2012 FORD F-550 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
20
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
3
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2012 FORD F-550
The 2012 FORD F-550 has received a total of 20 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EQUIPMENT, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING, ENGINE. 3 technical service bulletins have been issued by Ford Motor Company for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (9 complaints), Fuelpropulsion System (2 complaints), and Service Brakes (2 complaints).
Recalls for the 2012 FORD F-550
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 2012 FORD F-550, potentially affecting up to 19,100 vehicles.
Recall 14V498000 — EQUIPMENT
| 3 vehicles affected
Defect: PJ's Truck Bodies & Equipment Co., (PJ's) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty chassis modified by PJ's and equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a thermal blanket covering the exhaust.
Consequence: The leaking oil may soak into the thermal blanket covering the exhaust, which when combined with heat from exhaust, may result in an increased risk of fire.
Remedy: PJ's has notified owners and dealers will install a new pressure switch kit that moves the switch away from the exhaust system, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2014. Owners may contact PJ's customer service at 1-866-475-8782.
View full details →Recall 14V040000 — FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
| 18 vehicles affected
Defect: Almared, Inc., dba A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems, is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-550 transit buses manufactured May 2011 through April 2013, altered to operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). In the affected vehicles, the brackets securing the passenger side CNG fuel tank may break.
Consequence: If the brackets break, the CNG tank may separate from the vehicle frame increasing the risk of a crash or possible fire.
Remedy: Almared, Inc. has notified owners and all affected vehicles have been remedied, free of charge. Owners may contact Almared at 1-559-485-4427.
View full details →Recall 13V535000 — ENGINE
| 2,951 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 F-350/450/550 Ambulance Package vehicles manufactured February 22, 2010, through October 19, 2012 and equipped with a 6.7L diesel engine. Due to an exhaust sensor problem, the vehicles may experience loss of power followed by an engine stall.
Consequence: An unexpected engine stall increases the risk of a crash. Additionally, if this were to occur when the ambulance is transporting a patient, there is an increased risk of injury to the patient.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the exhaust gas temperature sensor, free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S10.
View full details →Recall 13V380000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
| 37 vehicles affected
Defect: Manning Equipment Inc. LLC (Manning) is recalling certain model year 2012 Ford F-350, F-450 and F-550 gasoline engined dual rear wheel chassis vehicles manufactured October 2011 through June 2012. The tailpipe on the exhaust system does not extend out beyond the edge of the body, allowing heat to build up in rear curbside storage compartment.
Consequence: Excessive heat build up in rear compartment could result in fire.
Remedy: Manning Equipment has notified owners, and dealers will install tailpipe extensions free of charge. The recall has already begun. Owners may contact Manning Equipment at 1-502-426-5210.
View full details →Recall 11V582000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
| 16,091 vehicles affected
Defect: FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 F-150 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 9, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 F-250, F-350, F-450 AND F-550 HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 12, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2011. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 114, THEFT PROTECTION. THE TRANSMISSION CAN...
Consequence: THIS WILL ALLOW THE OPERATOR TO INADVERTENTLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR INJURY TO A NEARBY PEDESTRIAN.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK SWITCH FUNCTION AND REPLACE THE SWITCH IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2012 FORD F-550
20 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 FORD F-550. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasoline | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-550 chassis with an Earth Roamer RV. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the turbocharger needle on the instrument cluster fell to zero. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the abnormal banging sound was louder, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled off the highway and then stated that the power steering had failed. The contact was turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the power steering and the abnormal engine sound remained present. The contact was able to drive several yards before the vehicle stalled. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-550 chassis with an Earth Roamer RV. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the turbocharger needle on the instrument cluster fell to zero. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the abnormal banging sound was louder, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled off the highway and then stated that the power steering had failed. The contact was turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the power steering and the abnormal engine sound remained present. The contact was able to drive several yards before the vehicle stalled. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-550. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact made multiple attempts to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle repeatedly failed to start up. Due to the failure, the contact called the dealer and had the vehicle towed there for an inspection. The contact then called an independent mechanic who informed him that based on what he described; his vehicle had experienced engine failure. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 35,800.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON TRAIL IT WAS NOTICED THAT SMOKE AND FIRE WERE COMING FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH THE VEHICLE SUPPLIED FIRE EXTINGUISHER. AFTER THE EXTINGUISHER RAN OUT THE VEHICLE FIRE ACCELERATED AND TOTALLY ENGULFED THE VEHICLE.*DT*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-550. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS HAULING SAND AND REGROUND GRAVEL UP A HILL, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED INTO PARK. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT RE-ENTERED THE VEHICLE, SHIFTED GEARS, AND RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO DRIVE, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE HILL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE JUNE 05,2019 AND SEPT.6, 2019. THERE WAS A FULL TANK OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL HAULING SAND AND GRAVEL, THE CONTACT STOPPED ON THE HILL, RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL, DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL IN REVERSE WITH NO POWER. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE BRAKES COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE LACK OF POWER. THE CONTACT QUICKLY CUT INTO THE BANK; HOWEVER, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WENT UP ON THE BANK AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOWN THE EMBANKMENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND KNEE, AND A BROKEN LEFT HAND, NECK, RIBS, LOWER BACK, ARM, AND LEGS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE BANK TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AND REMAINED ON THE HILLSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. *PM CONSUMER STATED BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPENED AT THE SAME PLACE.*JB
Safety Rating for the 2012 FORD F-550
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2012 FORD F-550 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2012 FORD F-550
Ford Motor Company has issued 3 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2012 FORD F-550. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
ASI-44390 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
FORD: A POSSIBLE INTERMEDIATE CLUTCH PISTON LIP SEAL IS WORN AND CAN CAUSE AN INTERMEDIATE ROUGH CLUTCH PISTON BORE TO SLIP 1-3 AND/OR NO 2-3 UPSHIFT CONDITION. MODEL 2012-2013 E SERIES, F-450, 550, 53 MOTORHOME, F 59 STRIPPED CHASSIS. *PE
TSB-13-6-20 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
FORD: IN SOME DIESEL TRUCKS, THE MIL MAY ILLUMINATE AND IS MOST COMMON WITH TRUCKS OPERATING IN LOW SPEED DRIVING AND/OR OPERATING IN STATIONARY IDLE MODE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, WHERE THE EXHAUST REGENERATION PROCESS IS NOT FULLY COMPLETED. MODEL 2012 F-450, F-550 SUPER DUTY. *PE
2012-0653 — EQUIPMENT
THIS TSB DETAILED TROUBLESHOOTING FOR PUMP SHIFT AIR TANK PLUMBING THAT MIGHT FREEZE UP IN EXTREME COLD. ALSO INCLUDED A PHOTO OF PROBLEMATIC INSTALLATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPAIR, IF NEEDED.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2012 FORD F-550
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the FORD F-550
- 2007 FORD F-550 — 0 complaints
- 2008 FORD F-550 — 0 complaints
- 2009 FORD F-550 — 0 complaints
- 2010 FORD F-550 — 0 complaints
- 2011 FORD F-550 — 17 complaints
- 2012 FORD F-550 (current)
- 2013 FORD F-550 — 6 complaints
- 2014 FORD F-550 — 2 complaints
- 2015 FORD F-550 — 0 complaints
- 2016 FORD F-550 — 14 complaints
- 2017 FORD F-550 — 14 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD EXPLORER — 42,140 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD FUSION — 28,243 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints