NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
At a glance
What can fail
The exhaust gas temperature sensor may report a false overheating condition, causing the engine management system to shut down the engine and prevent immediate restart.
What the fix does
This page covers 3 recalls and 29 owner complaints for the 2012 Ford F-350 Sd.
Wheel and steering complaints dominate what owners report for the 2012 F-350 SD, with front-end wobble being the most consistent theme across multiple reports. Owners describe a violent, high-frequency steering wheel shake that typically triggers between 40 and 60 mph, sometimes initiated by hitting a bump or road irregularity, and often requiring near-complete deceleration before it subsides. Several owners report the issue recurring even after replacing tires, shocks, and steering components, and it appears whether or not the truck is towing. Engine complaints also show up in a handful of reports, with owners describing the truck entering a reduced-power mode while driving, accompanied by a dashboard warning, and sometimes failing to restart afterward.
29
Total Complaints
1
Crash-Related
By System
The 2012 Ford F-350 SD has 3 recalls, the most serious being a fire risk on vehicles modified to carry a power take-off assembly, where oil leaking from the PTO pressure switch can soak into the thermal blanket over the exhaust and ignite.
This fire risk applies only to trucks that were upfitted by specific equipment modifiers, Manning Equipment and Stahl, as part of a specialty vehicle conversion. The underlying defect is the same in both cases: the PTO pressure switch can drip oil onto heat-shielding material wrapped around the exhaust, and the combination of soaked insulation and exhaust heat creates conditions for a fire to start. The third recall affects trucks built with ambulance or fire engine preparation packages and involves a powertrain control module software issue that can cause the engine to shut down unexpectedly. Beyond the immediate stall risk, the concern is operational: a vehicle that shuts down and requires a cool-down period before restarting can delay emergency medical response when time matters most.
At a glance
What can fail
The exhaust gas temperature sensor may report a false overheating condition, causing the engine management system to shut down the engine and prevent immediate restart.
What the fix does
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Dealers will update the engine control software at no cost to fix the sensor communication issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Oil can leak from the PTO pressure switch onto the thermal blanket covering the exhaust system in certain modified Ford Super Duty trucks equipped with Muncie Power Products PTO assemblies.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that relocates the switch away from the exhaust system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Oil can leak from the PTO pressure switch onto the thermal blanket covering the exhaust system in certain modified Ford Super Duty trucks.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that relocates the switch away from the exhaust system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.