Owners have filed 826 safety complaints about the 2012 Ford Explorer with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 10 crashes, 6 fires, 13 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2012 Ford Explorer, steering issues stand far above everything else.
"The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making turns, the steering wheel made loud grinding sounds and was loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 197,000."
"Loss of power steering assist . Yes it is available for inspection on request. I can't steer it . It has not been confirmed by anybody yet. It has not been inspected by anybody yet. There are no warning lights on dash ."
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2012 Ford Explorer inverts that curve — filings peaked in 2025, 13 years after the model year.
Across the Ford Explorer model years we track, the 2016 has the most complaints on file (2,443); the 2012 ranks 8 of 9.
7 recalls apply to some or all 2012 Ford Explorer vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain replacement steering gears installed on model year 2011-2012 Explorers as service parts in September 2013 and January 2014. The affected gears may lock, preventing the driver from being able to steer the vehicle.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 17, 2010, through February 28, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor si…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulti…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Yor…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 826 complaints about the 2012 Ford Explorer with NHTSA. The most-reported system is steering.
The 2012 Ford Explorer has 7 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2012 Ford Explorer an overall crash rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.