YearToAvoid

2012 Ford F-150 Brakes Problems

NHTSA lists 174 brake complaints for the 2012 Ford F-150, 10% of that year's total complaints, tied to 15 crashes and 5 injuries. No related recalls are listed for this brake issue. Median mileage at failure was 63,850 miles.

Brakes complaints
174
10% of 1,781
Crashes reported
15
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
5
Median mileage
63,850 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical brake symptoms owners report

  • Brake pedal travels to the floor without warning, especially at low speeds like backing out of a driveway, and the vehicle fails to slow or stop.
  • Owners report sudden loss of brake assist, describing a hard pedal or no power assist despite the brake warning indicator showing normal.
  • Several complaints describe rear-end or low-speed collisions where the truck did not stop in the expected distance even with the pedal fully depressed.
  • Some owners link the failures to the vacuum brake booster pump, reporting repeat pad and rotor replacements alongside intermittent loss of braking power.
  • A few incidents occurred alongside airbag non-deployment during the same crash event.

When 2012 Ford F-150 brake complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 10, 2013, latest Mar 10, 2026.

2012 Ford F-150 brakes complaints: complaints filed per quarter122013 Q12015 Q22016 Q42018 Q22019 Q42021 Q32023 Q4
174 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q1 to 2026 Q1; peak 2019 Q3 (12).

Brakes recalls for the 2012 Ford F-150

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Brakes complaints by F-150 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005123 (11%)
  2. 200696 (16%)
  3. 200747 (10%)
  4. 200840 (11%)
  5. 200941 (13%)
  6. 201064 (8%)
  7. 2011228 (10%)
  8. 2012174 (10%)
  9. 2013391 (13%)
  10. 2014361 (24%)
  11. 2015334 (20%)
  12. 2016354 (17%)
  13. 2017120 (8%)
  14. 201897 (4%)
  15. 201924 (2%)
  16. 202022 (3%)
  17. 202176 (8%)
  18. 202241 (7%)
  19. 202352 (13%)
  20. 202414 (7%)
  21. 202519 (18%)

Frequently asked questions

How many brake complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Ford F-150?
NHTSA lists 174 brake complaints for the 2012 F-150, which is 10% of the 1,781 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Ford F-150 brake problem?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this brake issue on the 2012 F-150.
At what mileage do 2012 F-150 brake problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 63,850 miles.
Were there crashes or injuries linked to these brake complaints?
Yes, NHTSA data tied to these 174 brake complaints shows 15 crashes and 5 injuries, with no fires reported.
Is the 2012 F-150 worse for brakes than other years?
Brake complaints made up 10% of total complaints for 2012, lower than the 24% share seen in 2014 and the 20% share in 2015 for this model.

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.