NHTSA Complaint #10893669 — 2012 FORD F-250 SD

ON THE FIRST DAY OF AN EXTENDED TRIP WITH OUR TRUCK AND RV, WE ARRIVED AT CAMP TO DISCOVER A MAJOR COOLANT LEAK. THE TRUCK DID NOT GIVE US ANY WARNING MESSAGES THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. WE HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE CLOSEST FORD DEALER. THANK GOODNESS THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED IN CAMP, RATHER THAN ON AN ISOLATED ROAD WHERE WE COULD HAVE BEEN 100+ MILES AWAY FROM ANY SORT OF SERVICE. IT TURNED OUT THAT BOTH THE WATER PUMP AND RADIATOR HAD FAILED, WITH UNDER 29,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. THE WATER PUMP WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE RADIATOR WAS NOT. THE FORD SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED US THAT THEY HAD ALREADY REPLACED SEVERAL RADIATORS THIS YEAR, WITH LEAKS IN THE SAME PLACE (DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CORNER). WE ALSO DID SOME CHECKING ON THE INTERNET AND LEARNED THAT THIS FAILURE SEEMS FAIRLY COMMON. THE RADIATOR SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, WITH LIMITED MILES ON OUR TRUCK.