2012 Ford F-150 engine problems
482 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2012 Ford F-150 — 27% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“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…”
filed Dec 3, 2025
“Driving along I-94, 2012 F150 downshifted immediately from 5 gear to 1 gear. There was no previous issues and no warning lights and codes. Caused significant drive issues and had to pull immediately to side of busy highway. Caused immediately backup and believed to have caused back up accident…”
filed Dec 1, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Some 2011-2024 Mustang and F-150 vehicles equipped with a 5.0L engine may exhibit a tick tap and/or typewriter ticking noise at idle after an engine oil change. It is often referred to as typewriter noise because of its…
SSM 52334 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 6, 2024
Engine problems in other F-150 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 4 | 4% |
| 2024 F-150 | 11 | 6% |
| 2023 F-150 | 26 | 7% |
| 2022 F-150 | 35 | 6% |
| 2021 F-150 | 80 | 8% |
| 2020 F-150 | 124 | 18% |
| 2019 F-150 | 315 | 24% |
| 2018 F-150 | 495 | 22% |
| 2017 F-150 | 306 | 22% |
| 2016 F-150 | 314 | 16% |
| 2015 F-150 | 261 | 16% |
| 2014 F-150 | 177 | 12% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2012 Ford F-150
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.