2012 Ford Explorer problems & reliability
827 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford Explorer, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
8 complaints report injuries (13 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2012 Ford Explorer vehicles were involved in 43 fatal crashes with 14 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 358 | 43% |
| Structure → | 144 | 17% |
| Unknown / Other | 105 | 13% |
| Engine → | 79 | 10% |
| Electrical System → | 63 | 8% |
| Power Train → | 55 | 7% |
| Air Bags → | 27 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 27 | 3% |
| Suspension → | 22 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) → | 19 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 25 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 553 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 70,500 miles (middle 50% between 40,000 and 124,742 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the driver's side and passenger's side exterior A-pillar trim detached. The contact used tape on the driver's side to secure the molding to the windshield. The contact stated that the passenger's side A-pillar trim detached and fell…”
Structure · filed Sep 9, 2026
“The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, and it was realized that both front A-pillar trims were loose. The vehicle was repaired…”
Structure · filed Sep 2, 2026
“The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making turns, the steering wheel made loud grinding sounds and was loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case…”
Steering · filed Aug 31, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Windshield trim molding Item detachment
Preliminary Evaluation PE23001 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Feb 8, 2024 · led to recall 24V031
- Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab
Engineering Analysis EA17002 · opened Jul 27, 2017 · closed Jan 17, 2023
- Ford Explorer Exhaust Odor
Preliminary Evaluation PE16008 · opened Jul 1, 2016 · closed Sep 12, 2017
- Electric power steering failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE12017 · opened Jun 19, 2012 · closed Jun 12, 2014 · led to recall 14V286000
Technical service bulletins
88 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford Explorer. The 10 most recent:
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated…
SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024…
SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 10, 2024
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the…
SSM 52476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2024
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle…
SSM 51536 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2023
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Program Terms: added 21R01 and 21R02 REASON FOR PROVIDING A NO-COST, ONE-TIME REPAIR: added 21R01 and 21R02 OWNER…
22N01 S1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2023
Certain 2011 - 2013 Model Year Explorer Vehicles with Rear Wheel Knuckles that have been Replaced Rear Toe Link Inspection/Replacement Under Safety Recall 21S43, some of the affected vehicles that have had one (or both)…
21R02 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2022
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Toe Link Replacement Under Safety Recall 21S32, some of the affected vehicles exposed to a highly corrosive environment where road salt is used extensively during…
21R01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2022
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement Ref 21S32 Submitting Owner Letter
22N01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 31, 2022
This program provides a no-cost, one-time repair (if needed) to the rear wheel knuckles for six (6) months from the Repair Order (RO) opening date for field service actions 21S32 or 21S43 provided that the RO opening…
22N01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 18, 2022
Some 2011-2022 Explorer and 2020-2022 Aviator vehicles may experience an inoperative roof opening panel motor. If diagnostics lead to a motor replacement, visually inspect the original motor for signs of water…
SSM 50379 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 7, 2022
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2012 Ford Explorer has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Ford Explorer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 70,500 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.