MyCarTSB

2012 Ford Explorer Cruise Control Problems

8 owner-reported cruise control complaints from NHTSA data

8
Complaints
Jul 2012Nov 2017
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (8)

mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE
Filed: Aug 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED, SHUT OFF, AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROSSROADS FORD OF SANFORD (3251 NC-87, SANFORD, NC 27332, (888) 352-5045) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,362. *TT *TR

NHTSA #: 11121216
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Nov 2017

THE VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY GO INTO LIMP MODE. IN LIMP MODE THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WOULD STAY AT A ROUGH IDLE. IT DID NOT MATTER WHETHER YOU WERE GOING 10 MPH OR 70 MPH. IT HAPPENED ONCE WHEN ON A NARROW BRIDGE DURING RUSH HOUR. IT ALWAYS HAPPENED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE BUT DID NOT MATTER WHAT POSITION THE PEDAL WAS IN TO BEGIN WITH. SHUTTING THE CAR OFF AND OPENING THE DOOR WOULD RESET IT AND IT WOULD WORK AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT TIME. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE. IT TOOK TWO VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL THEY COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AND COST $500 TO FIX. THE FACT THAT IT WAS RANDOM AND YOU LOST ALL MEANS OF ACCELERATION COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN MERGING INTO HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. MY WIFE REFUSED TO DRIVE IT.

NHTSA #: 11051428
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Nov 2015

ON 6/29/15 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE AWD OFF LIGHT CAME ON WITH A WRENCH ON MY 2012 FORD EXPLORER, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECREASED IN SPEED TO LESS THAN 5 MPH. PULLED OVER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF & THEN TURNED BACK ON. COMPUTER SEEMED TO RESET ITSELF. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD & SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEN AGAIN TONIGHT (11/9/15) ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, AGAIN GOING ABOUT 40 MPH, THE AWD OFF LIGHT WITH THE WRENCH CAME ON AGAIN. SPEED IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO LESS THAN 5 MPH & VEHICLE MADE GRINDING NOISES. PULLED OVER, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF & TURNED BACK ON. COMPUTER RESET ITSELF AGAIN & IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO FORD. THE ONLY MESSAGE THEY COULD FIND WAS A CODE FOR LOSS OF COMMUNICATION TO BCM. WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE RUNNING, CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE & HAVE THEM TOW IT IN WHILE STILL RUNNING. I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA THAT DOES NOT HAVE MANY PLACES TO PULL OVER WHEN YOUR VEHICLE BREAKS DOWN AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS MEMORY DOES NOT TRACK THESE MESSAGES. I GUESS IT WILL TAKE A FATALITY BEFORE FORD RECTIFIES THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA #: 10789409
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE
Filed: Sep 2014

WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED OF APROX. 35 MPH ON A CITY STREET, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND DRAMATICALLY LOST SPEED. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL / MOTOR SPEED CEASED RESPONDING AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN VERY ROUGHLY. THE CAR WENT INTO "IDLE" AND I WAS FORCED TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE EVENT WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED. I HAD NO WARNING AND NOT ENOUGH POWER TO GET OFF THE ROAD. AN ORANGE "WRENCH" WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART WITH NORMAL OPERATION. I IMMEDIATELY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY REPLACED THE LEFT VALVE COVER. I DROVE THE CAR WITH NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 14 DAYS LATER WHEN THE SAME PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. THIS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL SEEMS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. GOD HELP ME IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE I'M ON THE FREEWAY... *TR

NHTSA #: 10632058
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Aug 2014

DASH REPORTS TMS FAULT, THEN AWD OFF SUCCESSIVELY. THEN CAR BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE TO THE ACCELERATOR AND SLOWS DOWN RAPIDLY. THE DASH ALSO DISPLAYS A SERVICE INDICATOR "WRENCH." DEALER REPORTS VEHICLE THROWS CODE P2112, THROTTLE BODY STUCK CLOSED. I BELIEVE THE SCOPE OF FORD CSP 13N03 IN RESPONSE TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE13003 NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED OR MANY MORE DRIVERS WILL BE STUCK IN FORD VEHICLES THAT ALL BUT SHUT DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE DURING A THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA #: 10621906
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Sep 2013

THE THROTTLE BODY ON THE FORD EXPLORER FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL SEVERAL TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FROM 15 MPH TO 60 MPH ON LOCAL STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE UNIT IDENTIFIED IT AS A FAILED THROTTLE BODY. *TR

NHTSA #: 10544097
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Jul 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND NOTICED THAT THE PEDAL BECAME STUCK IN A DEPRESSED POSITION. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

NHTSA #: 10468438
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,EQUIPMENT
Filed: Nov 2011

TWO EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCES HAPPENED THIS DAY. (1) I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 AND THE EXPLORER BRAKED EXTREMELY HARD FROM A SPEED OF 65 MPH TO ZERO. THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND AND I COULD NOT DETERMINE ANY REASON FOR THIS. I PROCEEDED ON TO MY DESTINATION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INEXPLICABLY TO 95 MPH. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL MANUALLY AND BY TAPPING THE BRAKE (I WAS FEARFUL OF THE VEHICLE ROLLING). THANK GOD, I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER AROUND TRAFFIC IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY AND THEN THE VEHICLE REDUCED SPEED. IT WAS A VERY TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND ONE THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME HE HAS NO EXPLANATION FOR. I HAVE HAD MANY, FAILURES OF THE MYFORDTOUCH SYSTEM WHICH I WILL DETAIL IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT REPORT.

NHTSA #: 10437069

Other 2012 Ford Explorer Issues