Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, the vehicle was restarted; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and an independent mechanic arrived to diagnose the vehicle. The contact was informed that the steering wheel had seized due to the electric power steering failure. The contact was informed that the electric power steering and ABS module needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 110,000.
The left rear wheel began making a loud squealing sound (break pads) and when vehicle was at a complete stop, a large cloud of smoke was radiating off of the left rear wheel. The wheel was removed and the brake pads were stuck against the rotor. The brake pads are fairly new (replaced in February 2015). The caliper was removed and a retaining bolt was broken off/stuck inside of the caliper mount. The piston was pushed all the way inside of the caliper and would not extend out. The caliper was leaking brake fluid. The caliper could not be set back in place due to the faulty retaining bolt.
Had to have rear both rear calipers, rotors, and brake pads replaced because calipers were hanging up causing the brakes to drag. I also noticed smoke, could feel heat, and smell hot metal coming from right rear wheel on or around 6/14/15. I also noticed the same on 6/26/15. Dealership where I had vehicle repaired said that the left rear brakes pads were worn out, the right rear pads were 2mm from being worn out. Also both rotors were warped and discolored. Vehicle has advancetrac system as standard equipment, because of heat and dragging brakes, the service advancetrac light would come on when the above situation occured. Cost of replacement calipers from Ford was covered under the extended warranty purchased at time of vehicle purchase. The rotors, pads, and installation costs totaled $412.93.
Multiple times my brakes have had to have repairs because of a failure in the emergency brake system. Twice within the past 6 months I have had the e-brake lock up, get stuck, or fail in a way that required full replacement of my rotors, pads, brake lines, and fluid resulting in thousands of dollars in damages. After the first failure in this, I stopped using the e-brake, however had the problem repeat itself only a few months later. The time earlier this year was noticed when the brakes were pulsating while driving, and the second occurrence this year was noticed when the fluid was drained and a "low brake fluid" light came on, and was further examined after fluid did not stay in the system for very long (matter of an hour or two).
Purchase vehicle 2 21 2019 and the two engine lights warning lights breaking decelerates which is very dangerous driving on the highways. Service light tracking light stays on and the vehicle does all this on it's on. I have contacted by chat the Ford corporation about this serious issue with this make and model. I was told their was no service bulletin so they could not help me. They refuse to address the dangerous matter this make and model has very dangerousand the lights are still on. Also with the engine lights staying on all the time the cruise control does not work.
I stopped at a stop sign and took a left hand turn as I proceeded down a hill. My steering wheel wouldn't turn,like the wheel locked up, and the brakes were hard to push, not slowing me down. The Explorer went off of the road striking a concrete pole. It destroyed the entire right front end, and destroyed the pole. The dealer said that they could fix the problem with the steering, and the brakes, but they are not responsible for the damage. They said that it's not Ford's fault for the damage.
2012 Ford Explorer rear brakes - vehicle was purchased as a certified pre-owned. Part of certifying the vehicle was to replace the rear pads and rotors at 20K miles. At 32K I found myself having to replace pads and rotors again. This is known issue with Ford explorers where pads are seizing in the calipers and dragging on the rotors causing premature wear. Ford dealers and Ford customer service are refusing to recognize this as problem, and more importantly as a potential safety issue.
When stepping on the brakes, I could feel and hear a drag. Car has 17,400 miles, right rear pads were metal to metal and cut into the rotor. Rr brake pads were extremely difficult to remove, indicating the pads were seized into the bracket. This wording is taken from the Ford service repair invoice. I have had many cars and never had to replace brakes at a low mileage. This is a safety issue that needs to be looked into.
The rear brake calipers were not releasing properly after application of the brakes. This LED to accelerated wear of the brake pads, overheating of the pads and rotors, and ultimately, non-repairable damage to the rotors. We believe this is a safety issue related to a design flaw that could lead to brake failure, or overheating to the point of creating a fire or explosion hazard.
Failed state inspection (emergency brake), further diagnostics revealed calipers not working for rear disc brakes, similar to the recall of 2015/16 Ford Explorer's brake issues- a detailed picture of report/diagnostics included
Brake complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2012 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the brakes of the 2012 Ford Explorer, 3% of the model year's 829 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Ford Explorer brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2012 Ford Explorer, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Ford Explorer brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles, and 26% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.