Total Complaints
5 filings
FORD F-450 SD · model year
2012 FORD F-450 SD
5 NHTSA complaints, and 7 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012FORDF-450 SD carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 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-450 SD is steering with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and service brakes, hydraulic (1). 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 7 active recall campaigns, 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-450 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recalls (7)
15V17500025/03/2015
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks manufactured February 22, 2010, to January 30, 2015, and equipped with ambulance or fire engine preparation packages. The affected vehicles may detect an incorrect Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor
14V36000023/06/2014
EQUIPMENT
Palfleet Truck Equipment Company, LLC (Palfleet) is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 super duty vehicles modified by Palfleet and equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure switch onto a
14V32600013/06/2014
EQUIPMENT
Manning Equipment Inc. LLC (Manning) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Ford F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty vehicles modified by Manning and equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from the PTO pressure swit
14V32800013/06/2014
EQUIPMENT
Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc. will notify owners and dealers to inspect the Muncie PTO pressure switch to determine if it is from the range of defective switches and if required, remove the pressure switch assembly and put a plug in the port where the PTO switch had been installed. This switch was nev
14V32700012/06/2014
EQUIPMENT
Stahl is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Ford F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty vehicles modified by Stahl 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 coverin
14V37900010/06/2014
EQUIPMENT
Utility Truck Equipment Company, LLC (Utility Truck) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 UTLI41A, 2011 UTLN41, and 2012 UTLN46 aerial trucks manufactured December 2010 to September 2013 equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies installed on 2010-2013 Ford F-350, F-450 and F-55
14V38200010/06/2014
EQUIPMENT
Somerset Welding & Steel, doing business as J&J Truck equipment (J&J), is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty chassis with 6.8L gasoline engines modified by J&J to be equipped with certain Muncie Power Products PTO Assemblies. In the affected vehicles, oil
Recent Complaints
20181213SERVICE BRAKES
THE A/C COMPRESSOR JUST WENT OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME AND FROM WHAT IT LOOKS TO ME IS WHY THE SECOND FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IS BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT REPLACE THE CONDENSER AS WAS REQUIRED AND ALSO PAID FOR BY ME. THE TRUCK HAS THE "DEATH-WOBBLE" EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REINFORCED THE STEERING IN GENERAL AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. HOWEVER, DUE TO JUST THESE TWO ISSUES AND THE OTHERS IT HAS HAD WHICH ARE FAILED WATER PUMP, TURBO, STARTER AND HYDRO-BOOST BRAKE BOOSTER WITH THE WATER PUMP GOING OUT AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES AND THEN THE TURBO AT ABOUT 82,000 MILES WITH THE WORK PERFORMED AT TWO DIFFERENT FORD DEALERSHIPS AT A VERY POOR QUALITY I REPLACED THE STARTER MYSELF AND THE HYDRO-BOOST. YOU CANNOT TRUST A DEALERSHIP WHEN THE WORKED PERFORMED IS AT BEST NO BETTER THAN WHAT I CAN PERFORM. JUST LIKE RIGHT NOW OR FOR QUITE A LONG TIME IT HAS HAD THE TWO FIELD SERVICE ACTION ITEMS BEING NUMBERS: 15M02 AND 18M01 AND AFTER READING THE HORROR STORIES ABOUT AND OR AFTER A DEALERSHIP HAS PERFORMED T
Mileage: 52,000
20181213STEERING
THE A/C COMPRESSOR JUST WENT OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME AND FROM WHAT IT LOOKS TO ME IS WHY THE SECOND FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IS BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT REPLACE THE CONDENSER AS WAS REQUIRED AND ALSO PAID FOR BY ME. THE TRUCK HAS THE "DEATH-WOBBLE" EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REINFORCED THE STEERING IN GENERAL AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. HOWEVER, DUE TO JUST THESE TWO ISSUES AND THE OTHERS IT HAS HAD WHICH ARE FAILED WATER PUMP, TURBO, STARTER AND HYDRO-BOOST BRAKE BOOSTER WITH THE WATER PUMP GOING OUT AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES AND THEN THE TURBO AT ABOUT 82,000 MILES WITH THE WORK PERFORMED AT TWO DIFFERENT FORD DEALERSHIPS AT A VERY POOR QUALITY I REPLACED THE STARTER MYSELF AND THE HYDRO-BOOST. YOU CANNOT TRUST A DEALERSHIP WHEN THE WORKED PERFORMED IS AT BEST NO BETTER THAN WHAT I CAN PERFORM. JUST LIKE RIGHT NOW OR FOR QUITE A LONG TIME IT HAS HAD THE TWO FIELD SERVICE ACTION ITEMS BEING NUMBERS: 15M02 AND 18M01 AND AFTER READING THE HORROR STORIES ABOUT AND OR AFTER A DEALERSHIP HAS PERFORMED T
