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

SPONGE BRAKE PEDAL DEALER SAID NOTHING IS WRONG

NHTSA ODI 11416678

ON MARCH 27,2021. I WAS RETURNING FROM A SHOPPING TRIP. I PULLED INTO MY DRIVE WAY PARKED, TURNED OFF THE TRUCK. OPENED DOOR AND IMMEDIATELY SMELLED HOT BRAKES. I TURNED LOOKED TO REAR OF VEHICLE NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. I IMMEDIATELY GRABBED GARDEN HOSE A SPRAYED DOWN THE BRAKES REAR AND FRONT, WATER TURNED TO STEAM INSTANTLY. AS TO WHEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP I CANNOT PIN POINT, BUT GOING TO SAY WHEN I TURNED TO MY STREET WHICH IS JUST UNDER 3/4 MILE FROM HOUSE. ONCE I WAS SURE VEHICLE WAS SAFE I CALLED SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO INITIATE REPAIRS. REPAIRS COMPLETE APRIL 6, 2021. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY REAL ANSWER AS TO THE CAUSE.

NHTSA ODI 11406765

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, HE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A VEHICLE THAT HAD TURNED IN FRONT OF HIM. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT SOFT WHILE PRESSED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RON TIRAPELLI FORD (4355 W. JEFFERSON ST, SHOREWOOD, IL 60404, (815) 725-3033). THE DEALER CHECKED THE BRAKES AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE BRAKE PADS BE CHANGED AND THE BRAKE LINES BE BLED TO REMOVE AIR IN THE SYSTEM. THE CONTACT PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND TESTED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT HAD THE MANAGER STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER MADE AN APPOINTMENT THE NEXT DAY AND PROVIDED COMPLETE SERVICE CHECK. THE FAILURE RECURRED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11383663

SOFT PEDAL, BRAKE SYSTEM PEDAL PRESSURE HAS MOVEMENT WHEN STARTING. WHILE DRIVING HAS LIMITED STOPPING POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11170089

BRAKES ARE SPONGY HAVE BLOWN THROUGH STOP LIGHT TWICE WITHOUT TIME TO PUMP BRAKES. DEALER REPLACED FRONT CALIPERS RESURFACED ROTORS AND REPLACED PADS AT MY EXPENSE NO IMPROVEMENT. PEDAL TRAVELS 1/2 TO 3/4 TO FLOOR ON INITIAL BRAKING WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWING VEHICLE, BETTER EACH TIME YOU PUMP BRAKES. WHILE TOWING TRAILER GAIN HAS TO BE ON FULL SO TRAILER BRAKES CAN HELP STOP VEHICLE, VEHICLE BRAKES ARE INSUFFICIENT. TOOK TRUCK BACK TO FORD OF KIRKLAND AFTER SPENDING $1000 AND WAS TOLD BRAKING IS NORMAL, DROVE A FRIENDS 2011 F250 AND BRAKES ARE MUCH BETTER. THE LACK OF RESPONSE ON THE PEDAL HAS CREATED MORE THAN 1 NEAR ACCIDENT AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY FORD FULLY AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE LACK OF BRAKE PEDAL RESPONSE IS CONSISTENT REGARDLESS OF TYPE OF DRIVING OR SPEED AND HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE ABOUT 36,000 MILES. TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 48,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10883848

THE VEHICLE HAS 34,000 HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. THIS ISSUE FIRST BEGAN ON I95 @ 29,000MI. WHEN HITTING A BUMP, SUCH AS BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINT, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE BOUNCING OFF THE ROAD SURFACE CAUSING ABS ACTIVATION. THE SHAKING GETS WORSE UNTIL IT COMES ALMOST TO A STOP. VERY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY IN LANE 1 AT 75 MPH WITH CARS ALL AROUND. THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE TRACK BAR. THIS PROBLEM IS UNSAFE AND WELL DOCUMENTED ON SITES SUCH AS YOUTUBE. THE TRACK BAR ISSUE DOES OCCUR ON SOLID AXEL 4X4 VEHICLES WITH HIGH MILEAGE (200,000) BUT NOT ON LOW MILEAGE TRUCKS LIKE MY F250. I HAVE REPLACED TRACK BAR BALL JOINT AND PROBLEM WAS FIXED BUT HAS NOW WORE OUR AGAIN CAUSING A RECURRENCE OF THE ISSUE. VERY DANGEROUS EFFECTING STEERING AND BRAKING. I CAN SEND VIDEO OF THIS OCCURRING IF NEEDED.

