There are 10 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2011 Ford F-250in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The brake lines located above the fuel tank rub and burst. This seems to be a very common issue related to a poor design. Ford will not discuss the issue when questioned about it.
I CAN NOT GET THIS SOFT BREAK TO GO AWAY! IT NEVER HAD A SOLID BREAK BUT I BOUGHT IT USED AND FIGURED IT NEEDED A BREAK JOB. I HAD CALIPERS TO START LOCKING UP ONE AFTER THE OTHER WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS OF EACH OTHER, SO I REPLACE THEM ALL. THEN THE NEW ONES STARTED GETTING HOT. SO I REPLACE ALL THE BREAK LINES AND MASTER CYLINDER. AFTER ALL THAT I STILL HAVE A VERY SOFT BREAK, ALMOST AS IF THERE IS AIR IN THE LINES. I KNOW AIR CAN'T BE THE ISSUE BECAUSE THE BREAK SYSTEM WAS BLEED USING A MACHINE. NOW AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE COME ACROSS A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO GET FIXED, THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL WHEN YOU ARE ACTUALLY HAVING BREAK ISSUE COME UP BECAUSE THEY FEEL SPONGY WHEN THEY ARE WORKING AT THERE BEST.
REAR BRAKE LINE (STEEL) RUPTURED RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES AT ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE BRAKE LINE WAS ROUTED TO CLOSE TO THE GAS TANK RESULTING IN THE LINE RUBBING ON THE GAS TANK. OVERTIME, THE COATING ON THE LINE FAILED AND THEN THE EXPOSED BARE METAL RUSTED. WHEN THE METAL BECAME TO THIN, THE PRESSURE IN THE LINE RUPTURED THE BRAKE LINE AT THE THIN/RUSTED LOCATION. ALL BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT AND THE BRAKES NO LONGER WORKED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED ON A CITY STREET. IF THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED SO THAT THE BRAKE LINES COULD NOT CONTACT THE GAS TANK, THIS FAILURE WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN FULLY APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PADS, MASTER CYLINDER, AND ABS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/17/16*LJ *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN FULLY APPLIED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A BRIDGE ABUTMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
WE HAD JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK THE DAY BEFORE WITH 19,000 MILES ON IT AND WHILE TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL RV THE IN-DASH OEM TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER FAILED TO ENGAGE TRAILER BRAKES ALLOWING THE RV TO PUSH THE TRUCK INTO AN INTERSECTION. I'VE BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES NOW AND THEY CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER WILL NOT WORK. THEY HAVE PERFORMED A "PIN-TEST" AND DETERMINED THE IN DASH BRAKE CONTROLLER WAS NOT WORKING SO THEY REPLACED IT TO FIND THE TRAILER BRAKES STILL DO NOT ACTIVATE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT WILL WORK WHEN MANUALLY ACTIVATED WITH THE SLIDER HOWEVER THERE IS NO TRAILER BRAKE ACTIVATION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT CANNOT FIGURE IT OUT. I'VE SPENT THREE DAYS AT THE DEALER THUS FAR AND IM SCHEDULED TO RETURN AT 7 AM TOMORROW FOR THEM TO WORK ON IT MORE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF THE TRUCK DOES NOT SAFELY STOP TOWING A HEAVY RV. WE TRADED AN F150 FOR THIS F250 SUPER DUTY FOR THE ADDED TOWING CAPACITY HOWEVER WE NOW DO NOT FEEL SAFE TOWING ANYTHING. *TR
THIS SAFETY CONCERN OCCURRED ON A 2011, FORD F250, WITH "26,400" MILES ON IT. UPON LEAVING MY RESIDENCE, THE TRUCK FELT SLUGGISH, AS IF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. I NEVER USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT CHECKED ANYWAY TO CONFIRM IT WAS NOT SET. I PULLED OVER AND EXISTED THE VEHICLE, AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE ODOR CAME FROM THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. I REACHED IN TO FEEL THE ROTOR AND BURNED MY FINGER TIPS FROM THE HEAT. AS A PRECAUTION, I CHECKED THE REMAINING WHEELS AND ALL EXHIBITED VERY HIGH HEAT WITH A BURNING ODOR. LUCKILY, I WAS WITHIN AN 1/8 MILE OF S SERVICE STATION. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED AND DETERMINED ALL FOUR BRAKES HAD SEIZED DUE TO CORROSION. TWO CALIPERS WERE SALVAGEABLE, TWO WERE NOT. THE REPAIR WAS MADE WITH THE CALIPERS HELD FOR THE LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR REVIEW, AND DISPOSITION, BUT THE FORD DEALER SHOWED NO INTEREST, AND HAD DECLINED TO PERSONALLY EXAMINE THE CORRODED CALIPERS. THE TRUCK WAS 21 DAYS OUT OF CALENDAR WARRANTY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE ENGINE REGULATOR HAD FAILED AND THE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED TO VERIFY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V128000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,584...UPDATED 07-24-13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WITHIN THE FIRST THREE THOUSAND MILES, THE TRUCK DEVELOPED A VIOLENT BRAKING ISSUE. THE ISSUE AT HAND WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO UNCONTROLLABLY SWITCH LANES WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SIX TIMED. WITHIN THE VISITS, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. EVEN WITH THE ROTORS SMOKING AND GLOWING RED, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED INTO THE SERVICE BAY. THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER, WHERE THEY SUGGESTED ALL THE FRONT END BRAKE COMPONENTS AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR BRAKE ASSEMBLY BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE BATTERY DEVELOPED A LEAK AROUND THE BATTERY CAPS. THE ALTERNATOR SHORTED OUT, WHICH CAUSED A SMALL FIRE AND MELTED A PORTION OF THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE CHARGING SYSTEM.
THE LEFT REAR BRAKE GETS HOT AND SMOKES AND WONT RELEASE. WE TOOK IT TO OUR FORD DEALERSHIP WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY DROVE IT AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES ON THAT TIRE ONLY NOW 3 TIMES. EACH TIME THE BRAKES ARE COMPLETELY WORN THROUGH THE METAL, THE ROTOR HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE CALIPERS. AGAIN THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED WITH THE LEFT REAR TIRE. THE OTHER TIRES HAVE THE ORIGINAL BRAKES ON THEM. SOMETHING HAS BEEN WRONG WITH THIS TIRE SINCE THE TRUCK WAS BRAND NEW.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO GROUNDED THE FRONT ROTORS, REPLACED THE FRONT CALIPERS AND BRAKE PADS, BUT THE FAILURE WASN'T CORRECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT HIS CLAIM WAS ESCALATED AND SOMEONE WOULD CALL HIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7500. UPDATED 11/19/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF EXCHANGING THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/23/10
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026