Problems · NHTSA complaints

2012 Ford F-150 problems

Owners filed 1,717 complaints about the 2012 Ford F-150 with NHTSA between Mar 2012 and Jul 2025. The most-cited component is power train (642).

Complaints
1,717
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
37
Reported by owners
Fires
14
Reported by owners
Injuries
26
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train642
  2. Engine473
  3. Steering197
  4. Vehicle speed control188
  5. Electrical system163
  6. Service brakes123
  7. Visibility/wiper95
  8. Fuel/propulsion system82
  9. Air bags37
  10. Electronic stability control (esc)36
  11. Fuel system, gasoline35
  12. Visibility34
  13. Structure24
  14. Suspension18

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
201244
2013240
2014115
2015142
2016159
2017178
2018197
2019223
202095
202154
202265
202373
202490
202542

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

642 reports10 crashes1 fire3 related recalls
“Vehicle rolls backwards OR potentially forwards intermittently depending on direction of incline. Have only observed it rolling backwards. When changing gears, above third gear usually, there is a resonant grumbling sound.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 23, 2025Power trainODI 11675725

Engine

473 reports4 crashes3 fires
“The cam phasers are in need of changing. Ford has acknowledged they are aware of the problems with the 3.5 Ecoboost engine but will not take responsibility and repair them. I definitely can not pay for this type of tepair”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2025EngineODI 11671812

Steering

197 reports2 crashes
“My truck started to skid as I was making a left turn. I wasn't going fast enough to skid. I then noticed the idiot light was on so I took it in for an estimate. I was told that the truck needed a power steering rack and the cost would be around $3000.00 I arranged for the repair. Truck mileage was 101051.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2025SteeringODI 11670374

Vehicle speed control

188 reports3 crashes
“Wrench light popped on downshift to first gear, speedometer goes to zero. My son and I driving down highway and it suddenly drops to first gear. Dealer said it sounds like transmission molded lead frame. Code reader says it's speed sensor which is in lead frame harness.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 19, 2025Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11661970

Electrical system

163 reports1 crash8 fires
“The transmission made a noise of metal and all electrical when out while driving but the engine stay on but no power to the road. yes its available. my car loss all power electrical and power to the road, had to put off to the side on the road and turn the truck off and on again. The problem has been reproduced but not confirmed by a dealer. I have done a existential look of the under and power train and cant see everything out of place. yes like every warning light when on seconds before all power when out. has never done that before.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2025Power train, Electrical systemODI 11674180

Service brakes

123 reports13 crashes
“While traveling at high way speed my brakes failed. We almost rear ended people and almost crashed into the divider. Thankfully the parking brake still worked.. We are very grateful that no one got injured. The truck is getting repaired at ford as I write this and it was diagnosed as master cylinder & brake booster failure.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2024Service brakesODI 11611274
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.