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD AND WENT INTO THE OTHER LANE! IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE TOWING A LOAD ON ONE OF THE MOUNTAIN PASSES I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED- AND HURT OR KILLED OTHERS! FORD HAS HAD BAD DIESEL ENGINES SINCE THEY DROPPED THE 7.3 YEARS AGO AND ARE RIPPING OFF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY- PLEASE DON'T LET SOMEONE DIE OVER A KNOWN PROBLEM. SEEMS CHEAPER FOR FORD TO PUT US IN DANGER BY SHUTTING DOWN THIS ENGINE AND THEREFORE NOT REPLACING THE ENGINE AND COMPUTER SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10660713

Oct 25, 2012Electrical systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BURNING FUMES WERE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUMES MADE HIS EYES BURN AND MADE HIS STOMACH UPSET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

NHTSA ODI 10482277

Working with the data? Download all 323 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Ford F-250 Super Crew verdict →