Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal vibration in the steering wheel; after which the driver's side front wheel detached and struck truck in the far-left lane. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway; however, there was extensive damage to the driver's side brake caliper and rotor. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic to replace all four tires, he was informed that the lug nuts on all four wheels were fractured and swollen. The contact stated that the lug nuts were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the tachometer and the speedometer needle had detached. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
275/60/20 tire size. Driving home the other night started noticing my truck felt wobbly. Thought it was just the road until the truck started violently shaking at around 60mph. VIOLENTLY shaking. Pulled off immediately and looked at the front, sides, rear end, etc. Checked the tires, rear passenger side was stolen in 1 spot, and around that spot in a very isolated area the tire was completely bald and had a large lump in it. Other 3 tires seem ok right now. Contacted manufacturer who directed me to fill out a form on their website to "try for a replacement.". Can't find receipts from purchase so that's no good. Took to local mechanic/tire shop who stated that the "tread separated from the tire.". Separation is approximately 1 foot long and 2/3 of the tire width. Bald spot runs along this lump/separation.
Goodyear wrangler kevlar LT 275/65R18 Bought 4 from Sullivan tire in bridgewater ma in 2019. Has normal average treadwear. Noticed my drivers side front tire kept losing air didn't notice any nails so i removed for inspection and noticed the inside sidewall peeling apart. I took pictures and took it into Sullivan where they tried to say it was my fault due to tire shine. Im still dealing with sullivan I wanted to report because this can kill somebody.
I was told at the dealership they would not do tire rotation because the lug nuts were swollen all 24 needed to be replaced. I have read this is a common problem. Looks like ford should do something about this problem.
Lug nuts bulging/rusting under chrome coating. Potential for lug nut failure/wheel coming off vehicle while driving. Yes, problem was found by independent service center. It has not been inspected. No warnings.
I was traveling on interstate 95 in idaho; I began to feel a vibration in the front of the truck; it was worst when slowing down. I pulled over started looking for possible issues, upon troubleshooting I noticed 5 of the 6 wheel lugs were finger loose, which I found strange and puzzling, anyway I had to tighten them and got the OEM lug wrench from the truck; the lug wrench didn't fit the lug nuts; it was too small. Ford didn't include the right size lug wrench when manufacturing the truck. Second issue: the lug nuts have a faux chrome cover that can't be removed without breaking it; these faux covers get worn over time with proper maintenance of rotating tires, thus not permitting the 150lbs of torque that is required by the Ford owners manual. …
I purchased my vehicle used from a Ford dealership in 2017. I brought it in a few months after I purchased it due to rear tires locking up and a sudden downshift. Was told no codes were found wrong and they couldn't duplicate the issue. April 30, 2019 had to have it towed back in. Was informed of a recall on lead mane frame for first time. After replacing lead frame vehicle still will not preform properly and I have now been told entire transmission needs to be replaced. I haven't received any letter nor made aware at time of purchase of any recall. Ford continues to refuse any remedies to justify this problem. I'm a single mother of 3 and am outraged by the companies failure to notify me of this safety recall. The company refuses to help because my mileage is 152,000 miles. 2,000 over the extended warranty for recall. …
Multiple times while in motion 45mph + (spontaneously) , orange wrench comes up on my dash, speedometer drops to zero, engine power is cut to almost nothing, and a few times at higher speeds 60mph +, the wheels lock due to transmission downshifting out of nowhere. This has happened on the loop, city streets, highways, it's random. I can only limp my way to a safe spot to pull over, turn engine off then back on and everything generally starts working again. Last night on a city road doing about 55mph it locked up again but refused to drop out of 5th gear though I was at a dead stop. Even turning the key of and on would not re set it. It finally got to 1st after messing with it and I got it home, hooked it to my obd2 reader and it is throwing a p0720 output speed shaft sensor malfunction code and my check engine light will not go off. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Ford f-150 equipped with Goodyear Rover ht (na) tires, size: 275/75r18 (na). The contact stated was alerted by a relative that the tires looked lower than normal. Upon further inspection, the front driver side tire sidewall was cracked as well as the other tires. The tires were taken to the dealer where the tire manufacturer was notified of the defect. The dot number was unknown. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 38,299 and the approximate tire failure mileage was 20,000.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2012 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2012 Ford F-150, 2% of the model year's 1,783 complaints. The component named most often is lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Ford F-150 wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 2012 Ford F-150, though it has 4 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 F-150 wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles, and 28% before 25,000 miles.
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.