YearToAvoid

2012 Ford F-150 Engine Problems

Engine complaints make up 600 of 1,781 total complaints for the 2012 Ford F-150, or 34% of all reported issues that year — the highest share of any model year listed. NHTSA lists no related recalls for this engine issue, and the median mileage at failure was 27,551 miles.

Engine complaints
600
34% of 1,781
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
27,551 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of engine power while accelerating from a stop or merging into traffic, sometimes leading to a rear-end collision.
  • Some describe the engine stalling and shaking, dropping into second gear with no throttle response, in both wet and dry conditions.
  • A few owners report the engine catching fire or smoking under the hood, in one case linked to condensation from the intercooler being drawn into the intake and cracking the engine block.
  • Owners describe the truck rolling forward unexpectedly after being parked and exited, with the brakes failing to stop the vehicle.
  • One owner reported a burning smell traced to battery cable corrosion that ate through the positive cable.

When 2012 Ford F-150 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 25, 2012, latest Sep 17, 2026.

2012 Ford F-150 engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter952012 Q12014 Q12016 Q12018 Q12020 Q12022 Q22024 Q32026 Q3
600 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q2 (95).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Ford F-150

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by F-150 model year

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

  1. 2010169 (20%)
  2. 2011637 (29%)
  3. 2012600 (34%)
  4. 2013767 (26%)
  5. 2014266 (17%)
  6. 2015393 (23%)
  7. 2016411 (20%)
  8. 2017413 (29%)
  9. 2018639 (28%)
  10. 2019407 (31%)
  11. 2020150 (21%)
  12. 2021113 (11%)
  13. 202254 (9%)
  14. 202345 (11%)
  15. 202423 (12%)
  16. 202515 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2012 Ford F-150?
NHTSA lists 600 engine complaints for the 2012 F-150, which is 34% of the 1,781 total complaints filed for that model year — the highest share among all F-150 model years in the data.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Ford F-150 engine?
No. NHTSA does not list any related recalls tied to this engine complaint category for the 2012 F-150.
At what mileage do 2012 F-150 engine problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 27,551 miles.
Did the 2012 F-150 engine issues cause crashes or fires?
NHTSA data tied to this engine complaint category for the 2012 F-150 lists 8 crashes, 3 fires, and 3 injuries.

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.