Total Complaints
97 filings
FORD F-250 SD · model year
97 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012FORDF-250 SD carries 97 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2012 F-250 SD is steering with 18 filings, followed by engine (15) and suspension (14). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2012 F-250 SD, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
97 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 18 |
| ENGINE | 15 |
| SUSPENSION | 14 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 10 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL | 7 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 6 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 |
| WHEELS | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
STEERING
Icon Vehicle Dynamics, LLC (Icon) is recalling all 05-UP FSD 2.5 Centerline Stabilizer Kits with part number 65050. The kits were sold as an accessory for certain 2005-2021 Ford F-250 4X4 and F-350 4X4 pickup trucks. The foam ring inside the stabilizer "through shaft" may block the piston ports, p
Ford super duty has been in shop for death wobble numerous times and when we get vehicle back still is the issue. Very unsafe and hard to stable once it starts. Even auto shop people when thought fixed drove and scared them. Whole truck shakes uncontrollably. Very poor on Ford for no recall with this happening. Why buy truck if you canât drive it for work duties.
Ford super duty has been in shop for death wobble numerous times and when we get vehicle back still is the issue. Very unsafe and hard to stable once it starts. Even auto shop people when thought fixed drove and scared them. Whole truck shakes uncontrollably. Very poor on Ford for no recall with this happening. Why buy truck if you canât drive it for work duties.
Ford super duty has been in shop for death wobble numerous times and when we get vehicle back still is the issue. Very unsafe and hard to stable once it starts. Even auto shop people when thought fixed drove and scared them. Whole truck shakes uncontrollably. Very poor on Ford for no recall with this happening. Why buy truck if you canât drive it for work duties.
WHILE TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON INTERSTATE 10 CROSSING OVER SIEGEN LANE, TRUCK PASSED OVER SMALL BUMP IN INTERSTATE AND STARTED TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE THE ENTIRE TRUCK ALMOST TO THE POINT OF NO CONTROL. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO INSPECT MY TRUCK. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND ALL TIRES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. WHEN I STARTED AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF 12 INCIDENTS OF WHAT I HAVE COME TO KNOW FROM RESEARCH AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE". I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK THE THE FORD DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE TO NO AVAIL. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS AND FORD CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. THIS IS THE MOST UNNERVING EXPERIENCE. THIS WAS A $70000 VEHICLE WHICH HAS BEEN KEPT UP TO DATE ON ALL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED OR EVER TAKE OFF ROAD. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN ENGINEERING AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK.
Mileage: 168,000
WHILE TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON INTERSTATE 10 CROSSING OVER SIEGEN LANE, TRUCK PASSED OVER SMALL BUMP IN INTERSTATE AND STARTED TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE THE ENTIRE TRUCK ALMOST TO THE POINT OF NO CONTROL. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO INSPECT MY TRUCK. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND ALL TIRES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. WHEN I STARTED AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF 12 INCIDENTS OF WHAT I HAVE COME TO KNOW FROM RESEARCH AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE". I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK THE THE FORD DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE TO NO AVAIL. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS AND FORD CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. THIS IS THE MOST UNNERVING EXPERIENCE. THIS WAS A $70000 VEHICLE WHICH HAS BEEN KEPT UP TO DATE ON ALL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED OR EVER TAKE OFF ROAD. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN ENGINEERING AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK.
Mileage: 168,000
WHILE TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON INTERSTATE 10 CROSSING OVER SIEGEN LANE, TRUCK PASSED OVER SMALL BUMP IN INTERSTATE AND STARTED TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE THE ENTIRE TRUCK ALMOST TO THE POINT OF NO CONTROL. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO INSPECT MY TRUCK. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND ALL TIRES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. WHEN I STARTED AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF 12 INCIDENTS OF WHAT I HAVE COME TO KNOW FROM RESEARCH AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE". I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK THE THE FORD DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE TO NO AVAIL. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS AND FORD CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. THIS IS THE MOST UNNERVING EXPERIENCE. THIS WAS A $70000 VEHICLE WHICH HAS BEEN KEPT UP TO DATE ON ALL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED OR EVER TAKE OFF ROAD. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN ENGINEERING AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK.
