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

I WAS GETTING READY TO TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT .. WHEN 2 SETS OF LIGHTS CAME ON ..THE SYSTEM INDICATORS CAME UP .. ONE INDICATING THE POWER STEERING ERROR AND ANOTHER INDICATING THE POWER STEERING LOCKED ... THEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN .. MAKING SO VERY HARD TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE .. SOMEONE HAD TO PUSH ME INTO THE PARKING LOT OUT OF THE WAY .. LATER TO CALL FORD DEALERSHIP DOESN'T WANT TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS PROBLEM ... I DRIVE A 2011 FORD EXPLORER .. THE CAR IS 2 YEARS OLD . I REVIEWED OTHER CONCERNS OF THIS MATTER .. IS THERE A RECALL ... *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551043

ON OCT. 30TH THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 SOUTH GOING ROUGHLY 65 MILES PER HOUR. THE STEERING LOCKED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR THE WHEELS TO BE TURNED. WE WERE LUCKY IT HAPPENED ON A STRAIGHT PIECE OF THE HIGHWAY. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR IN TIME SO THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE DRIVEN ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SLOWLY ENOUGH THAT SHE COULD KEEP IT ON THE BERM. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND WHEN SHE TURNED IT BACK ON THE STEERING WORKED FINE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE. THE FIRST HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550155

WHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING ASSIST ABRUPTLY FAILS, AS DOES ADVANCE TRAC STABILITY CONTROL. THE VEHICLE BECOMES MUCH HARDER TO CONTROL. IF THE CAR IS IN A TURN WHEN THE STEERING FAILS, THE STEERING WHEEL LURCHES AND TRIES TO RE-AIM THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT AHEAD, DISRUPTING THE TURN. DASHBOARD WARNINGS CONFIRM THE STEERING AND ADVANCE TRAC FAILURES. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNAL SUSTAIN FAILS, SO USING THE TURN SIGNAL REQUIRES CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE SIGNAL ARM. ON AVERAGE, THIS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED EVERY 2000 MILES, AT ANY SPEED. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING "FIXES" THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY UNTIL THE NEXT FAILURE. TWO TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR EXAMINATIONS HAVE RESULTED IN NO ANSWERS - BOTH TIMES THE RESULTS OF LEAVING THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS HAVE BEEN SHRUGGED SHOULDERS AND "WE COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND THERE IS NO TROUBLE CODE. IT WORKED FINE FOR US." AS IS NOTHING EVER WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND EVEN IF THERE WERE SOMETHING WRONG, THERE IS NO WAY TO REPAIR IT! HOW THE NHTSA AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY CAN ALLOW THESE VEHICLES TO ROAM OUR HIGHWAYS WITH NO RECALL, OR EVEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, KNOWING THERE IS A CHANCE THE DRIVERS MAY LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH, AS SOME ALREADY HAVE, IS A CRIME AGAINST VEHICLE SAFETY AND AGAINST THE VERY MISSION STATEMENT OF THE NHTSA. I WILL BE COPYING THIS COMPLAINT TO MY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, WHO IN THE PAST HAS PROVEN TO BE FAR MORE INTERESTED IN MY SAFETY THAN FORD OR THE NHTSA. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549384

