Component Record

Ford Explorer 2012 Steering Problems

360 distinct owners reported a steering problem on the 2012 Ford Explorer - 43% of all complaints for this model year.

Recall Coverage360 complaints

360 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system.

Campaigns Covering This System

14V286000Reported May 29, 2014 - 179,027 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the steering system, reported to NHTSA on May 29, 2014. The campaign covers an estimated 179,027 vehicles across all affected models.

Other Systems on This Model Year

Vehicle Structure145 Unknown Or Other105 Engine93 Electrical System64 Power Train56 Driver Assistance and Stability Systems35

How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.