Key-start trucks. Early and late 2012 builds differ on two wires.
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Which wires give constant, ignition and ground on a 2012 Ford F-150?
On a 2012 Ford F-150, take constant power from the Green/Red wire at the ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 4 and ignition from the White/Orange wire at the ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 1, and ground to clean, bare body metal. Meter every wire first.
Written by API Signal, fleet GPS and camera installers for 35+ years across Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, installing every major telematics and camera brand. Every wire on this page lists its source.
Test every wire with a meter before you tap it
No wiring information is ever guaranteed. Colors and locations change with trim, options and build date, and the manufacturer can change them in the middle of a model year. We share this as a starting point for installers, and you are responsible for confirming every connection on the truck in front of you.
This page covers the 2012 Ford F-150. The engines carried over from 2011, and Ford announced the F-150 Special Service Vehicle for police use partway through the year. 2012 is the year to be careful with: a camera install guide splits it into early and late builds, with the reverse wire and the BCM ignition wire in different places, and no source we found gives the build date where it changes.
One of the two installer tables behind this page comes from a 2012 truck, and it matches a 2014 table on every wire. The ignition switch power spot is the same on early and late trucks, so it is the safe choice this year. Our own team has not yet metered these on a 2012 truck, and each row says so.
OBD-II portUnder the driver dash
Best power spotIgnition switch
System voltage12V
Ignition typeKey start
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Where do I get constant, ignition and ground on a 2012 Ford F-150?
Take constant, ignition and ground from the same area. On this truck the ignition switch is the easiest single spot, and the BCM in the passenger kick panel is the second option.
Option 1 Easiest
At the ignition switch
Steering column, driver side. Key-start trucks only; there is no push-button start in this generation.
Constant
Green/Red
Ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 4Always hot, 15A. The switch is fed by passenger panel fuse 28.
Ignition
White/Orange
Ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 1Hot in run and start.
Ground
Body ground
No ground wire listed at the switchUse clean body metal under the driver dash. Never the battery negative post.
Accessory
Violet/Green
Ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 6Hot in accessory and run
Start
Blue/White
Ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 7Hot only while cranking
Constant and ignition on one plug. Key sense is Blue/Gray (+) on pin 5. Pins 2 and 3 were not found.
Option 2
At the BCM
Body computer, which is also the passenger fuse panel. Passenger kick panel.
Constant
Red
BCM black 32-pin plug D, pin 6Always hot, 30A. The 2012 table also lists Blue/Red (30A) on pin 1.
Ignition
Violet/Green
Right kick: C2280B pin 25 (late 2012), or C2280D pin 16 (early 2012)The Camera-Source guide splits 2012: late builds Violet/Green or Yellow/Orange at C2280B pin 25; early builds Blue or Blue/Red at C2280D pin 16. Meter it.
Ground
Body ground
No ground wire listed at the BCMUse clean body metal in the passenger kick area. Never the battery negative post.
The biggest constant on the truck. The BCM ignition pin changed partway through 2012, so meter it.
Switch pins from installer-reported wire tables for a 2012 and a 2014 F-150 on the12volt, which match each other. BCM ignition from the Camera-Source camera guide.
What are the turn signal, reverse and light wires on a 2012 Ford F-150?
Circuit
Wire color
Location and what it does
Left turnPositive +Not yet checked
Blue/Green (front)
Gray/Brown (rear)
BCM, passenger kick: brown 26-pin plug F, pin 8 front; black 32-pin plug D, pin 12 rearFlashes with the left signal
Right turnPositive +Not yet checked
Yellow/Violet (front)
Violet/Orange (rear)
BCM: plug F, pin 7 front; plug D, pin 15 rearFlashes with the right signal
Park lightPositive +Not yet checked
Yellow/Blue
BCM gray 10-pin plug E, pin 6On with the park lights (front). Rear park is reported as Yellow/Green at the fuse panel, fuse 40.
HeadlightNegative -Not yet checked
Yellow/Blue
Headlight switch, gray 10-pin plug, pin 7Switch input, not lamp power. Same color as the park wire, so check the plug. Installers say you may need to interrupt the switch ground (Black, pin 3) when triggering it.
ReversePositive +Not yet checked
Blue/White (BCM)
Blue (early builds)
BCM black 32-pin plug D, pin 13; early builds: right kick connector C215, pin 6The installer tables show Blue/White at the BCM. The Camera-Source guide says 2011 and early 2012 trucks use Blue at C215. Meter both.
Dome lightPositive +Not yet checked
Gray/Violet
BCM gray 12-pin plug A, pin 1Dome supervision
Each chip shows the main insulation color with its stripe. Source: installer-reported wire tables for a 2012 and a 2014 F-150, which match each other on every wire here.
