2012 Ford F-250 Engine Problems

I just had to replace the ECM because it fired. after replacing that it still won't start. I've talked to multiple people who have had the same problem.

NHTSA ID

11675751

Incident

Jun 9, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine seizure due to coolant intrusion in the engine. The contact stated that while the dealer was in the process of replacing the engine, the dealer informed the contact that the transmission also needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the engine and the transmission. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was bucking and jerking. The gear shift indicator light displayed that the transmission was slipping from drive(D) to neutral(N) and reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, the part was on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,500.

NHTSA ID

11671757

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

27,500 mi

it keeps throwing a check engine light for miss fire but ive replaced all of the ignition and fuel parts and it keeps happening now its loosing power and getting hot for no reason.

NHTSA ID

11665869

Incident

Jun 9, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated while he was stopped at a traffic signal, he smelled a burning plastic smell. The contact observed that smoke was being emitted from under the vehicle's front end. The contact pulled off the road and parked. As he exited the vehicle, he observed that flames were shooting from under the vehicle. The contact stated that in a few minutes, the flames had engulfed the engine compartment. The fire department was called, and the police had also arrived. The fire was extinguished using water. The police did not filed a report. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 161,000.

NHTSA ID

11658159

Incident

Apr 25, 2025

Mileage

161,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the engine power was significantly reduced and there was a whining sound coming from the engine compartment. While starting the vehicle, there was a high-pitched whining sound heard. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and determined there was a failure with the fuel pump. The fuel pumps were replaced 4 times, and the front and rear fuel pressure regulators were replaced several times since 2012. The contact was adding coolant to the vehicle every 2 months. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11652468

Incident

Feb 3, 2025

Mileage

120,000 mi

Leaving oil spots on ground. Inside Cab smelling very strongly like burnt oil.

NHTSA ID

11592865

Incident

May 8, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle began to make an abnormal cranking sound with several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was discovered that piston rod #3 had snapped inside the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. After a year, the engine was replaced; however, three weeks later, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was informed that the exhaust gas cooling system had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 42,500.

NHTSA ID

11570520

Incident

Jan 17, 2023

Mileage

42,500 mi

Ford previously issued warranty extension for this vehicle 18-M-01 related to the replacement of the reductant heater unit. I acquired the subject vehicle above and had the repair done at my expense on September 9, 2015 with 115,710 miles on the vehicle using an OEM part. Eventually, Ford would reimburse me for this expense. The truck currently has 150,000 miles and once again the DEF heater failed . So, roughly 35,000 miles on a single unit. That seems ridiculous to me that an emissions part would fail after a mere 35,000 miles. My experience is far from being alone and others have reported similar experiences on internet forums. I will preserve this unit that failed for 60 days after the submission of this claim in case Ford or you would like to inspect it. Unfortunately, the result of having to perform repeated repairs is that people decide to remove and bypass the DEF system completely. That seems to be a terrible outcome for the environment. However, in communities where there is no emissions testing, no one will find out. Please require Ford to extend the warranty on this part again.

NHTSA ID

11499624

Incident

Dec 31, 2022

Very intermittently, when I brake this vehicle to bring it to a stop, the engine will start to rev uncontrollably. I have to practically "stand" on the brake to keep it from charging forward. I have to turn off the truck to stop this high speed revving. After this happened 3 times in 2 months we took it to the dealer to check. There was nothing on the floor that could cause the gas pedal to accelerate. The dealer in Kingwood, WV could not duplicate, and found nothing wrong when inspected. We only use the truck once or twice a month so it is a low use vehicle. For this reason the problem does not occur frequently enough to replicate "on demand". While there was not a crash, it almost revved through an intersection and almost ran into another vehicle. Fortunately I was able to throw it into park (Not Good for the vehicle) and then turn it off.

NHTSA ID

11477905

Incident

Oct 22, 2021

Many early model vehicles with the 6.7 Powerstroke experience broken exhaust manifold bolts. Ford corrected this problem after the first few years of known defects but never issued a recall for the faulty design on 2011-2012 models. The exhaust leak can lead to a lack of power, “limp mode”, and/or a fire as the exhaust is located on top of the engine (not a common design). While Ford is aware of the problem, they’ve done nothing to rectify the situation.

NHTSA ID

11470023

Incident

Jun 6, 2022

ON MY 2012 FORD F250 IT HAS THE CRANK CASE VENTILATION FILTER THAT LEAKS OIL INTO THE INTAKE I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF POST ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM IT SORTA FEELS LIKE FORD WANTS OUR TRUCKS TO BREAK SOBWE HAVE TO BUY A NEW ONE THE FILTER IS CHEAP BUT ITS A DEFECT THAT THE DEALER MADE THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE ALREADY BC OF THE DEF SENDING UNIT AND NOW WITH THIS PROBLEM THIA TRUCK ONLY HAS 101K MILES AND I FORGOT TO SAY WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT BUILDS UP EXTREAM PRESSURE ON THE OIL CAP WHEN IT OPENS UP IT THROWS OIL IN YOUR FACE I NEEDED TO GO TO THE EYE DOCTOR SO I COULD GET A FLUSH TRUST ME FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM ON THESE 6.7 THEY JUST HAVENT FIGURED OUT A SOLUTION TO KEEP THERE FORD CUSTOMERS SATISFIED I WOULD LIKE THEM TO PUT IN A NEW CCV FILTER BECAUSE OF THERE POOR DESIGN ON THIS TRUCK..

