2012 Ford F-150 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2012 Ford F-150, and owners have filed 1,783 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

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4 safety recalls for the 2012 Ford F-150

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

1. Automatic transmission (power train) and power train: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

   NHTSA 19V075000 Reported February 11, 2019 1,263,051 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

   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.

   Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…

2. Automatic transmission (power train)

   NHTSA 16V248000 Reported April 27, 2016 153,581 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

   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.

   Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…

3. Back up lights (exterior lighting) and power train: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

   NHTSA 12V190000 Reported May 3, 2012 10,500 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   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 braking effect" and 108 “lamps,…

   Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the trs as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on june 11, 2012. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at…

4. Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive

   NHTSA 12V198000 Reported May 3, 2012 101 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   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 module as part of a service repair.…

   Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ocsm free of charge. The safety recall began on may 21, 2012. Owners may contact the ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

1,783 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2012 Ford F-150 have filed 1,783 complaints with NHTSA; 40 describe a crash and 14 describe a fire. Reports cite 29 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 71,229 miles. Complaints peaked in 2013 with 240 filed that year.

Most-reported components

• Power train673
• Engine483
• Steering202
• Vehicle speed control194
• Electrical system155
• Service brakes124
• Unknown or other119
• Visibility/wiper95

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear. The failure was a persistent failure, with t”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 30, 2026 · Power train

“I have a 2012 F150 that has a safety, hazard with the transmission. It’s a 6 R80 transmission and the lead frame assembly is suddenly downshifting. from six gear to second year I have contacted the Fo”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 30, 2026 · Power train

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2012 Ford F150 (F150 Pickup 2WD, F150 Pickup 2WD FFV, F150 Pickup 4WD, F150 Pickup 4WD FFV, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Compare Ford F-150 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford F-150 model year in NHTSA's database.

Checking a specific 2012 Ford F-150

Other Ford models

• Explorer34,566 complaints
• Escape27,430 complaints
• Fusion22,405 complaints
• Focus22,096 complaints
• Taurus18,159 complaints
• Windstar14,158 complaints
• Edge14,065 complaints
• Expedition9,359 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.