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WITH NO WARNING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH. ARRIVED AT DESTINATION CUT THE CAR OFF AND SEVERAL HOURS LATER STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT WITH NO PROBLEMS. 5 MONTHS LATER MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED. WE TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THEY WERE ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT WAS THE STEERING RACK ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE. LUCKILY SHE HAD PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE AT THIS TIME THE CAR HAD ABOUT 40000 MILES AND WOULD HAVE COST US 1800 DOLLARS TO FIX. WE GOT THE CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND ABOUT 1 WEEK LATER I WAS DRIVING THE CAR 40 MPH ON A CURVY ROAD WHEN AGAIN LOST POWER STEERING AND ALMOST RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO DITCH I TOOK THE CAR STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING WITH ALL THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS LIT UP AND NO POWER STEERING. AFTER FILING A COMPLAINT WITH FORD CORPORATE A REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AND THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME THAT THE NEW PART THEY HAD REPLACED A WEEK EARLIER MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTED AND ARE WAITING ON ANOTHER REPLACEMENT PART. WE INFORMED THEM WE NO LONGER WANT THE VEHICLE WE FEEL IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT OPTIONS WE HAD AND WHAT FORD WAS WILLING TO DO TO KEEP US A SATISFIED CUSTOMER. THEY OFFERED A FREE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR (WHICH MY WIFE HAD ALREADY PURCHASED) OR WE COULD TRADE IT IN ON A NEW FORD AND BY THE NEW VEHICLE UNDER THE FORD X-PLAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548872

WE PURCHASED OUR 2011 EXPLORER IN JULY 20, 2013 WITH APPROX 43,000 MILES. THE FIRST INSTANCE (8/30/13) WE WERE LEAVING A FRIEND'S HOUSE, TURNED ON THE CAR AND HAD NO POWER STEERING FOR THE ENTIRE RIDE HOME. THIS WAS A FRIDAY NIGHT SO WE WERE UNABLE TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. POWER STEERING CAME BACK THE NEXT MORNING WHEN WE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. SUNDAY (9/1/13) WE WERE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN WE LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN. WE PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. ONCE RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT FIT US IN FOR SERVICE UNTIL 9/9/13. THE FORD DEALERSHIP KEPT OUR CAR FOR EXACTLY 2 WEEKS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE EXACT PROBLEM. INEVITABLY, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. ALL WAS FINE UNTIL 10/14/13 WHEN WE ONCE AGAIN LOST POWER STEERING AND "SERVICE POWER STEERING" AND "TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM" WARNINGS WERE DISPLAYED ON THE DASH WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP YET AGAIN. WE WERE CONTACTED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REP, WHO SPOKE WITH FORD, TO DETERMINE THAT THE GEAR THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED WAS "DEFECTIVE." WE ARE NOW AWAITING YET AGAIN TO HAVE OUR CAR RETURNED TO US. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO WARNING AND THE CAR IS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. THIS IS NOT ONLY INCONVENIENT BUT ALSO A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. WE DRIVE AROUND TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND MY WIFE FEELS UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME WITHOUT WARNING. AS TIME GOES ON, IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG 2011 FORD EXPLORERS THROUGH PRESENT MODELS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT SEEMS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS EXACT VICIOUS CYCLE FOR YEARS NOW. IT SEEMS THAT FORD CANNOT SEEM TO PIN POINT THE EXACT PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548025

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK GOING ABOUT 55MPH GIVE OR TAKE 5MPH WHEN THE STEERING WENT STIFF AND MADE IT HARD TO STEER THROUGH THE TURNS. IT WAS WORSE WHEN I HAD TO MAKE SLOW TURNS. IF I HAD TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT QUICKLY I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO AVOID IT. WHEN I GOT TO WORK SHUT THE CAR OFF TURNED IT BACK ON AND I GUESS IT RESET BECAUSE THE STEERING CAME BACK. WHEN I T HAPPENED AGAIN I CALLED THE BREWSTER FORD AND SAID TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON AND THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM I ROUGH THE CAR TO THE DEALER AFTER IF HAPPENED A FEW TIME BUT THEY SAID THEY WONT BE ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING SINCE THERE ARE NO ERRORS WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN IT HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES BROUGHT IT BACK AGAIN THE CHECK IT SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING AND THEN CHARGED ME ALMOST $200 IF FINALLY COMPLETELY WENT THIS ALL HAPPENED OVER A 1YR TIME PERIOD PUT A CALL INTO BREWSTER FORD AND CORPORATE STILL WAITING TO HERE FROM EITHER ONE THAT WAS ALMOST 2WEEKS AGO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10547332

