2012 Ford Explorer Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

346Steering complaints

42.2%Of all 820 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING346 · 42.2%

Unspecified / other103 · 12.6%

ENGINE79 · 9.6%

STRUCTURE77 · 9.4%

STRUCTURE:BODY61 · 7.4%

Share of the 820 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FROM FORD TO GET MY VEHICLE IN IMMEDIATELY. CALLED SACRAMENTO DOWNTOWN FORD AND SPOKE WITH DAVID. DAVID SAID "SORRY, CAN'T HELP YOU…”NHTSA complaint 10617014 — filed 07/28/2014

“I WAS STOPPED AND THE CAR WAS IDLING IN DRIVE (I WAS BRAKING) WHEN THE CAR BEEPED AND DISPLAYED TWO WARNINGS, ONE ABOUT POWER ASSIST…”NHTSA complaint 10615170 — filed 07/21/2014

“DRIVING TO WORK ON JUNE 25, 2013 (20,420 MILES) ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 55 MPH WHEN A "POWER STEERING ASSIST" FAULT CODE POPPED ONTO THE…”NHTSA complaint 10594372 — filed 05/27/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Ford Explorer have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2012 Ford Explorer: 346 of 820 complaints on file (42.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Ford Explorer have in total?

820 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 10 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 13 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.