2012 Ford E-150 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (3) · Structure:body (2) · Wheels (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford E-150 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (7)
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2015-11-04 · campaign 15V729000 · 667 vehicles
Defect: MobilityWorks (WMK Inc.) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, and E-350 vans modified by MobilityWorks to be equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk: If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.
Fix: MobilityWorks will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on December 15, 2015. Owners may contact MobilityWorks customer service at 1-800-769-8267, or Ricon Customer Service at 1-800-322-2884. Note: These vehicles and wheelchair lifts were subject to a similar recall in 2014. All vehicles that received that recall remedy
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2014-11-05 · campaign 14V706000 · 34 vehicles
Defect: Cummings Mobility Conversion & Supply (Cummings) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, E-350, Chevrolet Express, 2006-2008 Dodge Sprinter, and 2009-2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2013 Ford Transit Connect vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to October 8, 2014, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation after January 1, 2006. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may cr
Risk: If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.
Fix: Cummings will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2015. Owners may contact Cumming's customer service at 1-800-639-5438 or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Cumming's number for this recall is 14E-041.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2014-09-23 · campaign 14V584000 · 45 vehicles
Defect: National Van Builders, Inc. (National Van) is recalling certain 2007-2014 Ford E-150 and E-250 vehicles manufactured February 26, 2007, to August 19, 2014, and equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack.
Risk: If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.
Fix: National Van will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on October 3, 2014. Owners may contact National Van customer service at 1-800-527-7477. National Van's number for this recall is Ricon2014.
Fuel System, Other:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings 2014-08-06 · campaign 14V501000 · 28 vehicles
Defect: Adrian Steel Company (Adrian) is recalling certain model year 2012 Ford E-150, E-250 and E-350 Commercial Cargo Vans modified by Adrian between September 21, 2012, to September 24, 2012. The affected vehicles are equipped with certain propane fuel system conversion kits with an aluminum fuel line fitting manufactured by Roush CleanTech. Due to a reaction between the different metals, the affected kits may develop a propane leak where the aluminum fuel line fitting contacts the brass supply valv
Risk: A propane leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Adrian will notify owners, and dealers will replace the aluminum fuel line fittings with stainless steel fittings, free of charge. The recall began during July 2014. Owners may contact Adrian customer service at 1-800-677-2726.
Fuel System, Other:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings 2014-07-10 · campaign 14V426000 · 36 vehicles
Defect: Roush Performance Products, Inc. (Roush) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford E-150 Wagons and Cargo Vans, E-250 Cargo Vans and Extended Cargo Vans, E-350 Wagons, Extended Wagons, Cargo Vans, and Extended Vans, and E-450 Cutaway models. These models were modified by Roush to be equipped with certain propane fuel system conversion kits manufactured January 2011 to August 2012 with an aluminum fuel line fitting. Due to a reaction between the different metals, the affected kits may develo
Risk: A propane leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Roush will notify owners and will replace the aluminum fuel line fittings with new stainless steel fittings, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2014. Owners may contact Roush customer service at 1-800-597-6874.
Fuel System, Other:storage 2014-03-04 · campaign 14V097000 · 343 vehicles
Defect: Landi Renzo USA is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, and E-350 vehicles modified January 2, 2011, through February 24, 2014 to operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). In the affected vehicles, the left and right rear brackets that support the rear CNG cylinder may fail, allowing the cylinder to dislodge from the vehicle.
Risk: If the cylinder dislodges, a CNG leak may result, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Landi Renzo USA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the side arm brackets, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2014. Owners may contact Landi Renzo USA at 1-855-526-3400.
Equipment 2013-06-21 · campaign 13V261000 · 37 vehicles
Defect: Mobility Works is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Ford E-150, E-250 and E-350 vehicles manufactured August 2006 through August 2012. The vehicles are equipped with certain Ricon S series and K Series wheelchair lifts with an optional armored pendant cable. The armored cable may be positioned such that it does not clear the wheelchair lift.
Risk: If the cable does not clear the wheel chair lift it may contact the power lug and, if it does not have a nonconductive cover, or it has an improperly installed non-conductive cover, a short circuit may occur that could result in a fire.
