2012 Ford EXPEDITION

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford EXPEDITION has 163 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (39% of all complaints), specifically: on many occasions from around may or june of 2013, when the car is accelerating from first to second gear it "jumps". it feels as if someone has hit the back of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken back to the dealership 3 times. each time they have updated the software and supposedly solved the pr. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 12 crash reports 34 injuries

163

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

64 complaints

39%

• ON MANY OCCASIONS FROM AROUND MAY OR JUNE OF 2013, WHEN THE CAR IS ACCELERATING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR IT "JUMPS". IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE HAS HIT THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. EACH TIME THEY HAVE UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND SUPPOSEDLY SOLVED THE PR
• COULD HEAR A LOUD METAL TO METAL GRINDING SOUND. FINALLY HAD THE EXPEDITION TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. 3 STRUTS NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE SHOCKS. DRIVER SIDE BEARING WAS WORN OUT. THE PASSENGER SIDE IS ALMOST THERE. THE EXPEDITION ONLY HAS 50,000 MILES. AFTER GETTING THIS INFORMATION FROM THE DE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATLEY 40 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE READINGS FLUCTUATED AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V190000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO SEPARA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“ON MANY OCCASIONS FROM AROUND MAY OR JUNE OF 2013, WHEN THE CAR IS ACCELERATING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR IT "JUMPS". IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE HAS HIT THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. EACH TIME THEY HAVE UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND SUPPOSEDLY SOLVED THE PR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

20 complaints

12%

• DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE WE WERE TRAVELING AT THE RATE OF SPEED LISTED ABOVE WITH NO POWER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO SOMEONE IN THIS POSITION. AS WE ATTEMPTED TO SEE IF WE COULD FIG
• SMELLED A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE . AFTER SEARCHING I DISCOVERED THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING HAD OVERHEATED AND HAS MELTED IN THE FRAME FROM THE HEAT OF THE LIGHTING. THIS IS A STOCK HOUSING FROM FORD WITH FORD INSTALLED LIGHTS. *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATLEY 40 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE READINGS FLUCTUATED AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V190000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO SEPARA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE WE WERE TRAVELING AT THE RATE OF SPEED LISTED ABOVE WITH NO POWER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO SOMEONE IN THIS POSITION. AS WE ATTEMPTED TO SEE IF WE COULD FIG”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

16 complaints

10%

• STOPPED AT 0MPH. WITNESS IN CAR BEHIND. FOOT ON BRAKE. TOUCHED ACCELERATOR NORMALLY. HEARD NOISE. CAR TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED. HIT WALL APPROX TWENTY FEET AWAY. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO ONE IN PASSENGER SEAT. SEAT BELT ON, PER DRIVER, WITNESS WHO HELPED DRIVER THRU WINDOW, AND EXAMINATIO
• AFTER ENGAGING THE 4X4 VIA THE DASHBOARD CONTROL KNOB THE "SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK" MESSAGE WAS SHOWN IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE 4X4 WAS DISENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE WAS THEN STOPPED. THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE ABS, STABILITY CONTROL AND 4X4 WERE THEN ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE VEH
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION BUT SINCE SHE WAS NOT DRIVING THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“STOPPED AT 0MPH. WITNESS IN CAR BEHIND. FOOT ON BRAKE. TOUCHED ACCELERATOR NORMALLY. HEARD NOISE. CAR TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED. HIT WALL APPROX TWENTY FEET AWAY. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO ONE IN PASSENGER SEAT. SEAT BELT ON, PER DRIVER, WITNESS WHO HELPED DRIVER THRU WINDOW, AND EXAMINATIO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

15 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MOVED IRREGULARLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR PASSENGERS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ALERT SYS
• VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED. SPEED WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. DRIVER AVOIDED TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITIES STANDING WORKERS AND UNINTENTIONALLY HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND WORKERS INSIDE THOSE VEHICLES. 6 INJURED TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TWO CRITICALLY HURT! *TR
• PAINT BLISTERS ARE STARTING TO APPEAR ON REAR LIFT GATE WHERE THE HANDLE IS ATTACHED. DEALER HAS INDICATED THAT THIS IS CORROSION DUE TO THE ALUMINIUM MATERIAL THAT THE LIFT GATE IS MADE OF AND POOR PREP WORK OR CONTAMINATION FROM THE FACTORY PAINT.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MOVED IRREGULARLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR PASSENGERS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ALERT SYS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

12 complaints

• VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED. SPEED WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. DRIVER AVOIDED TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITIES STANDING WORKERS AND UNINTENTIONALLY HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND WORKERS INSIDE THOSE VEHICLES. 6 INJURED TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TWO CRITICALLY HURT! *TR
• WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 EXPEDITION 45 - 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING AND STALLED MORE THAN ONCE AND JERKED REPEATEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THE SAME OCCURENCE LISTED ON THE RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE DEALER CLAIMS THEY "FIXED" THE PROBLEM BY INSTALLIN
• WHILE DRIVING ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS A DOWNSHIFT IN THE GEARS AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES BLANK I THEN PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TURN OF THE ENGINE AND THEN START UP AGAIN AND EVERY THING IS BACK TO NORMAL. ON 1/22/17 IT WAS REALLY BAD AS THE SAME HAPPENED AND I TRIED TO PI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED. SPEED WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. DRIVER AVOIDED TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITIES STANDING WORKERS AND UNINTENTIONALLY HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND WORKERS INSIDE THOSE VEHICLES. 6 INJURED TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TWO CRITICALLY HURT! *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 163 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: ON MANY OCCASIONS FROM AROUND MAY OR JUNE OF 2013, WHEN THE CAR IS ACCELERATING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR IT "JUMPS". IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE HAS HIT THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. EACH TIME THEY HAVE UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND SUPPOSEDLY SOLVED THE PR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE WE WERE TRAVELING AT THE RATE OF SPEED LISTED ABOVE WITH NO POWER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO SOMEONE IN THIS POSITION. AS WE ATTEMPTED TO SEE IF WE COULD FIG
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: STOPPED AT 0MPH. WITNESS IN CAR BEHIND. FOOT ON BRAKE. TOUCHED ACCELERATOR NORMALLY. HEARD NOISE. CAR TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED. HIT WALL APPROX TWENTY FEET AWAY. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO ONE IN PASSENGER SEAT. SEAT BELT ON, PER DRIVER, WITNESS WHO HELPED DRIVER THRU WINDOW, AND EXAMINATIO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MOVED IRREGULARLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR PASSENGERS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ALERT SYS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)