Mileage: 168,000
VEHICLE MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY 70,000. AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35-65 MPH ANY MINOR BUMP WILL CAUSE TRUCK TO BEGIN TO VIBRATE THROUGHOUT THE STEERING SYSTEM AND SUBSEQUENTLY WOBBLE VIOLENTLY. APPLYING THE BRAKES MAKES IT WORSE UNTIL THE TRUCK SLOWS DOWN BELOW 35MPH. THE TRUCK IS NOT ABLE TO BE STEERED DURING THIS EVENT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL REPUTABLE MECHANICS AND THEY HAVE ASSURED ME THIS DISCREPANCY IS IN MANY F-250S AND NO ONE HAS THE COMPLETE SOLUTION. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE NO INTEREST OR EXPECTATION OF A RECALL. THEY DID TELL ME TO TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A QUOTE TO REPLACE- TIE RODS, TIE ROD ENDS, BALL JOINTS, DRAG LINK, AND 'STEERING COMPONENTS'. THEY SAID IT WAS THE SECOND TRUCK BROUGHT IN THIS WEEK. THE WOULD WARRANTY THE PARTS BUT NOT THE PROBLEM AND THIS WOULD HELP ELIMINATE WHICH COMPONENTS WERE THE CULPRIT. SO IN EFFECT I'D BE PAYING TO REBUILD THE FRONT END AND NOT NECESSA
Mileage: 70,000
VEHICLE MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY 70,000. AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35-65 MPH ANY MINOR BUMP WILL CAUSE TRUCK TO BEGIN TO VIBRATE THROUGHOUT THE STEERING SYSTEM AND SUBSEQUENTLY WOBBLE VIOLENTLY. APPLYING THE BRAKES MAKES IT WORSE UNTIL THE TRUCK SLOWS DOWN BELOW 35MPH. THE TRUCK IS NOT ABLE TO BE STEERED DURING THIS EVENT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL REPUTABLE MECHANICS AND THEY HAVE ASSURED ME THIS DISCREPANCY IS IN MANY F-250S AND NO ONE HAS THE COMPLETE SOLUTION. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE NO INTEREST OR EXPECTATION OF A RECALL. THEY DID TELL ME TO TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A QUOTE TO REPLACE- TIE RODS, TIE ROD ENDS, BALL JOINTS, DRAG LINK, AND 'STEERING COMPONENTS'. THEY SAID IT WAS THE SECOND TRUCK BROUGHT IN THIS WEEK. THE WOULD WARRANTY THE PARTS BUT NOT THE PROBLEM AND THIS WOULD HELP ELIMINATE WHICH COMPONENTS WERE THE CULPRIT. SO IN EFFECT I'D BE PAYING TO REBUILD THE FRONT END AND NOT NECESSA
Mileage: 70,000
ON HIGHWAY DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE NO DEATH WOBBLE THEY SPEAK OF BUT WENT INTO NEXT LANE OVER AND COULD NOT CONTROL TRUCK UNTIL SPEED WAS LOWER. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST THREE TIMES ALREADY SENT IT INTO SHOP FRONT END TIGHT HAD ALL THE TIRES REPLACED FRONT END ALIGNED STILL PULLS LEFT AND RIGHT.
Mileage: 80,700
DEATH WOBBLE - HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING VIOLENT SHAKING AND INSTABILITY WHILE AT SPEEDS OF 55-65 MPH. STEERING WHEEL CAN ALMOST BE SHAKEN OUT OF MY HANDS WITH A TIGHT GRIP. SOLUTION IS TO SLOW TO BELOW 25MPH. THEN START OVER. WOBBLE STARTS SOMETIMES ON ITS OWN OR IF HITTING SMALL UNEVEN SURFACE SUCH AS BRIDGE/ROAD JOINT.
