What 1,191 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Explorer Police Intercept

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD VEER TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT THE CONTACT MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

NHTSA ODI 10621982

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN GOING DOWN A HILL ONTO A STREET WHEN THE SENSORS WENT OFF AND THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR REGISTERED TWO WARNINGS. I STOPPED THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I WAS MANUALLY ABLE TO GET IT TO A PARKING LOT BUT IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I DROVE VERY SLOWLY. WHEN I GOT TO THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT. THE WARNINGS DISAPPEARED AND THE CAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. I PROCEEDED TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT THE CAR FROM TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION. I SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY TO VOICE MY CONCERNS AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. THE BEST THEY COULD DO WAS A WEEK FROM TODAY. THIS IS A CERTIFIED, PRE-OWNED VEHICLE THAT I PURCHASED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10606046

ON JUNE 16TH, 2014, I WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD AND 18 MONTH OLD IN THE CAR AND I LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH. THERE WAS NO WAY TO CONTROL IT OR EVEN TURN THE WHEEL. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON JUNE 19TH, 2014 HOWEVER, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10604682

POWER ASSISTED STEERING GOES OFF WITH NO WARNING. FIRST HAPPENED BACK IN 2012, PULLED OFF ROAD, RESTARTED CAR EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. PROBLEM OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY OVER PAST 6-8 MONTHS. (3 OR 4 TIMES) DEALER SAYS UNAWARE OF ANY GENERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING AM SCHEDULED TO TAKE TO DEALER FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. NOT COVERED BY ANY RECALL BUT PROBLEM WIDELY REPORTED ON THE WEB. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10597912

AT APPROX 1430 ON JUNE 2ND ON HIGHWAY ON RAMP ACCELERATING HAD THE SERVICE ADVANCETRAC WARNING LIGHT AND CHIME COME ON AND THE TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT AND CHIME COME ON AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY EMERGENCY FLASHER AND LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND FORCED MY EXPLORER TO THE SHOULDER. ONCE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY I CLEARED THE FAULTS, I WISH I WOULD HAVE TAKEN CELL PHOTO OF FAULT, AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND THEN RESTARTED VEHICLE WITH NO ISSUES. I DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE APPROX 25 TO 30 MIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10596042

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 70 MPH, AN ELECTRICAL LIGHT CAME UP ON THE DASH AND I IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER STEERING. MY FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR AND IT WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING. I WAS ABLE TO MUSCLE THE CAR OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AT WHICH POINT, POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. THE ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN AROUND 20 MINUTES LATER AND THEN RECTIFIED ITSELF AFTER A MINUTE OR SO. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND SPOKE WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A WEEK AND COULD NOT "REPLICATE THE ISSUE". THIS WAS THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL. I AM NOW LEARNING THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BACK IN JANUARY AND HAS ISSUED A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594974

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE POWER STEERING FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND SERVICE STEERING ADVANCE TRACT LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,417 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,437. PM UPDATED 9/4/14*CN

NHTSA ODI 10594405

I WAS DRIVING ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WHEN A SIGNAL CAME ON DASH " STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" AND I COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE. WAS JUST COMING OFF HIGHWAY AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RAMP AND HAD TO PULL OFF ON MEDIAN IN MIDDLE OF BUSY EXIT RAMP. STOPPED AND THEN RESTARTED CAR WHICH TEMPORARILY FIXED PROBLEM NOW DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THE STEERING COLUMN MODULE NEEDS REPLACED - WILL COST ME $600 !!!!!:( VERY DISAPPOINTED IN FORD AS THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHERS ! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594441

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON LOCAL ROAD, POWER STEERING GAVE OUT AND VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EFFECTIVELY STEER AND PULL OFF ACROSS 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC ONTO SHOULDER. AFTER PULLING OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURNED OF ENGINE AND RE-STARTED. STEERING CAME BACK AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME. NEXT DAY, SUV DID SAME THING 2X AND ADDED A NEW ERROR MESSAGE REGARDING TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAULT ALONG WITH POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAULT. FORD HAS A SECTION IN THEIR OWNERS MANUAL WARNING THAT FAILURE OF THIS SYSTEM WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL EFFORT TO STEER THE VEHICLE, BUT THE DRAMATIC CHANGE FROM POWER STEERING TO THIS SCENARIO IS STARTLING. MY HUSBAND REVIEWED ON LINE AND DISCOVERED A RE-CALL FOR THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM HAD BEEN ISSUED IN JANUARY. WHEN CONTACTING FORD DEALER THEY STATED THIS RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE OUR CAR SINCE THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR VEHICLES THAT HAD REPAIRS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE (DONE IN A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD). IF THIS ISSUE HAD HAPPENED WITH A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER (IE OUR 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO DRIVES THIS CAR FREQUENTLY) THE ISSUE WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE CAUSED HER TO PANIC AND DUE TO DIMINISHED MANEUVERABILITY MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. I AM SURPRISED THE RE-CALL IS ONLY FOR A PART THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED TO MAKE A REPAIR WHEN THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM THIS REPAIR WAS BEING MADE FOR HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. IT APPEARS THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10593541

WHILE TURNING ON A CURVE IN THE ROAD WARNING MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL " STEERING POWER ASSIST FAILURE " APPEARED 3 TO 5 SECONDS LATER CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN VEHICLE CROSSED CENTER LINE RESULTING IN A NEAR MISS OF A HEAD ON CRASH PULLED TO THE SIDE RESTARTED VEHICLE AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING WAS CORRECTED. HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10593203

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000. RK

NHTSA ODI 10592710

POWER STEER ASSIST DEFAULT SHOWN ON DASH. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHILE IN MOTION. IT WAS RESET BY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BECOMING FULLY DISABLED ON MAY 18, 2014. VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHILE IN MOTION AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE 5 MPH AND UNDER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10592842

