"How reliable is the 2012 Ford Explorer?"

"Based on 1013 NHTSA complaints, the 2012 Ford Explorer has a median complaint mileage of 62000 miles. The most common issue is Steering."

"What are common problems with the 2012 Ford Explorer?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2012 Ford Explorer is Steering, accounting for a significant portion of the 1013 total complaints filed."

2012 Ford Explorer: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1013 complaints

1013

Total Complaints

62,000mi

Median Mileage

Steering

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

37,000 25th Percentile

62,000 Median Mileage

118,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Steering

340

Unknown Or Other

102

Engine

Structure

Electrical System

Body

Power Train

Air Bags

Fuel/Propulsion System

Suspension

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE IGNITION OFF WITH THE ELECTRONIC START BUTTON WITHOUT PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK OR DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNO..."

"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER DESIGN DOES NOT SHOW YOU THE LOWER RANGE WHILE DRIVING AND THAT CAUSED THE CONTACT TO EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT. THE HIGHER NUMBERS WERE ON THE TOP OF THE SPEEDOMETER WHICH WERE SHAPED LIKE A "C" AND THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE AT..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Steering 340 complaints

25th: 32,250 mi Median: 86,562 mi 75th: 139,250 mi

Unknown Or Other 102 complaints

25th: 43,750 mi Median: 56,000 mi 75th: 75,500 mi

Engine 79 complaints

25th: 40,000 mi Median: 53,000 mi 75th: 88,125 mi

Structure 75 complaints

25th: 92,000 mi Median: 130,000 mi 75th: 156,000 mi

Electrical System 60 complaints

25th: 13,490 mi Median: 38,000 mi 75th: 90,000 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 115 CA: 89 FL: 77 OH: 45 GA: 45 VA: 38 NC: 38 MI: 37 PA: 36 IL: 36

Who Files Complaints?

1.4%

Original Owners

98.6%

Second+ Owners

Ford Explorer — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1991	764	113,804	Tread/Belt	70
1992	848	125,000	Tread/Belt	54
1993	1151	107,248	Tread/Belt	98
1994	1531	97,541	Tread/Belt	124
1995	1048	125,000	Tread/Belt	107
1996	1818	127,000	Tread/Belt	248
1997	2149	100,000	Tread/Belt	180
1998	2374	100,000	Tread/Belt	219
1999	1737	80,000	Tires	143
2000	1203	77,938	Tires	115
2001	500	90,500	Tires	82
2002	4095	79,000	Automatic Transmission	178
2003	1368	74,000	Automatic Transmission	70
2004	1647	65,000	Automatic Transmission	69
2005	604	70,000	Body	30
2006	788	60,000	Power Train	18
2007	271	69,000	Power Train	14
2008	215	78,000	Electrical System	8
2009	49	67,000	Vehicle Speed Control	8
2010	155	48,000	Power Train	13
2011	1481	65,000	Steering	48
2013	2757	74,000	Steering	61
2014	2011	64,000	Steering	48
2015	2138	54,600	Unknown Or Other	52
2016	2940	45,647	Steering	56
2017	1927	45,000	Structure	53
2018	819	42,000	Structure	23
2019	306	50,000	Structure	2
2020	1544	12,600	Power Train	50
2021	492	38,400	Power Train	21
2022	308	28,000	Power Train	25
2023	126	8,500	Unknown Or Other	11
2024	21	5,080	Unknown Or Other	0
2025	111	2,289	Electrical System	11

Active Recalls (7)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Rear

Campaign 19V435000 | 10/06/2019

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

Hub

Campaign 17E048000 | 28/08/2017

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.

Door

Campaign 15V171000 | 24/03/2015

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.

Steering

Campaign 14E001000 | 06/01/2014

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.

Electric Power Assist System

Campaign 14V286000 | 29/05/2014

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 charg

Rear

Campaign 21V746000 | 22/09/2021

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

Roof And Pillars

Campaign 24V031000 | 19/01/2024

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. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.

Protect Your Steering System

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

Get a wheel alignment annually or after hitting a significant pothole
Don't hold the steering wheel at full lock for more than a few seconds
Check power steering fluid monthly on hydraulic systems
Address wandering, vibration, or play in the wheel promptly
Replace worn tie rod ends before they cause tire wear

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28