2012 Ford POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILIT problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
65,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1 |
Engine: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 |
2017: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 650.0%ODI 11187010 · 71,376 miVEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 71,000 MILES AND HAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR A FAILED CATALYTIC CONVERTER THIS IS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. WE HAVE MULTIPLE VEHICLES IN OUR FLEET WITH THE SAME CONCERN, AND AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE, THAT HAVE HAD CONVERTERS REPLACED AND ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. | 440.0%ODI 10969486 · 103,367 miCO2 FROM EXHAUST ENTERING INTO VEHICLES DRIVER AND PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. COMPLAINT FROM DRIVER THAT IT IS MAKING HIM SICK. | 1100.0%ODI 11006078 · 82,899 miEXHAUST ENTERING PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. DEALER FOUND THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED,. REPLACED EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND GASKETS. OFFICERS BEGAN COMPLAINING OF HEADACHES AND THE ODOR OF VEHICLE EXHAUST IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE COMPLAINT INCLUDED MOVING AND STATIONARY. PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AND REPLACED BY LOCAL FORD DEALER. WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN THE OTHER POLICE INTERCEPTOR. FYI: ALL THREE OF OUR INTERCEPTORS ARE SEQUENTIAL IN PRODUCTION A… | 228.6%ODI 10955567 · 3,000 miI HAVE A 2016 FORD POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER I WAS ISSUED THE VEHICLE I BEGAN EXPERIENCING AN EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN. THE EXHAUST SMELL IS PRESENT WHILE IDLING AND WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED THEY REPLACED A VENT IN THE REAR BUMPER AREA, BUT THERE ARE NO OTHER ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLES EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE NEW VENT HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE EXHAUST SMELL IS PREVALENT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IDLING AND WHILE DRIVING. IT IS PRESENT WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING ACTI… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Steering | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 433.3%ODI 10955277 · 56,980 miSTEERING GEAR LOCKED UP. WE NOTICED IT WAS MAKING NOISE SO WE STOPPED DRIVING IT AS A PRIMARY PATROL CAR AND DROVE IT TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP (APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES AWAY) AND THE STEERING QUIT WORKING IN THEIR DRIVEWAY. | 330.0%ODI 10955008ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS EITHER PARKED OR MOVING. STEARING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT. FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO POWER STEERING ASISTANCE. HARD TO TURN WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION RIGHT OR LEFT. ALSO WHILE DRIVING (VEHICLE IN MOTION) AFTER FINISHING A TURN STEERING STAYS IN THE DIRECTION STEERED AND DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY STRAIGHTEN OUT AND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANUALLY CORRECT THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS AT ANY TIME. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine | 1100.0%ODI 11011923 · 65,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPTOR. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT SMELLED EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE CABIN, WHICH MADE HIM DIZZY AND ILL. THE CONTACT USED A CARBON MONOXIDE MONITOR TO MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF CARBON MONOXIDE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE READING INDICATED 48 PARTS PER MILLION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (LUTHER FORD IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT AN EXHAUST LEAK WAS … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 110.0%ODI 11182181 · 126,000 miTHERE ARE EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE CABIN. IT OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STANDING WITH THE ENGINE IDLING. THE FUMES ARE DRAWN IN THRU THE HEATER/AC VENTS. I CAN SMELL THIS AT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD WERE IT MEETS THE COWL. I HAVE PUT A CO DETECTOR IN FRONT OF THE AC VENT AND GOTTEN READINGS OF 90 PPM WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY WITH THE HEATER ON. THIS DROPS TO 0 PPM ONCE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. I HAVE CHANGED THE FRONT EXHAUST MANIFOLD, IT HAD A CRACK IN IT AT ONE OF THE WELDS. THAT MADE IT BETTER BUT THE FUMES STILL OCCUR JUST NOT … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 228.6%ODI 10968320 · 17,000 miTHE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES FOR THE SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. THE SMELL SEEMS TO BE ORIGINATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. OTHER AGENCIES HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND SOUND LIKE IT MAY BE A TRANSMISSION VENTING ISSUE AND THE OIL GETTING TOO HOT INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE UNIT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY CHANGED THE OIL IN THE UNIT AND TO BRING IT BACK IF THE SMELL CONTINUES TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION UNIT. WE ARE STILL GETTING THE SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING GENERALLY IT IDLE OR SLOW SPEEDS. … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 18.3%ODI 11030460 · 85,704 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE HYDRAULIC HOSE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,704. | 220.0%ODI 10915276 · 52,320 miPASSENGER SIDE FRONT BRAKE HOSE RUPTURE. VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON REGULAR POLICE PATROL. BRAKE PEDAL BECAME SPONGY AND BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. BRAKE FLUID WAS FOUND LEAKING FROM A SPLIT AT THE BODY SIDE CONNECTION WHERE THE METAL IS CRIMPED TO THE RUBBER. THE DAMAGED HOSE IS IN OUR POSSESSION FOR REVIEW IF NECESSARY. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 228.6%ODI 10968320 · 17,000 miTHE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES FOR THE SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. THE SMELL SEEMS TO BE ORIGINATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. OTHER AGENCIES HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND SOUND LIKE IT MAY BE A TRANSMISSION VENTING ISSUE AND THE OIL GETTING TOO HOT INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE UNIT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY CHANGED THE OIL IN THE UNIT AND TO BRING IT BACK IF THE SMELL CONTINUES TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION UNIT. WE ARE STILL GETTING THE SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING GENERALLY IT IDLE OR SLOW SPEEDS. … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Visibility/Wiper | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 228.6%ODI 10957921 · 16,901 miVEHICLE HAD BEEN IDLING TO WARM UP REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER WAS TURNED ON. WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY REAR LIFT GATE SHATTERED. NO OBSTACLES OR EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING HITTING THE REAR WINDOW. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 11064381 · 37,773 miVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 01/20/2018 AND SRS DID NOT ACTIVATE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONORS DID NOT ACTIVATE. DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT ACTIVATION OF SRS. THE CRUISER CAM VIDEO SHOWS A FRONTAL IMPACT AT ABOUT 35 MPH. WE REQUEST NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS ACCIDENT. |
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 18.3%ODI 11191071 · 126,700 miVEHICLE LOSES ALL STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED. NEARLY CAUSED A HEAD-ON CRASH. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | Too few reports for a range | 65,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11011923 · 65,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPTOR. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT SMELLED EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE CABIN, WHICH MADE HIM DIZZY AND ILL. THE CONTACT USED A CARBON MONOXIDE MONITOR TO MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF CARBON MONOXIDE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE READING INDICATED 48 PARTS PER MILLION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (LUTHER FORD IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT AN EXHAUST LEAK WAS … |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2016: 7 complaints · 2017: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 2017 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Engine |
|---|---|
| Engine | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.