2012 Ford F-150 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 483 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Ford F-150, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 24,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “ecoboost engine” (8% of reports).
- 483engine complaints
- 24,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $2,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 66%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.
- Ecoboost engine: mentioned in 40 of 483 complaints (8%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 32 of 483 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2012 Ford F-150 at $2,300, and half of them between $980 and $3,250.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2024), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 435 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 483 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 3 a fire.
Ford F-150 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-150 | 2 | 17% | — |
| 2025 F-150 | 4 | 4% | — |
| 2024 F-150 | 12 | 6% | 14,000 |
| 2023 F-150 | 27 | 7% | 8,000 |
| 2022 F-150 | 38 | 6% | 11,300 |
| 2021 F-150 | 84 | 8% | 25,224 |
| 2020 F-150 | 129 | 18% | 46,341 |
| 2019 F-150 | 321 | 24% | 60,500 |
| 2018 F-150 | 508 | 22% | 59,500 |
| 2017 F-150 | 314 | 22% | 61,000 |
| 2016 F-150 | 317 | 15% | 51,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 264 | 15% | 62,450 |
| 2014 F-150 | 179 | 12% | 73,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 548 | 18% | 55,500 |
| 2012 F-150 | 483 | 27% | 24,000 |
| 2011 F-150 | 482 | 22% | 53,000 |
| 2010 F-150 | 107 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2009 F-150 | 42 | 13% | 100,000 |
| 2008 F-150 | 53 | 14% | 105,000 |
| 2007 F-150 | 105 | 22% | 99,616 |
| 2006 F-150 | 74 | 13% | 99,495 |
| 2005 F-150 | 117 | 11% | 116,500 |
| 2004 F-150 | 92 | 5% | 108,588 |
| 2003 F-150 | 28 | 7% | 138,183 |
| 2002 F-150 | 66 | 8% | 138,000 |
| 2001 F-150 | 44 | 4% | 154,500 |
| 2000 F-150 | 23 | 2% | 137,500 |
| 1999 F-150 | 27 | 3% | 160,000 |
| 1998 F-150 | 14 | 1% | 122,778 |
| 1997 F-150 | 15 | 1% | 132,000 |
| 1996 F-150 | 3 | 1% | 131,000 |
| 1995 F-150 | 2 | 0% | 160,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Ford F-150. 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 F-150. The contact stated that the transmission seized while driving 15 MPH and making a left turn onto the highway in oncoming traffic, and the vehicle suddenly stopped. The wrench symbol was displayed. The instrument panel was blank. The contact stated that the…
Unexpectedly downshifting into first gear make the motor damaged
i dropped my ford truck off for a recall that was done only three months ago and it had an extended warranty (Recall campaign number 19S07/19V075 sudden downshift powertrian control module programming) with it but it didnt fix the problem. when i picked up my truck after them keeping it for two…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Ford F-150s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 483 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Ford F-150 (27% of the 1,783 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 F-150 engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 24,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2012 Ford F-150?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,300 (half paid between $980 and $3,250), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “ecoboost engine”, in 40 of 483 complaints, followed by “timing chain” (32).
Other 2012 Ford F-150 problems
See all 2012 Ford F-150 problems or engine problems across all F-150 years.