NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Ford F-53 Recalls & Complaints

The 2012 Ford F-53 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 1 owner complaint on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Ford dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Ford F-53. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2012 Ford F-53 owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford F-53, describing incidents dated February 17, 2019.

Most-cited components

Suspension 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11191615 · Filed March 26, 2019
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED A SUDDEN AND DISTINCT DETERIORATION IN HANDLING, SO SEVERE THAT IN CROSSWINDS OR WHEN BEING PASSED BY A SEMI-TRAILER IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND STAY IN MY LANE OR ON THE ROAD. WHEN I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE I FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR…

Read the full complaint

PRNDL CABLE

NHTSA #12V035000 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Gear Position Indication (PRNDL) · NHTSA notice

Reported February 2, 2012 · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 13,239 vehicles

Ford campaign 12S27 · Owners notified March 2, 2012 · Vehicles built May 10, 2011 – October 25, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 F-53 AND F-59 STRIPPED CHASSIS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2010 THROUGH JULY 1, 2011 AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 F-53 AND F-59 STRIPPED CHASSIS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 10, 2011 THROUGH OCTOBER 25, 2011. THE PRNDL CABLE MAY BREAK AT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SELECTOR ARM ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. IF THE CABLE BREAKS, THE TRANSMISSION GEAR INDICATOR IN THE PRNDL DISPLAY IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL REMAIN IN THE FIRST GEAR POSITION REGARDLESS OF THE GEAR SELECTED.

Safety consequence

AN INCORRECT GEAR INDICATION IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY PREVENT THE DRIVER FROM KNOWING IF THEY ARE IN PARK OR REVERSE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR ARM ASSEMBLY AND THE PRNDL CABLE ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.

Notes

FORD'S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS 12S27.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2012 Ford F-53. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

1 owner complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford F-53.

Suspension

ODI #11191615

Incident: February 17, 2019 · Filed: March 26, 2019

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED A SUDDEN AND DISTINCT DETERIORATION IN HANDLING, SO SEVERE THAT IN CROSSWINDS OR WHEN BEING PASSED BY A SEMI-TRAILER IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND STAY IN MY LANE OR ON THE ROAD. WHEN I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE I FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR ANTI-SWAY BAR BUSHING BRACKET, MOUNTING BOLTS, AND NUTS WERE ALL MISSING, EFFECTIVELY DISCONNECTING THE REAR ANTI-SWAY BAR AND CAUSING DANGEROUS BODY ROLL. IN TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW THIS OCCURRED I FOUND A THREAD ON THE WWW.IRV2.COM FORUM INDICATING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL YEAR MODELS OF THE FORD F53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS.

Other Ford F-53 model years

Check your 2012 Ford F-53 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Ford F-53 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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