2012 Ford F-150: engine and transmission complaints
VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
62%
1,044 of 1,717 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
62% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Ford F-150 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 82% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN10/25/2018CRASH2 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED NECK AND FOOT INJ…
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL09/01/2023CRASH1 INJURED
I was driving at approximately 30 mph when the transmission's OSS (Output Speed sensor) suddenly malfunctioned, causing an unexpected downshift into first gear. This abrupt shift led to a loss of control, resulting in a harrowing collision with a tree. What I witnessed next is etched into my memory forever: a scene of …
POWER TRAIN03/05/2021CRASH1 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD INTERMITTENTLY DOWNSHIFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT THEN RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V075000(POWER TRAIN) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO RAY SKILLMAN FORD, INC.(1250 US-31, GREENW…
Three of 1,044 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (4)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The transmission may unexpectedly downshift into …
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected v…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 F-150 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 6, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 15, 2011. INCORRECT SOFTWARE FOR THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATIO…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2012 Ford F-150
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
4 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.