ON THURSDAY EVENING SEPT 9, 2013 I WAS DRIVING EAST ON HIGHWAY 195 IN NJ. OUT OF NOWHERE THE POWER STEERING FAIL SIGNAL AND TERRAIN WARNING SIGNAL CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. I WAS DRIVING 65MPH IN THE LEFT LANE WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND BARELY BUDGED, COULD MOVE MAYBE AN INCH IN EACH DIRECTION. THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY. THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN A DANGEROUS AND FATAL ACCIDENT....IT WAS TRULY FRIGHTENING!!! WHEN I CALLED FORD ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE THEY TOOK 15MIN JUST TO GET BASIC INFO DOWN TO SEND TOW TRUCK, WOMAN WAS VERY SHORT WITH ME AND SEEMED LIKE I WAS BOTHERING HER. WE HANG UP, ITS GETTING DARK, MY DAUGHTER IS SCARED, THEN 5 MIN LATER SHE CALLS ME BACK TO TELL ME THERE IS A PROBLEM. SHE SAID THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IS CLOSED SO THEY CAN TOW TO A SECURE FACILITY OVERNIGHT BUT THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST. I SAID A FEW CHOICE WORDS AND CANCELLED FRA. THANKFULLY I HAVE AAA PREMIUM SO I HAD THEM TOW MY CAR TO MY HOME OVERNIGHT THEN CALLED FRA TO BRING TO FORD SERVICE DEALER THE FOLLOWING MORNING. FORD SERVICE REP NOW TELLS ME I NEED A NEW POWER STEERING RACK WHICH WILL COST $2,400 AND IS NOT COVERED. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE FORD PART ONLY COST LESS THAN $600!!! MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON HERE AND NHTSA ARE INVESTIGATING THIS CONTINUING POWER STEERING FAIL ISSUE IN THE 2011 EXPLORERS BUT UNTIL THEN MY CAR WHICH IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD IS GOING TO COST ME IF I WANT IT BACK. WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS AND FUTURE ACCIDENTS THAT COULD OCCUR WITH OTHER INNOCENT DRIVERS?

NHTSA ODI 10544979

WHILE DRIVING A VEHICLE STABILITY FAULT MESSAGE POPPED UP. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MODULE FAILING. LUCKILY IN THIS CASE MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND MUSCLE IT OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT ACCIDENT OR INJURY. WHEN THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILS THE CAR IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. FORD KNOW ABOUT THIS SYSTEM FAILURE AND REFUSES TO RECALL IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10544410

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND SHUT OFF, THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AS IT OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,900....UPDATED 10-24-13 *BF UPDATED 11/1/2013 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10544427

ON THREE OCCASIONS THE CAR LOSS POWER STEERING AND WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN THE DASH. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED AND THE POWER STEERING SEEM TO RETURN TO NORMAL FUNCTION. CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER. DEALER IS GOING TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10544037

DRIVING STRAIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE I-82 AT 70 MPH.. BELL CHIME SOUNDED, LOOKED AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHICH DISPLAYED YELLOW "STEER ASSIST FAULT"!!! THEN I REALIZED I HAD NO POWER STEERING. OFF I-82 TO FIND A FORD DEALER. DEALER CHECK IT OUT AND SAID IT WORKED NOW. WHEN IT QUITS, PULL OVER, STOP, TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND START IT AGAIN; THE COMPUTER RESETS ITSELF. THE DEALER, FORD COUNTRY IN PROSSER, WA HAS A CUSTOMER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THAT IS HOW HE KNEW WHAT TO TELL ME. THEY HAVE HAD THIS PART ON BACK ORDER FOR 2 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10544061

TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEED THE WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEFORE THE POWER STEERING QUIT. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR IT APPEARED TO HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, THE SAME WARNING CAME ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEFORE THE POWER STEERING QUIT. I WAS TRAVELING AT 35MPH. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT APPEARED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AGAIN. WHEN I PREVIOUSLY TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND RESET THE SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10543175

