2012 Ford Expedition recalls

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2012 Ford Expedition. Between them they involve power train, lighting and seats. The most recent was received on April 27, 2016.

April 27, 2016Power train

Unexpected Transmission Downshift

NHTSA campaign 16V-248 · 153,581 vehicles potentially affected · Power train

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.

The risk: An unexpected downshift into first gear can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly without warning and the rear tires may slide or lock, increasing the risk of a crash.

The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S19.
May 3, 2012Lighting

"prndl" illumination and backup lamp activation

NHTSA campaign 12V-190 · 10,500 vehicles potentially affected · Exterior lighting

The defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 ford f-150, 2012 expedition and lincoln navigator, and 2012-2013 mustang vehicles, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard nos. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect" and 108 lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment. these vehicles may have a transmission range sensor (trs) that was calibrated out of specification for reverse gear.

The risk: If this condition exists, the transmission may not go into reverse or when the driver pushes the shift lever in the reverse r position and the vehicles transmission does go in reverse, the r may not illuminate on the dashboard of the f-150, expedition, or navigator models and/or the backup lamp on the rear of the f-150, expedition, navigator, or mustang vehicles may not illuminate. These conditions increase the risk of a crash or a pedestrian being struck due to the vehicles not signaling…

The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the trs as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on june 11, 2012. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
February 2, 2012Seats

2nd row head restraint support brackets/FMVSS 202

NHTSA campaign 12V-034 · 569 vehicles potentially affected · Seats

The defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 expedition and lincoln navigator vehicles, manufactured from november 19, 2011, through december 2, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202, "head restraints." these vehicles may have inadequate welds on the head restraint support brackets for the second row, right-hand seat.

The risk: In the event of a crash, the seat head restraint may not provide the required strength, increasing the risk of injury.

The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the head restraints as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on february 21, 2012. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

Check by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every Expedition built in 2012. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.

Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.

Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.

What 2012 Ford Expedition owners should do

Check your VIN on NHTSA’s lookup to see which of these campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether any are still open.
Call a Ford dealer and book the repair, quoting the campaign numbers (16V-248, 12V-190, 12V-034).
If you have bought the vehicle used, the recall still applies: the repair is free whoever owns the vehicle now.
Make sure your current address is on file with the manufacturer so the owner letters reach you.

Other Ford Expedition model years

Common questions

Does the 2012 Ford Expedition have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 campaigns for the 2012 Ford Expedition: 16V-248 (Unexpected Transmission Downshift); 12V-190 ("prndl" illumination and backup lamp activation); 12V-034 (2nd row head restraint support brackets/FMVSS 202).

How do I know if my 2012 Ford Expedition has an open recall?

Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup. Most campaigns cover only part of a model year’s production, and the lookup also shows whether the repair has already been done on your vehicle.

Will the dealer charge to fix the 2012 Ford Expedition?

No. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge by Ford dealers. Quote the NHTSA campaign number when you book.