Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2012 Ford Expedition
NHTSA data on file today
The 2012 Ford Expedition has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 118 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 4 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #16V248000 Unexpected Transmission Downshift NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V190000 "PRNDL" ILLUMINATION AND BACKUP LAMP ACTIVATION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V034000 2ND ROW HEAD RESTRAINT SUPPORT BRACKETS/FMVSS 202 NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 64 complaints
- Electrical System 20 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 18 complaints
- Structure 15 complaints
- Engine 12 complaints
- Unknown or Other 9 complaints
Of the 118 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 118 complaints, owners report 13 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2012 Ford Expedition has significant power train issues, with two recalls and numerous complaints centering on transmission problems. Complaints about the electrical system and vehicle speed control further contribute to reliability concerns, impacting cost of ownership.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| transmission | 50,000–100,000 miles | $1,500–$3,000 | very common |
| electrical system | 50,000–80,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| vehicle speed control | 70,000–110,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 30,000 miles
- Brake pad replacement as necessary
- Tire rotation every 6,000 miles
- Coolant change every 50,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Transmission slipping or shuddering
- Intermittent electrical failures
- Unresponsive or erratic speed control
- Unusual noises from power train
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2012 Ford Expedition at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.