2012 Ford F-150

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford F-150 has 2431 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 30.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: when accelerating the truck bogged. rpm of engine increase truck did not. let off gas and depressed truck began to shake violently. attempting to merge on interstate. had to pull over and shut truck off to return to normal. this has happened several occasions. i have documented each time it has . ⚠️ 19 fire reports filed.

19 fire reports 41 crash reports 25 injuries

2431

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

30.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

673 complaints

28%

• WHEN ACCELERATING THE TRUCK BOGGED. RPM OF ENGINE INCREASE TRUCK DID NOT. LET OFF GAS AND DEPRESSED TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT TRUCK OFF TO RETURN TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I HAVE DOCUMENTED EACH TIME IT HAS
• WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 FORD F150 4X4 WITH THE ECOBOOST MOTOR TO WORK ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY I EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING ISSUE: AFTER CRUISING FOR ABOUT 20 MILES AT 65MPG I ATTEMPTED A PASS OF SLOWER MOVING TRAFFIC. THE TRUCK ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 80MPH DURING THE PASS THEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE LO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND THE TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWN SHIFTED THREE GEARS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AFTER WAITING TEN SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEAL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 12 crashes

“WHEN ACCELERATING THE TRUCK BOGGED. RPM OF ENGINE INCREASE TRUCK DID NOT. LET OFF GAS AND DEPRESSED TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT TRUCK OFF TO RETURN TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I HAVE DOCUMENTED EACH TIME IT HAS ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

499 complaints

21%

• ENGINE MISFIRE, SHUDDER, BOGGING. TSB DIDNT FIX. *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-150 CREW CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH COVERS OVER THE FENDER WELLS OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE WHO STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THEY NO LONGER OFFERED THE FEATURE AND THAT HE COULD PURCHASE ONE AT HIS EXP
• WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE TRUCK ENGINE ALMOST DIED. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE, MAINLY WHEN I ACCELERATE QUICKLY AS IN TRYING TO PASS A CAR. IT COULD EASILY GET SOMEONE KILLED. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR COME UP WITH A FIX BEC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“ENGINE MISFIRE, SHUDDER, BOGGING. TSB DIDNT FIX. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

204 complaints

• THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS A KNOCK OR NIBBLE THAT IS FELT IN THE ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEM , THIS IS VERY NOTICEABLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON DAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 70F. AS THE TEMP INCREASES THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUES INCREASE. IT IS FELT AS IF THERE IS A MAJOR COMP
• EPAS STEERING FAILURE. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN THE EPAS ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THOUGH WE KEPT TURNING THE WHEEL, TRUCK DID NOT MAKE THE TURN, IT SEEMED TO BE TRYING TO TURN AND TURNING SLOWLY. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE EPAS STARTED WORKING AGAIN. TRUCK SHOOK AND JERKED, AS
• THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH ABOUT 400 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I BEGAN NOTICING A LOOSE/NIBBLE FEELING IN THE STEERING WHEEL ESPECIALLY OVER ROUGH TERRAIN, WHICH IS 90 PERCENT OF MICHIGAN ROADS. WHEN TEMPERATURES GET HOTTER THE PROBLEM IS MORE SEVERE. I HAVE HAD 4 POWER STEERING RACK AND PINIONS (EPAS) RE

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

“THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS A KNOCK OR NIBBLE THAT IS FELT IN THE ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEM , THIS IS VERY NOTICEABLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON DAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 70F. AS THE TEMP INCREASES THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUES INCREASE. IT IS FELT AS IF THERE IS A MAJOR COMP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

195 complaints

• WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE TRUCK ENGINE ALMOST DIED. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE, MAINLY WHEN I ACCELERATE QUICKLY AS IN TRYING TO PASS A CAR. IT COULD EASILY GET SOMEONE KILLED. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR COME UP WITH A FIX BEC
• I WAS DRIVING IN A LIGHT RAIN WHEN I GENTLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE STARTED VIBRATING EXCESSIVELY MAKING THE WHOLE TRUCK VIBRATE LIKE THE WHEELS WERE FALLING OFF. THE INCIDENT LASTED ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE IT RETURNED TO ACTING NORMALLY. *TR
• WHILE DRIVING A BRAND NEW 2012 FORD F-150 W/ 3.5L V6 ECO-BOOST I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO INTERSTATE WHILE TOWING A SMALL BOAT TRAILER WHEN I LOST TOWING POWER (RPM DROPPED INSTANTLY FROM ~4000 TO ~2000 RPM DESPITE HAVING ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED) AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING. THI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE TRUCK ENGINE ALMOST DIED. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE, MAINLY WHEN I ACCELERATE QUICKLY AS IN TRYING TO PASS A CAR. IT COULD EASILY GET SOMEONE KILLED. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR COME UP WITH A FIX BEC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

170 complaints

• 2012 F150 ECOBOOST. CONSUMER STATES SHUTTERING, LOSS OF HORSEPOWER AND ELECTRICAL PANEL WENT BLANK *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION, THERE WAS STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE NEXT MORNING, AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TO THE DEALER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED.
• WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND TRYING TO PASS, VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND LOST POWER. ALSO WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC VEHICLE WHEN LOSE POWER AND ENGINE SHAKES. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ONA ND HAS REMAINED ON. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN DAILY. FORD ECOBOOST SYSTEM HAS A PROBLE
• WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I HEARD A POP AND 'DING' SOUND BEFORE LOSING ALL ELECTRICAL ITEMS - DASH BOARD, HEAD LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC., BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL OPERATING. I THEN FELT A GRINDING NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE HIGHWAY SAFELY TO PARK AT A GAS STAT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 8 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“2012 F150 ECOBOOST. CONSUMER STATES SHUTTERING, LOSS OF HORSEPOWER AND ELECTRICAL PANEL WENT BLANK *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION, THERE WAS STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE NEXT MORNING, AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TO THE DEALER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2431 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: WHEN ACCELERATING THE TRUCK BOGGED. RPM OF ENGINE INCREASE TRUCK DID NOT. LET OFF GAS AND DEPRESSED TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT TRUCK OFF TO RETURN TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I HAVE DOCUMENTED EACH TIME IT HAS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: ENGINE MISFIRE, SHUDDER, BOGGING. TSB DIDNT FIX. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS A KNOCK OR NIBBLE THAT IS FELT IN THE ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEM , THIS IS VERY NOTICEABLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON DAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 70F. AS THE TEMP INCREASES THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUES INCREASE. IT IS FELT AS IF THERE IS A MAJOR COMP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE TRUCK ENGINE ALMOST DIED. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE, MAINLY WHEN I ACCELERATE QUICKLY AS IN TRYING TO PASS A CAR. IT COULD EASILY GET SOMEONE KILLED. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR COME UP WITH A FIX BEC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)