2012 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 827 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 10 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, body, roof and pillarsJan 19, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Campaign 24V031000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearSep 22, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. These vehicles may be equipped with a cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) replacement part that could seize, and result in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealer will inspect for the presence of a CABJ. If a CABJ of any design is found, the dealer will inspect the tightness of the CABJ, and replace the CABJ, knuckle, and/or toe link as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S43.
Campaign 21V746000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJun 10, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Campaign 19V435000 on NHTSA.gov
Wheels, hubAug 28, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.
A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 17E048000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, doorMar 24, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.
If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, the door may unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S11.
Campaign 15V171000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemMay 29, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 17, 2010, through February 28, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting in a shut down of the power steering assist.
If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist it will require extra steering effort at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of motor position sensor signal when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, its steering rack assembly will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S06.
Campaign 14V286000 on NHTSA.gov
SteeringJan 6, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain replacement steering gears installed on model year 2011-2012 Explorers as service parts in September 2013 and January 2014. The affected gears may lock, preventing the driver from being able to steer the vehicle.
The inability to steer the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the suspect steering gears with new steering gears, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2014. Customers may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 13S14.
Campaign 14E001000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
827 reports, newest first.
Steering, May 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH, he became aware of a strong clicking sound coming from the steering wheel. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that an unknown safety recall related to the rack and pinion for the vehicle had expired. The contact had not received notification regarding the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Steering, May 17, 2024
I purchased a 2012 Ford Explorer in April 2024. Less than a month later, the Power Steering Assist Fault light appeared. I had it checked by PepBoy and was informed there was a recall on this issue and to contact my local Ford. I made the call and was told this was no longer a recall but a Customer Service issue and may not be covered due to age and mileage. The vehicle is driveable but turning is problematic.
Steering, May 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The "Power Steering Assist Fault" message was displayed. The failure almost caused a crash. The contact helped his wife steer the vehicle and pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the rack and pinion were replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
Steering, May 13, 2024
It happened a year ago when I was parked I turned the car on and the steering wheel locked, giving me the power steer assist fault error on the dash. I had to turn off the car and turn it back on. This happened about 2 or 3 time that year. Yesterday while driving out of my driveway I got the error again. This time it was different I wasn't parked, the car locked while in motion. Thankfully I wasn't on the street driving with the wheel locked in a turning position. I called Ford and they said that they just extended the satisfaction for the warranty on power steer to 10 years or 150,000 miles. This isn't a warranty issue. No car should have its steering locked, it's a 2012 car not even that old to be posing a safety issue like this. This need to be made a recall not extended warranty.
Structure, May 10, 2024
In February of 2024 I had a second windshield exterior trim come off on the highway. The poor people behind me almost lost control of their vehicle on the ice because of this hitting their car. I have purchased this part in the past for the right side as that was coming off the passengers side. I had it replaced at my expense and would like to get that money back as it was a faulty part obviously. This cost me a great deal of money. I do not have the money to do this again while you are waiting to figure out how to make all the parts for people. This is now becoming a bigger issue as water is getting inside my vehicle around the dash. It looks also like someone tried to repair this part that is attached to the vehicle long ago (glue or weld), previously broken on drivers side. I have called Ford here in Pocatello, Idaho three times now. They said, "We do not have a remedy just yet on the recall. It should happen later in the year around November and you will receive a letter." One person told me I could just buy the part and have it replaced. When there is a recall, I should not have to do this. Please contact me at: [XXX] or [XXX] I look forward to getting this resolved soon. Thank you! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Structure, May 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the exterior A-Pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the exterior B-Pillar trim also detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the parts were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred and both trims detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was 175,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Structure, May 3, 2024
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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at approximately 65 MPH, the driver's side A-Pillar trim detached and blew off the vehicle. The contact recently received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure), and currently the passenger’s side A-Pillar trim had loosened up. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Steering, May 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, and the steering wheel was stiff and required increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 167,000. The VIN was not available.
Structure, Apr 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the trim panel on front windshield detached and impacted with the passenger’s side window. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Other or unspecified, Apr 29, 2024
Driving vehicle with my 15 year old daughter, noticed a smell in cabin, we both started feeling strange, getting a headache, dizzy, fearful of co2 pulled over and had it towed to dealer
Air bags, Apr 26, 2024
Airbag lights kept going on and off and now stays on giving code B1212. It is a safety issue since it has to do with the Driver seatbelt buckle pretensioner circuit. Airbags may not deploy incase of an accident. Apparently it is a problem with ford explorer vehicles which ford has failed to rectify or have a recall for it. I need to know the fix or resolution for this before anything unfortunate happens.