NHTSA ID

11403986

Incident

Mar 9, 2021

Mileage

101,000 mi

THE 6.2 ENGINE HAS BROKEN VALVE SPRINGS 3 TIMES NOW. FIRST TWO TIMES WAS ABLE TO JUST REPLACE THE BROKEN VALVE SPRING. THE 3RD TIME IT BROKE A VALVE SPRING IT DROPPED THE VALVE IN THE MOTOR AND PUT HOLE RIGHT THROUGH THE BLOCK AND SEIZED THE MOTOR ALMOST CAUSING ME TO WRECK

NHTSA ID

11394899

Incident

Jan 28, 2021

Mileage

174,000 mi

EGR SISTEM FAILS TO SOON AND I HAVE DEAD WOBBLE FRONT SUSPENSION

NHTSA ID

11318537

Incident

Mar 16, 2020

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 ID

11194696

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

113,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT FOUND METAL SHRAPNEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, WHICH TRAVELED TO THE ENGINE. MULTIPLE UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BATTERY WAS CHANGED. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS AND FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,180.

NHTSA ID

11160802

Incident

Dec 7, 2018

Mileage

188,180 mi

THE VEHICLE TOLD ME TO PULL OVER SAFELY, THEN IT SLOWED DOWN. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC, AND IT SHUT DOWN. IT WOULD NOT START.

NHTSA ID

11073036

Incident

Feb 14, 2018

Mileage

76,000 mi

WHILE IN MOTION HIGHWAY DRIVING THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND WILL NOT START

NHTSA ID

11012330

Incident

Oct 15, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

DRIVING TRUCK IT TOLD ME TO PULL OVER AND SHUT ENGINE OFF. I WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART, HAD TO GET A TOW HOME. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MY TRUCK DID AS FOLLOWS. WHEN THE EGT SENSOR GOES ON THE BLINK, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE THINKS THERE IS AN EXHAUST SYSTEM OVERHEATING SITUATION. THE VEHICLE THEN GOES INTO A 'CONTROLLED POWER REDUCTION MODE' WHILE FIVE WARNING CHIMES ARE RINGING AWAY. THIS ENDS WITH THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN COMPLETELY AS SOON AS THE TRUCK SLOWS TO FOUR MPH, WITH NO ENGINE RESTART IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11005611

Incident

Jul 16, 2017

Mileage

74,500 mi

I HAVE A 2012 FORD F-250 6.7 LITER DIESEL, THE TRUCK HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT AND IS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH FORD, ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO TRUCK ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED, LUCKILY WE WERE NOT TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I HAD TRUCK TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS CONTAMINATED FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN COMPLETE FAILURE OF FUEL SYSTEM. COST FOR THIS REPAIR IS $10,500 AND FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER BAD FUEL. PROBLEM IS I ONLY GET MY FUEL FROM ONE STATION AND THEY TESTED NEGATIVE FOR CONTAMINATION. MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS IS THERE WAS NO CONTAMINATED FUEL, BUT INSTEAD A FAULTY COMPONENT IN MY FUEL SYSTEM. MEANING FORD SHOULD BACK UP THERE PRODUCT. AT THIS TIME THE PROBLEM IS BEING INVESTIGATED BUT FORD IS ALREADY SAYING I NEED TO GO THROUGH MY INSURANCE

NHTSA ID

11003082

Incident

Jun 25, 2017

Mileage

63,200 mi

THE DIESEL DEF SAFETY SWIRCHES GO OUT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE IF TRUCK GOING LESS THAN 10 MPH. A VERY BAD SAFETY ISSUE IF PULLING INTO TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ID

10906322

Incident

Feb 13, 2016

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A "STOP VEHICLE" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10824166

Incident

Feb 3, 2016

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 ID

10787647

Incident

Oct 24, 2015

Mileage

49,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS OIL COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRACK BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

10780891

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND OVER A BUMP, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BUSHING BAR ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE PULL OVER SAFELY NOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE EGT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10714699

Incident

Apr 1, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

I HAVE A 2012 FORD F250 KING RANCH 6.7 DIESEL. THE RADIATOR STARTED LEAKING SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ONLY TO FIND OUT I NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR. SINCE MY BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 36K MILES THIS REPAIR WAS ON MY DIME. IN RESEARCHING ONLINE FORUMS AND SUCH, THERE HAVE BEEN KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE DIESEL RADIATOR AS FAR BACK AS 2008. THE ENTIRE PREMISE BEHIND A DIESEL ENGINE IS "COMPRESSION-IGNITION" IN WHICH FUEL IS IGNITED DUE TO COMPRESSED AIR AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 DEGREES F. THERE IS NO SCENARIO WHERE THE EITHER THE MANUFACTURER OF THE RADIATOR AND/OR FORD MOTOR COMPANY THEMSELVES SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO FIX THIS FAULTY PART AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE WAS OVER $2,000 ON A VEHICLE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. IN NO WAY SHOULD ANY NEW VEHICLE OWNER BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR A NEW RADIATOR MUCH LESS FOR THE LABOR TO INSTALL IT AND THAT GOES DOUBLE FOR THE OWNER OF A DIESEL ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10705421

Incident

Apr 2, 2015

Mileage

43,505 mi