Mileage: 52,000
20150713SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY NOT RUNNING AND IN DRIVEWAY. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM, AND NO ISSUE NOTED WITH ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAD RECENTLY BEEN SERVICED AT LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR OIL/FILTER CHANGE. DEALER INSPECTION NOTED NO ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS CRANKED UP AND PUT INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, IMMEDIATE, AND TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKE CAPABILITY. VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. EXTREME PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. POWER STEERING WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL CAUSING EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN STEERING VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO NEUTRAL UNTIL IT SLOWED ENOUGH TO PUT INTO REVERSE AND STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. VEHICLE ALMOST HIT ROAD SIGN BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. BRAKES AND POWER STEERING WERE NON FUNCTIONAL. VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY MOVED BACKWARD TO GET IT OUT OF THE ROAD PATH USING REVERSE/NEUTRAL POSITIONING. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE L
Mileage: 23,000
20150713STEERING
VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY NOT RUNNING AND IN DRIVEWAY. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM, AND NO ISSUE NOTED WITH ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAD RECENTLY BEEN SERVICED AT LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR OIL/FILTER CHANGE. DEALER INSPECTION NOTED NO ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS CRANKED UP AND PUT INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, IMMEDIATE, AND TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKE CAPABILITY. VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. EXTREME PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. POWER STEERING WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL CAUSING EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN STEERING VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO NEUTRAL UNTIL IT SLOWED ENOUGH TO PUT INTO REVERSE AND STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. VEHICLE ALMOST HIT ROAD SIGN BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. BRAKES AND POWER STEERING WERE NON FUNCTIONAL. VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY MOVED BACKWARD TO GET IT OUT OF THE ROAD PATH USING REVERSE/NEUTRAL POSITIONING. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE L
Mileage: 23,000
20150210ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AS PER YOUR ODI RESUME #RQ14-005, MY RV BUILT ON 2012 CHASSIS EXPERIENCED EGT SENSOR MALFUNCTION TO NUMBER 13 AND 14. THIS OCCURRED ON I-75 OUTSIDE OF LEXINGTON, KY. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND JUST BARELY PULLED TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN. HAD TO CALL STATE POLICE BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO TRAVEL LANE AND VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR OTHER VEHICLES. THIS TRIP STARTED IN CLEMMONS, NC, AND INCLUDED 2 TUNNELS WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN EITHER ONE. CALLED FORD ABOUT RECALL FOR AMBULANCE CHASSIS SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE SAME TYPE. THEY STATED THE COMPUTER PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT AND THEREFORE THE RECALL DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY UNIT. *TR
Mileage: 57,665
Compare 2012FORDF-450 SD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 FORD F-450 SD have?▼
The 2012 FORD F-450 SD has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 FORD F-450 SD?▼
Yes, the 2012 FORD F-450 SD has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM). Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 FORD F-450 SD?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 FORD F-450 SD is STEERING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 2012 FORD F-450 SD safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.