Structure, Apr 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 65 MPH, a pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) however the parts were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was approximately 168,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Structure, Apr 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the driver’s side exterior A-Pillar trim flew off the vehicle. The dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Suspension, Mar 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing a hard pull to the right while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving from a complete stop and while driving on the highway. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V746000 (Suspension) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the rear toe links needed to be replaced; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the failure was recurring increasingly. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who informed the contact that the recall repair had already been performed on the vehicle; however, the contact stated that the recall repair had not been performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Structure, Mar 19, 2024
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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front windshield trim detached. The contact stated that there were missing pieces of trim, and pieces of detached trim were loose and flapping. The dealer was not made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Steering, Mar 18, 2024
On December 29,2023 while driving on highway the Power Steering failed. I was unable to steer vehicle off roadway.I avoided getting killed, but very frightning.Warning lights appeared on the dash after failure , Service Power Steering now, Service Advance Trac, Terrain Mgt System Fault. Danvers Ford, Danvers, MA said the Steering gear needed to be replaced approx. $3,000 and that Ford Customer Relationship Center is unable to assist because the vehicle was outside the Recall criteria. I am horrified regarding the safety of the driver when the power system fails in real time and the cost to repair a faulty electronic steering that Ford should be responsible to repair.
Steering, Mar 13, 2024
While driving in my driveway, the steering froze up, I could not turn the wheel at all. I had it towed to the dealer.
Suspension, Mar 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The check warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the bushings. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 198,000.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Mar 9, 2024
The hazard lights have never worked in my vehicle and after spending months at the dealership they were not able to fix this. Also my window pillar flew off hitting another car while I was doing 75mph and the window cowl did the same thing. I've been working with a Ford dealership in Evansville, Indiana on Walnut Street and the window cowls need recalled and I was told that it will take 6 weeks to fix the pillars but the window cowl is so loose it's going to fly off in due time plus most of the vehicles the hazard lights do not work at all. Also I was able to turn the My Key feature on and I can't get it to turn off and my dealership can't figure it out. My electrical power steering unit, the steering gear box and steering knuckle also went out. And the rear end fractured on me while driving I lost steering 4 times while driving and almost hit a semi.
Structure, Feb 27, 2024
Driver's side window trim piece (which includes keyless entry keypad) detached from vehicle while driving 70+ mph & smacked several times against driver's side window before busting off. Bottom part is attached by wires (for keyless entry pad) & continued to smack against the window several times before I was able to safely pull over and tape to vehicle. I'm surprised it didn't bust the window as hard as it hit and startle of it detaching could have caused an accident in heavier traffic. Also, trim pieces on both sides of rear window are cracked in the same area on each side. I wouldn't be surprised if they flew off at some point and hit a car travelling behind me.
Structure, Feb 25, 2024
Seam seal where the roof, D pillar, and hatch area meet had a hole in it leaking water into the cabin causing underpadding of the floor to become soaked and creating a moldy/musty smell. Patched hole to stop water leak. Ruined the carpet from the spare tire well up to the front passenger floor board
Steering, Feb 25, 2024
Power steering assist failure. Fortunately happened in a parking lot. Was told recall is no longer in affect. Will have to get to dealership for repair. No warning other than the failure that produced a code on the dash when the steering stopped working.
Structure, Feb 24, 2024
The exterior A pillar on my Explorer flew off while driving. I had to pay out of my pocket to repair this. Now I have been notified that there is a safety recall notice on this item. I should be compensated for the repairs I had to make as a result of this faulty part. How do I go about receiving compensation from Ford?
Suspension, Feb 5, 2024
Rear tires rubbing and car is uneasy in rain. Had to have tires replaced due to rubbing on interior of rear of car. Tires wear extremely fast and dangerous to drive in any weather conditions such as rain. Inspection says there is no alignment or adjustment issues. However tires continue to wear apparently there are aftermarket parts to make it adjustable but what is wrong with it in the first place? Very dangerous to drive in rain. Slides all over the place. Tires slightly bend in.
Steering, Jan 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was due to the steering however, the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who reprogrammed the computer. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.