Owners have filed 1,717 safety complaints about the 2012 Ford F-150 with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 37 crashes, 14 fires, 26 injuries, 2 deaths.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2012 Ford F-150, here is how reports break down by system.
"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."
"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."
Complaint filings for the 2012 Ford F-150 over time:
Across the Ford F-150 model years we track, the 2013 has the most complaints on file (2,796); the 2012 ranks 4 of 8.
4 recalls apply to some or all 2012 Ford F-150 vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 F-150 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 6, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 15, 2011. INCORRECT SOFTWARE FOR THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MODULE (OCSM) WAS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLES EITHER AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING OR DURING THE COURSE OF REPLACEMENT OF THE…
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 FORD F-150, 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND 2012-2013 MUSTANG VEHICLES, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRA…
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 vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
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 first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
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 July 14, 2026, owners have filed 1,717 complaints about the 2012 Ford F-150 with NHTSA. The most-reported system is power train / transmission.
The 2012 Ford F-150 has 4 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2012 Ford F-150 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 July 14, 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.