2012 Ford F-150 engine and engine cooling problems
17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine and engine cooling on the 2012 Ford F-150 — 1% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated when the vehicle started, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with failed variable camshaft timing (VCT) cam phasers. The contact was informed that the VCT…”
filed Mar 24, 2025
“The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the cam phasers. The vehicle was…”
filed Jun 6, 2024
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 and Engine Cooling problems in other F-150 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 1 | 1% |
| 2024 F-150 | 4 | 2% |
| 2023 F-150 | 1 | 0% |
| 2022 F-150 | 3 | 1% |
| 2021 F-150 | 18 | 2% |
| 2020 F-150 | 10 | 1% |
| 2019 F-150 | 62 | 5% |
| 2018 F-150 | 87 | 4% |
| 2017 F-150 | 69 | 5% |
| 2016 F-150 | 30 | 2% |
| 2015 F-150 | 23 | 1% |
| 2014 F-150 | 10 | 1% |
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.