2012 Ford Expedition Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 12, 2026 · 118 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Expedition years
Fewer complaints than other years 20th of 33 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
4 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 118 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Expedition. That ranks 20th out of 33 Expedition model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (64 complaints, 54%), typically at around 108,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 2 fires, 13 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

Ford Expedition
A 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum MAX photographed during the 2025 New York International Auto Show , inside the Javits Convention Center , at Hudson Yards, Manha. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2012 Ford Expedition problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Power Train64 · ~108,000 mi
Electrical System20 · ~92,168 mi
Vehicle Speed Control18 · ~71,512 mi
Structure15 · ~52,500 mi
Engine12 · ~95,500 mi
Unknown or Other9 · ~53,000 mi
Service Brakes6 · ~30,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion System4 · ~54,918 mi
Air Bags3 · ~9,311 mi
Seats3 · ~15,283 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Power Train problems6454%108,000“lead frame” (19%)—
Electrical System2017%92,168——
Vehicle Speed Control1815%71,512——
Structure1513%52,500——
Engine1210%95,500——
Unknown or Other98%53,000——
Service Brakes65%30,000——
Fuel/propulsion System43%54,918——
Air Bags33%9,311——
Seats33%15,283——
Suspension33%17,000——
Back Over Prevention22%78,000——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)22%47,000——
Seat Belts22%45,656——
Child Seat11%———
Exterior Lighting11%60,000——
Tires11%9,000——
Wheels11%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2018, with 21 complaints
2012: 3201232013: 442014: 7201472015: 552016: 162016162017: 15152018: 212018212019: 772020: 5202052021: 10102022: 5202252023: 442024: 3202432025: 992026: 420264

n = 118 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2012 Ford Expedition recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Power train:automatic transmissionApr 27, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V248000 · 153,581 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: An unexpected downshift into first gear can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly without warning and the rear tires may slide or lock, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S19.

Exterior lighting:back up lights; power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)May 3, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V190000 · 10,500 vehicles

Problem: 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 â“lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment.┠these vehicles may have a transmission range sensor (trs) that was calibrated out of specification for reverse gear.

Risk: If this condition exists, the transmission may not go into reverse or when the driver pushes the shift lever in the reverse â“r┠position and the vehicleâ’s transmission does go in reverse, the â“r┠may not illuminate on the dashboard of the f-150, expedition, or navigator models and/or the backup lamp on the rear of the f-150, expedition, navigator, or mustang vehicles may not illuminate. These conditions increase the risk of a crash or a pedestrian being struck due to the vehicleâ’s not signaling it is in reverse.

Fix: 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 1-866-436-7332.

Seats:mid/rear assemblyFeb 2, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V034000 · 569 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 expedition and lincoln navigator vehicles, manufactured from november 19, 2011, through december 2, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202, "head restraints." these vehicles may have inadequate welds on the head restraint support brackets for the second row, right-hand seat.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat head restraint may not provide the required strength, increasing the risk of injury.

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

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Unexpected Transmission Downshift (RQ17010) — opened Dec 25, 2017, closed Oct 22, 2019, led to recall 19V075000.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

vehicle shifting erratically and shows fuel mileage low and loss of speedometer

Vehicle Speed Control · received Aug 12, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11756398

vehicle shifting erratically and shows fuel mileage low and loss of speedometer

Vehicle Speed Control · received Aug 12, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11756399

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 30 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, causing the occupants to lunge forward. The tires squealed and the wheels locked up. The vehicle was turned off but failed to restart. No warning light was…

Power Train · received Apr 7, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11729726

While exiting the freeway at approximately 45 to 50 mph, the transmission downshifted to 1st gear locking up the tires.

Power Train · received Feb 24, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11720153

The speedometer will quit working and the vehicle will not shift out of 1st gear, if you can work through it it will start throwing error messages such as zero miles to empty, tire moniter system fault, etc. This is a very dangerous situation especially in high traffic areas. There was a customer…

Vehicle Speed Control · received Nov 17, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11699752

Other Ford Expedition years

← 2011 Expedition · 2013 Expedition →

See all Ford Expedition problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Expedition?

Owners most often report power train, electrical system, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 64 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2012 Ford Expedition?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2012 Ford Expedition a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Expedition model years, the 2012 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.