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.
The 2012 Ford F-450 SD has 4 recalls, the most serious being a fire risk on vehicles modified by certain upfitters and equipped with Muncie power take-off assemblies, where oil leaking from a PTO pressure switch can soak into a thermal blanket wrapped around the exhaust and ignite.
All three fire-risk recalls trace to the same underlying defect: the PTO pressure switch connection can seep oil onto heat-retaining exhaust insulation. The upfitters involved are Palfleet Truck Equipment Company, Iowa Mold Tooling, and Godwin Manufacturing, so whether this applies to a specific truck depends on which company modified it. If your F-450 was upfitted by one of these companies and has a Muncie PTO assembly, it falls within the scope of at least one of these recalls. The fourth recall affects trucks built with ambulance or fire engine preparation packages and involves the powertrain control module commanding the engine to shut down. On an ordinary vehicle that would be an inconvenience, but on an emergency response truck an unexpected shutdown and the required cool-down period before restart can delay getting medical help to someone who needs it.
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.
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What the fix does
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.
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 affected vehicles.
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
The Muncie PTO pressure switch may be defective. This unused switch was installed in a location that could cause failure.
What the fix does
A new pressure switch kit will be installed that relocates the switch away from the exhaust system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.