Fix: Mobility Works will notify owners and Ricon will provide a supplemental cover kit and instructions, free of charge. This recall campaign is expected to begin July 15, 2013. Owners may contact Mobility Works at 1-877-275-4912 and Ricon at 1-818-267-3000.
Service bulletins (21)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-24 · SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ford and lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the
Unknown Or Other 2024-10-10 · SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
while performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 ford and lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
Equipment 2024-04-24 · SSM 52476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
all accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. if the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicle s owner during initial delivery. unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad,
Visibility:glass, Side/Rear 2019-08-09 · SSM 48130 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface. this is caused by hydrofluoric acid which is used in some car wash solutions as a cleaning agent. hydrofluoric acid can attack the glass and cause visual distortion and/or disc
Electrical System 2019-08-07 · SSM 48123 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
for ford and lincoln vehicles that require positive or negative battery terminal replacement, it is not necessary to replace the complete battery cable harness (14300 and 14301) for this concern. positive battery cable clamp bt4z-14450-aa and negative battery cable clamp bt4z-14450-ba are available
Power Train 2019-05-10 · SSM 47976 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
on vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission it is imperative that the converter pilot hub be greased with motorcraft multi-purpose grease spray xl-5-a even if grease was not applied from the factory. also verify that the engine/transmission alignment dowel pins are present as well as the eng
Showing the 6 most recent of 21 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2023-07-26 · Service Brakes“passenger seat belt stopped working out of the blue. i've had tire sensor thing on my dash since i've bought it an i'm not sure what is happening. the horn stopped working recently. and the overhead dome light doesn't work. …”
2023-07-26 · Unknown Or Other“is making a grinding noise and will jerk to the right. will flash cruise control and traction control lights. …”
2020-06-08 · Power Train · 180,887 mi“was driving vehicle felt jerking and heard grinding noise. pulled off highway into parking lot. check could not find anything wrong. tried to back up vehicle jerk very badlywouldnotback-up. vehiclewoulddriveforward. *tr…”
2018-09-28 · Power Train · 56,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford e-150. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle shifted into first and second gears, but could not shift out of second gear. the contact stated that an unknown warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to holman ford lincoln maple shade (571 nj-38, maple shade township, nj 08052, 888-722-6721) where it was diagn…”
2017-12-26 · Engine · 125,000 mi“on sunday, august 20, driving s81 just before the salem exit, the 2012 ford e-150 white cargo van 4.6l romeo engine blew a spark plug out of the #3 cylinder head while accelerating from 40 mph. the planned trip started from harrisburg pa to andrews nc. to witness a solar eclipse. engine failure happen at approximately 40mph just north of the salem …”
2016-06-13 · Power Train · 105,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford e-150. while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle independently downshifted into first gear and the wheels seized. the vehicle stalled immediately. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the speed sensor and the transmission control module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired…”
2015-06-24 · Structure:body · 60,000 mi“my 11 year old daughter was attempting to close the tailgate and didn't see there was something lodged in the crevice. the tailgate popped off and fell on her knee. she is in excruciating pain. we are at the er. this is not safe. there has to be a better safer way to attach the gate. i have owned 3 f150s and have never had this issue. thank god my…”
2014-07-16 · Tires“tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford econoline e150. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 13t012000 (tires). the dealer was contacted and made him aware that the manufacturer did not have the tires available for replacement. the contact had not experienced a failure. …”
2013-07-11 · Wheels · 5,142 mi“driving this van is very difficult, it will not hold a straight line ,when you pass big trucks going approximately 65 mph ,the vacuum sucks it up ,and it gets more uncontrollable,causing a minor fish tale. of course ford checked it out and found nothing wrong .m---ks could not duplicate the problem..do not drive this van if is at all windy,could…”
2013-02-19 · Unknown Or Other · 1,500 mi“this problem has occurred 12-15 times. after the engine is turned on and put into drive, it starts to buck/hesitate like it is not getting gas. sometimes this is violent and other times soft. it is not bad gas. sometimes it will go for 6-7 weeks without doing it and other times it will happen two days in a row. dealer will not attempt to fix i…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.