I WAS WITH MY FAMILY ON TRIP DRIVING 80 MPH ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT! THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED SO I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS. WE DID RUN OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO THE SHOULDER AND FISHED TAIL OUT OF CONTROL. THIS WAS FRIGHTENING FOR MY FAMILY. I WAS READY TO PASS SOME SLOWER VEHICLES WHEN THIS HAPPEN AND HAD TO MOVE QUICK BUT THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT. WE LOST CONTROL AND ENDED UP ON THE SHOULDER. I MANAGED TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME NOT WITHOUT SWEATING BY STRUGGLING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL FROM 3 HOURS AWAY. ONCE HOME, I LOOKED THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND THAT FORD DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS!!!! I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SUPPORT THE NEXT DAY AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HEARD OF THIS. HOPEFULLY NO ONE GETS HURT FOR FORD TO REALIZE THIS IS A DEFECT IN THEIR VEHICLES! THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10542610

WHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING ASSIST ABRUPTLY FAILS, AS DOES ADVANCE TRAC STABILITY CONTROL. THE VEHICLE BECOMES MUCH HARDER TO CONTROL. IF THE CAR IS IN A TURN WHEN THE STEERING FAILS, THE STEERING WHEEL LURCHES AND TRIES TO RE-AIM THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT AHEAD, DISRUPTING THE TURN. DASHBOARD WARNINGS CONFIRM THE STEERING AND ADVANCE TRAC FAILURES. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNAL SUSTAIN FAILS, SO USING THE TURN SIGNAL REQUIRES CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE SIGNAL ARM. ON AVERAGE, THIS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED EVERY 2000 MILES, AT ANY SPEED. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING "FIXES" THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY UNTIL THE NEXT FAILURE. TWO TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR EXAMINATIONS HAVE RESULTED IN NO ANSWERS - BOTH TIMES THE RESULTS OF LEAVING THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS HAVE BEEN SHRUGGED SHOULDERS AND "WE COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND THERE IS NO TROUBLE CODE. IT WORKED FINE FOR US." AS IS NOTHING EVER WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND EVEN IF THERE WERE SOMETHING WRONG, THERE IS NO WAY TO REPAIR IT! HOW THE NHTSA AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY CAN ALLOW THESE VEHICLES TO ROAM OUR HIGHWAYS WITH NO RECALL, OR EVEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, KNOWING THERE IS A CHANCE THE DRIVERS MAY LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH, AS SOME ALREADY HAVE, IS A CRIME AGAINST VEHICLE SAFETY AND AGAINST THE VERY MISSION STATEMENT OF THE NHTSA. I WILL BE COPYING THIS COMPLAINT TO MY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, WHO IN THE PAST HAS PROVEN TO BE FAR MORE INTERESTED IN MY SAFETY THAN FORD OR THE NHTSA. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10541691

WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON AND VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING. THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10541713

WAS IN PARK IN A FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH AND HAD THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND ACCELERATED I IMMEDIATELY GOT AN ERROR POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE AND THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE AND VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. LUCKILY IT WAS A STRAIGHT DRIVE THROUGH. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED AND THE ERROR CLEARED AND I WAS ABLE TO STEER AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH A SIMILAR SCENARIO WHERE THE STEERING FAILED AFTER SWITCHING TO DRIVE FROM PARK. I AM NOT POSITIVE OF THE DATE OF THE FIRST TIME AS I DID NOT WRITE IT DOWN AND THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE TIME FLUKE BUT IT WAS APPROXIMATELY IN FEB, 2013. HEARING ABOUT OTHERS WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED HAS GIVEN ME GREAT CONCERNS NOW.

