2012 Ford Expedition Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
27/100
#12 most-complained of 16 Expedition years
The 2012 Ford Expedition has a complaint index of 27 and ranks 12th worst out of 16 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Expeditions. It has 118 complaints, 3 recalls, and no reported deaths.
- Complaints
- 118
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 6 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 13 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 15.5
- 13.5 city / 19 hwy
Top 2012 Ford Expedition problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain64 (54%)
- Engine28 (24%)
- Electrical System20 (17%)
- Structure & Body18 (15%)
- Other10 (8%)
- Brakes7 (6%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (4%)
- Fuel System4 (3%)
- Airbags3 (3%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report the transmission jumping or lurching hard between first and second gear, sometimes reoccurring even after dealer software updates.
- Some drivers describe unintended acceleration or the vehicle rolling away unexpectedly after being parked, in one case crashing into a nearby house.
- Front tires have reportedly failed suddenly at highway speed, with sidewall separation despite normal tread wear and inflation.
- A strong gasoline smell has been reported filling the cabin during regular highway driving, unrelated to refueling.
- Owners describe the front passenger door moving irregularly and triggering false "door ajar" warnings while driving.
- Heated seat motors have reportedly overheated, making the seat cushion and pocket area very hot with no permanent fix offered.
2012 Ford Expedition recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V248000Apr 27, 2016Transmission & Powertrain153,581 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
Risk: An unexpected downshift into first gear can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly without warning and the rear tires may slide or lock, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S19.
- NHTSA 12V190000May 3, 2012Electrical System10,500 vehicles
Exterior lighting:back up lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 ford f-150, 2012 expedition and lincoln navigator, and 2012-2013 mustang vehicles, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard nos. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect" and 108 âlamps, reflective devices and associated equipment.â these vehicles may have a transmission range sensor (trs) that was calibrated out of specification for reverse gear.
Risk: If this condition exists, the transmission may not go into reverse or when the driver pushes the shift lever in the reverse ârâ position and the vehicleâs transmission does go in reverse, the ârâ may not illuminate on the dashboard of the f-150, expedition, or navigator models and/or the backup lamp on the rear of the f-150, expedition, navigator, or mustang vehicles may not illuminate. These conditions increase the risk of a crash or a pedestrian being struck due to the vehicleâs not signaling it is in reverse.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the trs as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on june 11, 2012. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
- NHTSA 12V034000Feb 2, 2012Structure & Body569 vehicles
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 expedition and lincoln navigator vehicles, manufactured from november 19, 2011, through december 2, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202, "head restraints." these vehicles may have inadequate welds on the head restraint support brackets for the second row, right-hand seat.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat head restraint may not provide the required strength, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the head restraints as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on february 21, 2012. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
2012 Ford Expedition fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 13.5 MPG
- Highway
- 19 MPG
- Combined
- 15.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,175
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Gasoline or E85
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Ford Expedition reliable?
- Relative to other Expedition model years, the 2012 is rated "Good" with a complaint index of 27 and ranks 12th worst out of 16 years tracked by NHTSA data.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Expedition?
- Transmission & Powertrain issues make up 54% of complaints (64 of 118), followed by Engine problems at 24% and Electrical System issues at 17%.
- Does the 2012 Ford Expedition have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Expedition covering the transmission control module software, a transmission range sensor tied to a federal safety standard, and head restraint replacement.
- At what mileage do 2012 Expedition transmission problems typically show up?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage of 108,000 miles for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2012 Expedition.
- How does the 2012 Expedition compare to later years like 2019?
- The 2012 model's complaint index of 27 is much lower than the 2019 Expedition's index of 100, which NHTSA data ranks as the worst year for this model.