I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE POWER STEERING WAS FINE. I WENT HOME AND CAME BACK OUT TO THE CAR TO GO ON AN ERRAND THE POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK. WE CALLED A WRECKER ON MAY 17 TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE FORD DEALER. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10592270

THIS IS THE 4TH TIME MY VEHICLE HAS LOST ITS POWER STEERING. I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 45 MPH AND THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE TO FIND A PLACE ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO PULL OVER AND TURN MY CAR OFF AND WAIT A WHILE THEN RESTART IT AND SOMETIMES IT FIXES THE PROBLEM AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. THERE IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN GOING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND CAUSE INJURY OR WORSE! FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ASAP! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10588110

MY WIFE, AND THREE CHILDREN WERE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET. THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED OUT AND SHE COULD NOT CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR HER TO GET PULLED OVER. SHE TRIED TO CALL ME FOR HELP BUT NO FUNCTIONS OF THE SYNC SYSTEM WORKED. SHE PULLED OVER AND WAITED FOR ME. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE STEERING WAS RESET. I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. TODAY IS SUNDAY SO I WILL ARRIVE THERE TOMORROW AND HAVE IT EVALUATED. VERY HAZARDOUS AND SCARY FOR MY WIFE AND THE CHILDREN. UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER STEERING IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10587664

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST ON MY 2011 FORD EXPLORER HAS JUST STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. BOTH TIMES HAPPENED IN PARKING LOTS AND THE STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. I'M REPORTING THIS BECAUSE THE FORD DEALER WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX IT SINCE IT RESET ITSELF AND IS NOW WORKING AGAIN. HOWEVER, RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL AND THIS IS A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED TO PREVENT A FUTURE TRAGEDY. I WILL LIKELY GET RID OF THIS CAR NOW BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON BUSY HIGHWAYS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10587320

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING AND SERVICE TRACK WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,801. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10586839

THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK WARNING APPEARED FOLLOWED THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE POWER STEERING TOTALLY WENT OUT. THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS HAD I BEEN TURNING SHARPLY AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND MANY HAVE REPORTED IT. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS KNOWN ISSUE RESULTS IN A FATALITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10586446

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY RECEIVED A WARNING FOR STEERING FAILURE,SHORTLY AFTER POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED.RESULTING IN VERY HARD STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.VEHICLE TOWED TO A FORD DEALER WHO RESET COMPUTER FIXING PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR EXPLAIN WHY IT HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10585878

AS I WAS GETTING READY TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AND, AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WAS A CAR COMING UP TO THE STOP SIGN WHERE I WAS TURNING. I USED ALL THE FORCE I COULD TO TURN THE WHEEL BECAUSE IF I COULDN'T TURN, I WAS GOING TO HIT THE OTHER CAR. AS IT WAS, I BARELY MISSED THEM AND FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO TURN RIGHT AND THEN THE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH - I STILL HAD TO FIND A PLACE TO GET OFF THE ROAD SO I WENT INTO THE CHURCH PARKING LOT FIGHTING THE STEERING ALL THE WAY. I FINALLY CAME TO A STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INDICATION OF IMPENDING FAILURE OF, AS IT TURNED OUT, AT THE FORD GARAGE, THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING GEAR. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, I DOUBT IF I WOULD BE HERE TODAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10586024

WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WHERE THE POWER STEERING WOULD LOCK UP AND WE WOULD GET A "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT". SO FAR, SHUTTING DOWN THE CAR THEN RESTARTING HAS CLEARED THE ISSUE. WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY; THIS HAS OCCURRED ONLY AT LOW SPEEDS (BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE OR IN A STORE PARKING LOT). TOOK THE CAR TO GET CHECKED TODAY AND IT IS GOING TO COST $2,000 TO REPAIR THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST STEERING (EPAS) GEAR. HAVE TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10585776

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY FAILED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,00 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ODI 10585450

THIS IS THE 5TH TIME MY POWERING STEERING HAS FAILED!!! FORD HAS REPLACED THE PART, AFTER I HAD TO SPEND $1800.00!!! THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED AND POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR FORD TO FIGURE THIS ISSUE OUT. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10585481

THE CAR BASICALLY SHUTS OFF AND YOU LOSE POWER STEERING. NO WARN LIGHTS JUST CUTS OFF IMMEDIATELY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND TOLD US THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE POWER STEERING SENSOR AND THAT IT WOULD COST $2,000 TO FIX. I TOOK TO THE INTERNET AND SEARCHED THE ISSUE TO FIND OUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY OPENED A CASE FOR US. THEY CAME BACK WITH $1,000 IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BUT IT WILL STILL COST US $1,000 FOR SOEMTHING I FEEL IS NOT A PART THAT "WEARS OUT". IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND I THINK THAT FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE OF REPLACING THE PART BEFORE SOMEONE REALLY GETS HURT. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10585498

2 TIMES WITHIN A WEEK, SATURDAY APRIL 26, 2014 BEING THE MOST RECENT, AS I WAS DRIVING MY POWER STEERING FAILED ON MY 2011 FORD EXPLORER XLT FWD. WARNING LIGHTS SAYING "POWER STEERING FAILURE" LIT UP AND MY POWER STEERING WAS NO LONGER OPERATING. I HAD TO PULL OVER USING MANUAL STEERING TO TURN THE EXPLORER OFF AND START UP THE POWER AGAIN TO BRING THE STEERING BACK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE. IT APPEARS THAT MANY OTHER 2011 TO AT LEAST 2013 FORD EXPLORER OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM POSING A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY SITUATION. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT FORD DOES NOT THINK IT IS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO BE RESEARCHED FURTHER. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10585289