Car · Ford problems

2012 Ford F-150 problems

1,784 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford F-150. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (38% of them). NHTSA also lists 100 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 29. Deaths: 2.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 1,784 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)682 · 38%
• Engine and engine cooling498 · 28%
• Steering204 · 11%
• Speed control and throttle194 · 11%
• Electrical system173 · 10%
• Service brakes137 · 8%
• Visibility and wipers129 · 7%
• Fuel system119 · 7%

14 smaller areas not shown (301 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 100 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2012 Ford F-150. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. SSM 53040Received October 16, 2024

   While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

2. TSB 24-2188Received July 29, 2024

   Wheels

   Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped with 4WD may exhibit grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area.

3. SSM 52334Received March 20, 2024

   Engine and engine cooling

   Some 2011-2024 Mustang and F-150 vehicles equipped with a 5.0L engine may exhibit a tick tap and/or typewriter ticking noise at idle after an engine oil change.

4. SSM 51536Received May 4, 2023

   Body and structure

   For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended.

5. LTR3756Received December 20, 2021

   Body and structure

   49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016.

6. Service InformatReceived December 20, 2021

   Electrical system

   Online automotive service information system for April 2016-AM/FM/CD or sync with a 4.2 inch screen may exhibit a blank screen and no a;udio after a crank event.

7. TSB160001Received December 20, 2021

   Body and structure

   49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C.

8. TSB160066Received December 20, 2021

   Equipment

   Touchscreen navigation system - arabic language - blank screen.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ford F-150. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 19V075000February 11, 2019

   Power train

   The transmission may unexpectedly downshift into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.

2. 16V248000April 27, 2016

   Power train

   The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.

3. 12V190000May 3, 2012

   Power train

   ” these vehicles may have a transmission range sensor (trs) that was calibrated out of specification for reverse gear.

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Ford F-150, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your F-150 will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 682 complaints · 38%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Engine and engine cooling 498 complaints · 28%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Steering 204 complaints · 11%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Speed control and throttle 194 complaints · 11%

• Throttle body cleaning$75 to $180
• Throttle body replacement$290 to $900

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Ford F-150: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Ford F-150?

Of the 1,784 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford F-150, 682 (38%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 498 (28%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Ford F-150 reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 40 of the 1,784 complaints as involving a crash and 14 as involving a fire. They also reported 29 injuries and 2 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Ford F-150 have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ford F-150. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 100 repair bulletins for the 2012 Ford F-150.

More

• 2023 F-150 problems
• 2022 F-150 problems
• 2021 F-150 problems
• 2020 F-150 problems
• 2019 F-150 problems
• 2018 F-150 problems
• 2017 F-150 problems
• 2016 F-150 problems
• 2015 F-150 problems
• 2014 F-150 problems
• 2013 F-150 problems
• 2011 F-150 problems
• 2010 F-150 problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Ford recalls
• Ford problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.