NHTSA ODI 10849651

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND HESITATED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000. UPDATED 04/20/16*LJ

NHTSA ODI 10839902

THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WILL STALL (CUT OFF) WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OR NOTICE DURING MOTION OR AT A STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT CITY SPEEDS (LESS THAN 25 MPH) AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (GREATER THAN 55 MPH) THE VEHICLE WILL NOT IMMEDIATELY START BUT MAY START AFTER STANDING FOR SOME TIME. THIS CAUSES POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND OTHER IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURES TO BE DEGRADED OR LOST.

NHTSA ODI 10787647

FORD DEALER REVIEWED SQUEALING AND DETERMINED THE BRAKE CALIPERS WERE STICKING. THIS PROBLEM IS NOTED IN A TECH SERVICE BULLETIN FROM FORD FOR MODEL YEAR 2011. DEALER INDICATED THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTICED ON OTHER F250 MODEL YEAR 2012 BUT NO TSB FROM FORD. DEALER REPLACED CALIPERS ON ALL WHEELS.

NHTSA ODI 10763975

LOUD SQUEAL FROM WHEELS WHEN STARTING FROM PARKED LOCATION. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY TECHNICIANS AT FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE SHOWED THAT BRAKE CALIPERS WERE STICKING. THIS PROBLEM IS SAME AS FOUND ON SAME MODEL IN 2011.

NHTSA ODI 10759882

WE WENT TO SLOW DOWN AND THE BRAKES DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT AND WASN'T STOPPING THE TRUCK BY THE TIME WE DID STOP THE BRAKES WHERE SMOKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10597305

WE CAME TO A RED LIGHT AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP WE HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK TO A SUDDEN STOP BY USING THE TRAILER SWITCH. WE CALLED THE DEALER BUT THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HELP SO WE HAD TO MAKE THE REPAIRS ON A BACK ROAD WE COULD NOT FIND ANY COMPANY WILLING TO TOW TRUCK AND TRAILER SO WE GOT A RIDE TO A PARTS STORE AND GOT THE PARTS OEM BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS, PROBLEM IS THE TRUCK IS SHOWING SIGNS OF SAME ISSUE WITH 130 MILES ON REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594419

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND I START TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE MY FOOT TRAVELS HALF THE DISTANCE TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE BRAKES ENGAGE AND START TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS ON HIGHWAY AND RESIDENTIAL DRIVING. MADE MY CONCERNS KNOWN TO FORD DEALER BUT I GET A PRINTOUT OF HOW "NEW" BRAKES WORK. WHEN I MADE IT CLEAR TO AVOID ACCIDENTS I HAD TO PUMP BRAKES IN ORDER TO ENGAGE BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE, DEALER AGAIN INDICATES THAT IS THE WAY IT IS TO WORK. HAD DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE CLIMBED INTO TRUCK AND DEPRESS BRAKES WHILE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH TRANSMISSION IN PARKED AND DECLARED "NO PROBLEMS" AND "BRAKES WORKED AS IT SHOULD". WHEN I AGIAN MENTION IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING OR VEHICLE IN MOTION, DEALER AGAIN ADVISES THIS IS THE NEW BOOSTER. I HAVE REPEATEDLY MENTION THAT THE BRAKES OR BOOSTER ARE DEFECTIVE I GET NO REPONSE FROM DEALER. REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. I HAVE AVOIDED ACCIDENTS BY PUMPING BRAKE PEDAL TO ENGAGE BRAKES SOONER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548527

I DROVE THRU 12" OF SNOW ON MY ROAD TO MY HOME. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD NO BRAKING POWER AT ALL. I CHECKED IF THERE WAS ANY LEAKS AND THERE WERE NONE. THE TEMP WAS ABOUT 20 DEGREES AT THIS TIME. I WAITED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE TEMP WAS AT 30 DEGREES AND TRIED THE BRAKES AGAIN AND THEY WERE AT FULL STRENGTH. I CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY NEVER HEARD OF PROBLEM BEFORE. I CALLED FORD CUST CARE DEPT AND DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DUPLICATE THE BRAKE ISSUE TO REPAIR IT.. AT THIS POINT NEITHER DEALER OR FORD IS WILLING TO DRILL DOWN TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10497702