YearToAvoid

2012 Ford F-150 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2012 Ford F-150 has 1,781 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 75, ranking 6th worst of 21 model years. It carries an Avoid verdict, driven mainly by transmission and engine problems and 4 recalls.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
75/100
#6 of 21 F-150 years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
1,781
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
40
reported in complaints
Fires
14
Injuries
29
Top issue
Transmission & Powertrain
Best nearby year
2010
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
15 city / 21 hwy
Injuries / deaths
29 / 2

Top 2012 Ford F-150 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain679 (38%)
  2. Engine600 (34%)
  3. Steering204 (11%)
  4. Electrical System179 (10%)
  5. Brakes174 (10%)
  6. Fuel System119 (7%)
  7. Other119 (7%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers114 (6%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires48 (3%)
  10. Structure & Body40 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Trucks parked on an incline or flat ground roll unexpectedly after being shifted into park, sometimes causing a collision.
  • Automatic transmission unexpectedly slips from park to reverse or drops gears without driver input.
  • Engine suddenly loses power while accelerating from a stop or merging into traffic, with no warning.
  • Vehicle stalls, shakes, or stays stuck in second gear with no throttle response during acceleration.
  • Steering becomes slow and erratic, pulling to one side and feeling hard to turn through curves.
  • Electrical smoke and fire have been reported starting near the front passenger seat while driving.
2012 Ford F-150 complaints: complaints filed per quarter1062012 Q12014 Q12016 Q12018 Q12020 Q12022 Q12024 Q12026 Q1
1,781 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q2 (106).

2012 Ford F-150 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V075000Feb 11, 2019Transmission & Powertrain1,263,051 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The transmission may unexpectedly downshift into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.

    Risk: Unexpectedly downshifting into first gear may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S07.

  2. 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.

  3. 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 â“lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment.┠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 â“r┠position and the vehicleâ’s transmission does go in reverse, the â“r┠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 vehicleâ’s 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.

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Ford F-150 →

2012 Ford F-150 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
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 F-150 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Good40843116
2011Avoid852,189617
2012Avoid751,781417
2013Avoid1002,981317
2014Caution551,5338 !17

All Ford F-150 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Ford F-150 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 F-150 ranks 6th worst out of 21 model years with a complaint index of 75, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other F-150 years.
What are the main problems with the 2012 Ford F-150?
Transmission and powertrain issues account for 38% of complaints (679 reports, median failure mileage 90,000), and engine problems account for 34% (600 reports, median failure mileage 27,551).
Does the 2012 Ford F-150 have transmission recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists two transmission recalls covering 2012 F-150 trucks, including one for unexpected downshifts into first gear and one involving software reprogramming of the powertrain control module.
How does the 2012 F-150 compare to other years?
The 2012 model's complaint index of 75 is lower than 2011 (85), 2013 (100), 2016 (90), and 2018 (95), all also rated Avoid, but higher than years like 2007 through 2010, which are rated Good.
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Ford F-150?
The 2012 F-150 gets an EPA-rated 17 mpg combined (15 city/21 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,800.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.