Where are the brake, door, speed and CAN wires on a 2012 Ford F-150?
Circuit
Wire color
Location and what it does
BrakePositive +Not yet checked
Violet/White
Brake switch (white 4-pin, pin 1), or BCM black 52-pin plug B, pin 28Hot with the pedal pressed. Sense only, no load.
Parking brakeNegative -Not yet checked
White/Violet
Parking brake switch, or BCM 26-pin plug C, pin 7Grounds with the parking brake set
Driver doorNegative -Not yet checked
Green/Violet
BCM 26-pin plug C, pin 9Normally closed. The 2012 table calls plug C gray, the 2014 table black.
BCM black 52-pin plug B, pin 32Hazard switch input. The source gives both colors.
Vehicle speedAC signalNot yet checked
Yellow/Orange (3.5 EcoBoost)
Brown/Green (other engines)
PCM, passenger firewall: 95-pin plug E, pin 12 (3.5 EcoBoost), or 50-pin plug T, pin 25 or 14Installer-reported. AC speed signal, sense only.
CAN busDataNot yet checked
White/Blue (HS high)
White (HS low)
OBD-II black 16-pin plug, under the driver dash above the brake pedal: pins 6 and 14Medium-speed CAN is Gray/Orange (pin 3) and Violet/Orange (pin 11). Never cut or splice it.
Sources: installer-reported wire tables for a 2012 and a 2014 F-150 on the12volt, which match each other, and a 2014 install pictorial. Not found: In Park, seatbelt, high beam, third brake light and tailgate.
Which years share wiring with the 2012 Ford F-150?
This page2012, mid-year changeSame engines as 2011. A camera guide splits 2012 into early and late builds for the reverse and BCM ignition wires.
Same wiring2011, 2013 and 2014Installer tables for 2012 and 2014 trucks match on every wire, the aftermarket guides list 2011 to 2014 as one install, and Ford's 2011 and 2014 fuse panels match. One camera guide splits 2012 into early and late builds for the reverse and BCM ignition wires.
Not this page2009 to 2010, and 2015 and newer2009 and 2010 trucks use a gray 10-pin ignition switch plug and different fuse panel pins. 2015 is a new aluminum-body generation.
Where are the fuse boxes and ground points on a 2012 Ford F-150?
InteriorPassenger fuse panelPassenger fuse panel, right side, which is also the BCM. Fuse 28 (15A) feeds the ignition switch, 24 (15A) the data link, 30 (15A) the front park lamps, and 10 is the run/accessory relay.
Under the hoodPower distribution boxEngine compartment. Fuse 46 (10A) feeds the brake switch.
Ground pointsNot publishedWe found no Ford list of ground points for this truck. Use clean body metal, never the battery negative post, and never remove a factory ground.
Fuse numbers come from fuse-diagram sites that copy Ford's 2012 manual, and they match Ford's 2011 guide. Our team has not yet checked them on a truck.
Where is the OBD-II port on a 2012 Ford F-150?
OBD II
Diagnostic portOBD-II port: under the driver dashPlug-in GPS trackers and OBD harnesses connect here. Check the port before you plan the install.
Common questions about 2012 Ford F-150 wiring
What wire is constant power on a 2012 Ford F-150?
Green/Red at the ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 4. Always hot, 15A. Meter it before you tap it.
What wire is ignition on a 2012 Ford F-150?
White/Orange at the ignition switch, black 7-pin plug, pin 1. Hot in run and start. Meter it before you tap it.
Where is the reverse wire on a 2012 Ford F-150?
Blue/White (BCM) and Blue (early builds) (positive +) at the BCM black 32-pin plug D, pin 13; early builds: right kick connector C215, pin 6. The installer tables show Blue/White at the BCM. Meter it before you tap it.
Where is the brake wire on a 2012 Ford F-150?
Violet/White (positive +) at the brake switch (white 4-pin, pin 1), or BCM black 52-pin plug B, pin 28. Hot with the pedal pressed. Meter it before you tap it.
Where is the parking brake wire on a 2012 Ford F-150?
White/Violet (negative -) at the parking brake switch, or BCM 26-pin plug C, pin 7. Grounds with the parking brake set. Meter it before you tap it.
Where is the vehicle speed signal on a 2012 Ford F-150?
Yellow/Orange (3.5 EcoBoost) and Brown/Green (other engines) at the PCM, passenger firewall: 95-pin plug E, pin 12 (3.5 EcoBoost), or 50-pin plug T, pin 25 or 14. Installer-reported. Meter it before you tap it.
Which years share wiring with the 2012 Ford F-150?
2011, 2013 and 2014. Installer tables for 2012 and 2014 trucks match on every wire, the aftermarket guides list 2011 to 2014 as one install, and Ford's 2011 and 2014 fuse panels match.
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