2012 Ford Explorer Engine Problems
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Ford Explorer, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 53,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “throttle body” (11% of reports).
- 79engine complaints
- 53,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 51%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Throttle body: mentioned in 9 of 79 complaints (11%)
- Oil pressure: mentioned in 6 of 79 complaints (8%)
- Exhaust smell: mentioned in 5 of 79 complaints (6%)
- Able restart: mentioned in 5 of 79 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 60 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 79 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford Explorer engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 6 | 14% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 8 | 8% | 9,000 |
| 2024 Explorer | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 10 | 9% | 8,664 |
| 2022 Explorer | 30 | 11% | 61,500 |
| 2021 Explorer | 49 | 11% | 69,000 |
| 2020 Explorer | 116 | 9% | 8,000 |
| 2019 Explorer | 19 | 6% | 22,500 |
| 2018 Explorer | 96 | 13% | 30,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 241 | 14% | 23,350 |
| 2016 Explorer | 382 | 16% | 16,650 |
| 2015 Explorer | 226 | 13% | 30,156 |
| 2014 Explorer | 196 | 12% | 38,500 |
| 2013 Explorer | 225 | 10% | 56,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 79 | 10% | 53,000 |
| 2011 Explorer | 83 | 7% | 83,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 14 | 12% | 80,500 |
| 2009 Explorer | 4 | 12% | 73,842 |
| 2008 Explorer | 21 | 14% | 85,500 |
| 2007 Explorer | 28 | 13% | 82,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 58 | 9% | 81,850 |
| 2005 Explorer | 17 | 3% | 115,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 44 | 3% | 114,500 |
| 2003 Explorer | 22 | 2% | 145,500 |
| 2002 Explorer | 49 | 1% | 134,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 6 | 2% | 98,250 |
| 2000 Explorer | 9 | 1% | 153,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 4 | 0% | 104,300 |
| 1998 Explorer | 6 | 0% | 171,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 4 | 0% | 147,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 2 | 0% | 77,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 2 | 0% | 130,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the traction control and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that a minute and a half later, while attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel became firm, and added…
while driving the vehicle goes into what I have found is called sleep mode.. The check engine lite comes on and the left info panel shows that the all wheel drive is not working. The dealer tried to see what codes were set and found none. My solution is to pull off the road, put the vehicle in park…
Engine mounds wearing out and Ford says they are in backorder for almost a year now. If there's such a demand. Then why isn't there recall that so many people are requesting them but Ford can't supply them.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Ford Explorers have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 79 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Ford Explorer (10% of the 829 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Ford Explorer engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 53,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “throttle body”, in 9 of 79 complaints, followed by “oil pressure” (6).
Other 2012 Ford Explorer problems
- Steering problems (360)
- Structure problems (144)
- Electrical System problems (63)
- Power Train problems (55)
See all 2012 Ford Explorer problems or engine problems across all Explorer years.