NHTSA ODI 10537895

WHEN TURNING RIGHT INTO MY WORK PARKING LOT YESTERDAY MORNING I RECEIVED THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT ERROR AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC ERROR WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FIRST TIME IN JUNE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. THE WARNING MESSAGE (AUDIBLE AND VISUAL WARNING) COME ON AT THE SAME TIME THE POWER STEERING IS LOST SO THERE IS NO WARNING, IT JUST HAPPENS AND YOU HAVE TO HOPEFULLY BE AT A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE OR OBJECT SO YOU WILL NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH FORD AND THEY DO NOT CONSIDER IT A SAFETY PROBLEM, HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ANYMORE NOT KNOWING WHEN IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND IF I WILL BE ABLE TO STEER IT SAFELY WITH ANOTHER SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TT

NHTSA ODI 10537637

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS CAME UP. 1. POWER STEERING FAULT 2. SERVICE ADVANCETRAC SYSTEM CAR BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, ALMOST RESULTING IN A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT AS I WAS APPROACHING A VERY TIGHT TURN ON I75. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH IT APPEARS THIS ISSUE IS WAY TO COMMON, AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10537216

DRIVING 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER MY VEHICLE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE ONTO A SHOULDER, BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY DEFECT AND MUST BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10537248

I OWN A 2011 FORD EXPLORER WITH APPROXIMATELY 20K MILES. "POWER ASSIST FAULT WARNING" CODE HAS COME ON A HANDFUL OF TIMES FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I NEVER THOUGHT TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE TRUCK AND WAS NOT DRIVING. AFTER RESTARTING THE TRUCK IT WOULD GO AWAY AND WOULDN'T COME BACK FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. UNFORTUNATELY ITS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN. EARLIER THIS WEEK I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME RIGHT AS I WAS MAKING A TURN. I NEARLY WENT INTO A DITCH. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DID NOT KNOW THE CAUSE AND CAN ONLY REPLACE THE POWERSTEERING RACK. I HOPE THIS FIXES THE PROBLEM BUT I JUST CANNOT TRUST THAT MY WIFE AND 6 MONTH OLD SON WILL BE SAFE IN THIS CAR ANYMORE. WILL BE TRADING IN THIS TRUCK SOON. ITS A SHAME BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10536890

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS BEFORE PROCEEDED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND ADVISED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL BOX WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

NHTSA ODI 10536954

I STARTED MY CAR AND AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY 2 WARNINGS CAME UP: POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC. AT WHICH POINT I LOST MY POWER STEERING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN AND THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY. I DRIVE TO WORK FINE BUT I LEAVE FOR MY LUNCH BREAK AND GET THE SAME WARNINGS AND NO POWER STEERING. I TURN OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES EVEN GOING BACK IN TO WORK TO LET IT SIT A WHILE. TRY AGAIN LATER...SAME THING...NO POWER STEERING. I'M STUCK AT WORK TILL MY HUSBAND CAN COME AND GET ME. I'VE NOTICED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND I WONDER WHY FORD HAS NOT RECALLED IT YET. IT REALLY MAKES ME MAD THAT I MAY HAVE TO PAY $1200-$1500 TO GET THIS FIXED (WILL IT EVEN REALLY BE FIXED?) FOR A CAR THAT IS STILL SO NEW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10536340

HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, STEERING STOPS WORKING AND CAR HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND BACK ON TO CORRECT PROBLEM. ON A TRIP WITH FAMILY ON CURVY ROAD TO LAKE TAHOE IT HAPPENED AND WE ALMOST COLLIDED WITH TRAFFIC. THE OTHER CARS MANUVERED AWAY FROM US WE HIT THE EMBANKMENT NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES BUT MY WIFE WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10535108

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD TO MANUALLY STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THE COMPONENT WAS RESET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 38,000.

NHTSA ODI 10534847

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A NOTIFICATION ON THE INFO CENTER THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING. AT THAT POINT I LOST POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE AND THEN TRACTION CONTROL. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH AND WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS SINCE IT IS NOT KEEPING RECORDS IN THE COMPUTER OF THESE ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10534998