Mileage: 140,000
VEHICLE HAS HAD RANDOM TIMES WHEN IT JUST CUT OFF COMPLETELY OR IT IS UNABLE TO START. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2015. DEALER HAS RECENTLY IDENTIFIED A DEFECT IN THE BRB BUT THE REPAIR EXPENSE IS EXORBITANT DUE TO TIME INVOLVED.
Mileage: 87,000
OWNED TRUCK FOR LESS THAN A YEAR, I HAD LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON TRUCK AND HAD 'DEATH WOBBLE' ON HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES. AFTER A $1000+ BILL FROM THE DEALERSHIP, IT STILL HAPPENS BUT NOT TO THE SAME EXTENT AS ORIGINALLY.
Mileage: 48,000
OWNED TRUCK FOR LESS THAN A YEAR, I HAD LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON TRUCK AND HAD 'DEATH WOBBLE' ON HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES. AFTER A $1000+ BILL FROM THE DEALERSHIP, IT STILL HAPPENS BUT NOT TO THE SAME EXTENT AS ORIGINALLY.
Mileage: 48,000
EXPERIENCING WHAT IS KNOWN AS "DEATH WOBBLE". WHEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT, VEHICLE BEGINS SHAKING (SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY). MUST APPLY BRAKES AND SLOW SPEED TO REMEDY
Mileage: 90,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE VIOLENTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE WOBBLE WAS TO REDUCE THE SPEED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONE OTHER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KENLY FORD INC (500 S GARNER AVE, KENLY, NC 27542) WHERE THE STEERING ARM AND TORSION BAR WERE REPLACED, AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Mileage: 80,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE VIOLENTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE WOBBLE WAS TO REDUCE THE SPEED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONE OTHER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KENLY FORD INC (500 S GARNER AVE, KENLY, NC 27542) WHERE THE STEERING ARM AND TORSION BAR WERE REPLACED, AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Mileage: 80,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE VIOLENTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE WOBBLE WAS TO REDUCE THE SPEED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONE OTHER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KENLY FORD INC (500 S GARNER AVE, KENLY, NC 27542) WHERE THE STEERING ARM AND TORSION BAR WERE REPLACED, AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Mileage: 80,000
DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65 MPH ,MY TRUCK STOPED RUNNING. THE COMPUTER SAID IT WAS LOW ON OIL,IT WAS NOT. THIS HAPPENED APPROX. 6 MORE TIMES BEFORE I GOT HOME. I DIDN'T WHERE A FORD DEALER WAS SO I TOOK MY TRUCK TO A TRUCK REPAIR SHOP,THE TRUCK STOPPED 3 MORE TIMES. THEY FIXED A WIREING PROBLEM IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THAY CHARGED ME 526.58 FOR THE REPAIRS. FORD WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME. HAS THIS BEEN A PROBLEM?
Mileage: 49,775
DEATH RATTLE YOU HIT BUMP IN HIGHWAY AND STARTS TO SHAKE ALL OVER, LIKE THE WHEELS ARE GOING TO FLY OFF.
ON HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH WHEN REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED. TIRE FRAGMENTS TORE AND BENT FENDER WELL METAL CAUSING $2700 DAMAGE. STEEL BELTS WERE BROKEN ACROSS THE TIRE IN TWO LOCATIONS ON THE CIRCUMFERENCE. FENDER AND TIRE REPLACED. LIKELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE BODILY INJURY OR DEATH IF A PERSON HAD BEEN STANDING NEXT TO THE TIRE. (PRIMARY REASON FOR FILING THIS REPORT) JUST PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION, MY WIFE SENSED A VIBRATION AND STOPPED TO INSPECT TIRES. NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS WERE FOUND. AFTER PROCEEDING APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. TIRE WAS RETURNED TO BF GOODIIDGE AFTER WHICH THEY CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY. PICTURES OF TIRE AND VEHICLE DAMAGE AVAILABLE
Mileage: 48,309
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Timing Belt Failure
Underbody shields detachment
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.