How many open recalls are there on the 2012 Ford Explorer?

There are 1 active NHTSA recall campaign on file for the 2012 Ford Explorer.

Are recall repairs free?

Yes. Federal law requires manufacturers to remedy any safety recall at no cost to the owner, regardless of warranty status, mileage, or whether you are the original owner. The dealership performs the work and bills the manufacturer. You should never pay out of pocket for a recall repair.

How do I check if a specific recall has been performed on my Ford?

Run your VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls or use the VIN decoder at the top of this page. The federal system shows the completion status of every safety recall on your specific vehicle, including campaigns the original owner may have addressed before you bought it.

How long do I have to claim a recall repair?

Most safety recalls have no expiration date — manufacturers must honor them indefinitely. A small subset of voluntary service campaigns and "customer satisfaction programs" do expire, typically 7-10 years from issue date. The campaigns listed on this page are full safety recalls; if your vehicle is covered, you can claim the repair at any time.

What if my dealer says they can't fix the recall?

Two situations: (1) parts shortage — manufacturers sometimes issue recalls before remedy parts are available; you may have to wait, but the dealer should give you a written acknowledgment that your vehicle is on the list. (2) Dealer error — if the dealer claims your VIN doesn't qualify when NHTSA's system says it does, escalate to NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline (1-888-327-4236). NHTSA can compel the manufacturer to honor the campaign.

When was the most recent recall on this vehicle issued?

The most recent recall in our records was campaign 14E001000, dated 2014-01-06.

ProblemsByVin Recalls / 2012-FORD-EXPLORER

1 active campaign

2012 Ford Explorer recalls

Every active NHTSA recall campaign for this vehicle, ranked by severity. Each entry shows the consequence if left unfixed and the manufacturer's prescribed remedy.

Critical

Severe

Moderate

Recall timeline

When were recalls issued for the 2012 Ford Explorer? Single recall on file from 2014.

Critical Severe Moderate

severe NHTSA 14E001000 January 6, 2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain replacement steering gears installed on model year 2011-2012 Explorers as service parts in September 2013 and January 2014

The inability to steer the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the suspect steering gears with new steering gears, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2014. Customers may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 13S14.

← Back to 2012 Ford Explorer overview

Recall data sourced from the NHTSA recallsByVehicle public API. Each campaign number above links to the official federal record; you can also verify the full recall history at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Ford/Explorer. Campaign numbers, consequences, and remedies are reproduced from the official record. Manufacturers are required to provide the remedy free of charge for safety recalls — contact your nearest dealer with the campaign number to schedule the repair.