The 2012 Ford Expedition has 3 recalls and 119 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is power train.
Photo: 2012 Ford Expedition by U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2012 compares
Low
Fewest complaintsMost complaints
Low complaint count among 27 Expedition model years — 17th most.
3recalls
119complaints
6crashes
2fires
13injuries
82,000median miles
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.
Does your car have an open recall? Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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.
Remedy & notes
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.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Exterior Lighting
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 âlamps, reflective devices and associated equipment.â these vehicles May have a transmission range sensor (trs) that was calibrated out of specification for reverse gear.
Original NHTSA wording
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 ÂLAMPS, 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 ârâ position and the vehicleâs transmission does go in reverse, the ârâ 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 vehicleâs not signaling it is in reverse.
Original NHTSA wording
IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR WHEN THE DRIVER PUSHES THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE REVERSE ÂRÂ POSITION AND THE VEHICLEÂS TRANSMISSION DOES GO IN REVERSE, THE ÂRÂ 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 VEHICLEÂS NOT SIGNALING IT IS IN REVERSE.
Remedy & notes
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.
Ford's recall campaign number is 12C23.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Seats
Feb 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.
Original NHTSA wording
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.
Original NHTSA wording
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT HEAD RESTRAINT MAY NOT PROVIDE THE REQUIRED STRENGTH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy & notes
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.
Ford's recall campaign number is 12C22.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.
Complaints by year filed
NHTSA investigations
Unexpected Transmission Downshift
RQ17010 · opened Dec 25, 2017 · closed Oct 22, 2019 · led to recall 19V075000
Summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of transmissions unexpectedly downshifting to a lower gear without input from the driver on model year (MY) 2011-2013 Ford F-150, Expedition and Navigator vehicles. ODI has received 455 unique reports related to the alleged problem that were not covered under a previous recall for this issue (16V-248).Expedition and Navigator complaint rates are lower than F-150 complaints. Of those 455 reports, 34.7% claimed that the rear wheels locked up when the transmission downshifted. There were 4 accident claims with no injuries. There are many instances where drivers report leaving their lane or the road because of this issue.In response to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter, Ford Motor Company (Ford) responded with 783 unique reports related to the alleged problem. There were 6 accident claims with 3 injuries. Ford also submitted 1206 warranty claims related to transmission downshifting failures. The failure can occur at any time, but typically at higher speed, and include symptoms such as sudden transmission downshifting, loss of speedometer, erratic shifting of transmission, and transmission stuck in one gear. The failures typically occur without warning and may result in the rear wheels momentarily locking up. The driver often had to fully stop the vehicle and restart it to get the vehicle to shift properly.On February 2nd, 2019 Ford notified ODI that it would conduct a safety recall…
2012 vs. other Ford Expedition years
Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2012. Click a bar to switch year.
Questions
Does the 2012 Ford Expedition have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2012 Ford Expedition, the latest from Apr 27, 2016 (power train). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Expedition?
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention power train (64), electrical system (20), vehicle speed control (18). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.
Recalls by Model
