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

HAVE EXTENSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO WATER PUMP FAILURE WITH NO WARNING! I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE DOWN A MAIN HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE "ENGINE COOLANT OVERTEMP" CAME ON THEN "LOW OIL PRESSURE" AND MY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN! I COULDN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY I DRIFTED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD SO THAT MY CAR COULD BE TOWED WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT! SHOP DETERMINED WATER PUMP FAILURE AND WATER LEAKED INTO MY ENGINE POOR ENGINE DESIGN ON FORDS PART) AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE WITH NO WARNING! NO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON OR ANYTHING. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME SITUATION. I CALLED FORD TO COMPLAIN BUT ALL THEY DID WAS TAKE DOWN MY COMPLIANT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE WHOLE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10923775

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD A DING, SAW A LARGE WRENCH ICON ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH, AND I LOST ALL ACCELERATOR POWER. MY CAR SLOWED TO A CREEP. THE AUTO PROPULSION MECHANISM WOULD DRIVE IT ABOUT 2 MPH, AND I COULD PUSH THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10923940

MY FORD EXPLORER 2011 OMITS A FOUL ODOR(SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN EGG)WHEN YOU TURN ON THE AC WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING COLUMN FEELS LOOSE AND HAS A STRONG WIND NOISE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10920227

THE CABIN FILLS WITH VERY STRONG EXHAUST FUMES WHEN DRIVING OR USING AIR CONDITIONER. IT GETS WORSE WHEN GOING UP A HILL OR ON HIGHWAYS.

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DRIVING AT SPEED LIGHT ON THE STREET AT 35-40 MILES AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE SPEED GOES DOWN TO ABOUT 5MILES AND STARTS TO SHAKE AND A WRENCH LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASH BOARD AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN OF THE CAR WAIT ABOUT 5-10 MINS TURN IT BACK ON AND WORKS PERFECTLY NORMAL ABOUT, THIS HAS HAPPEND ONCE EVERY WEEK FOR THE PAST 4 WEEKS, LAST WEEK WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR SEVERAL RECALLS THE CAR HAD, AND TOKD THEM ABOUT IT BUT THEY DIDNT SAY ANYTHING. THEIRS NEED TO BE A RECAL ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS DANGEROUS SITUATION

NHTSA ODI 10915679

WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH, STEERING FROZE AND "POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAULT" NOTIFICATION ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. SAFELY STOPPED AT NEXT DRIVEWAY. SHUT DOWN CAR. EXITED CAR, CALLED HUSBAND. RESTARTED CAR AND STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN. TRAVELLED 2 MORE MILES AT 35MPH AND POWER STEERING FROZE AGAIN WITH SAME SUBSEQUENT NOTIFICATION; ALSO ADVANCE TRAC LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. MAN HANDLED STEERING TO DRIVE CAR HOME. NOW ENGINE STARTS AND RUNS 7-10 MINUTES BEFORE POWER STEERING FAULT OCCURS. SCHEDULED AT FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN PADUCAH, KY FOR REPAIR ON OCT 19, 2016.

NHTSA ODI 10915166

EXHAUST/BURNING SMELL COMING THROUGH HVAC VENTS UNDER HARD ACCELERATION. HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10914109

2011 FORD EXPLORER XLT: UPON RAPID ACCELERATION (EXAMPLE: ACCELERATING ONTO HIGHWAY VIA HIGHWAY ENTRANCE RAMP) VEHICLE LOOSES MOMENTUM THEN LURCHES FORWARD. VEHICLE IS NOT SMOOTHLY TRANSITIONING FROM LOWER GEARS TO HIGHER GEARS. VEHICLE PURCHASED FROM FORD DEALER, CERTIFIED USED WITH APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. ISSUE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 90,000 MILES.

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2011 FORD EXPLORER XLT: THIRD ROW SEAT BELT COMPARTMENT ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES, LEAKING WATER. SEATS ARE LEATHER. NOTICED WHEN CHILD BOOSTER SEATS WERE SOAKED AFTER IT RAINED. NOW CONCERNED IF METAL HAS RUSTED IN ANY OF SEAT BELT MECHANISMS. VEHICLE PURCHASED FROM FORD DEALER, FORD VERIFIED USED VEHICLE. PURCHASED VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. ISSUE OCCURRED AT 105,000 MILES

NHTSA ODI 10913775

2011 FORD EXPLORER XLT: FAILURE OF 2011 FORD EXPLORER PASSENGER BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS ACTUATOR THREE TIMES IN 12 MONTHS. FAILURE OCCURS SLOWLY. FAILURE BEGINS WITH CLICKING SOUND PRESENT FOR 10 SECONDS UPON STARTING A/C OR HEATER AND TURNING OFF OF A/C OR HEATER. ISSUE PROGRESSES TO CLICKING SOUND PRESENT THROUGHOUT ENTIRE TIME A/C OR HEATER IS USED. ISSUE THEN PROGRESSES TO COMPLETE FAILURE AND NOT WORKING. VEHICLE PURCHASED FROM FORD DEALER. FORD CERTIFIED USED WITH APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. ISSUE STARTED OCCURRING AT APPROXIMATELY 90,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10913781

POWER STEERING FAILED REQUIRING EXTREME EFFORT TO PULL OVER OFF THE ROAD. WARNING CAME UP "SERVICE POWER STEERING". VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (MANY MANY REPORTS ON THIS) ON 9/26. PICKED UP VEHICLE ON 9/29 WITH A BRAND NEW POWER STEERING RACK AND DROVE IT HOME. STARTED VEHICLE ON 9/30 AND DROVE 3 MILES WHEN THE BRAND NEW POWER STEERING RACK FAILED GIVING A RED WARNING "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW". AGAIN, NO POWER STEERING AND HAD TO MAN HANDLE THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. CONTACTED FORD ROADSIDE AND THEY WOULD NOT TOW BACK TO SAME DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS A CLOSER DEALER BY 9 MILES. WHY ISN'T FORD BEING REQUIRED TO RECALL THESE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF THE TRANSMISSION ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

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THE STEERING HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY, SOMETHING JUST DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT WITH THIS VEHICLE. ALSO - THE SYNC SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY AND THE SCREEN RANDOMLY REBOOTS AND IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. LASTLY THE CAR SYSTEM DOES NOT RECOGNIZE WHEN KEYS ARE IN THE CAR, SO EVERY TIME YOU GO TO START THE CAR DOES NOT WORK. HOW THIS IS UNSAFE - IS IN COLD WEATHER YOU HAVE YOUR KEYS IN HAND AND THE CAR WILL NOT START, WHICH MEANS YOU COULD BE LEFT IN THE COLD AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. THIS IS NOT SAFE.

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UPON HEAVY ACCELERATION SUCH AS WHEN PULLING ONTO A HIGHWAY, OR PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE ROAD, AN EXHAUST/FUEL SMELL WILL ENTER THE VEHICLE AND BE VERY NOTICEABLE TO EVERYONE IN THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS MOSTLY WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, ON RECIRCULATION. MY WIFE (PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS 2011 FORD EXPLORER) COMPLAINS OF A LOT OF HEADACHES AND I AM BEGINNING TO WONDER IF SHE IS GETTING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING FROM DRIVING THIS VEHICLE DAILY. WE ARE GOING TO BUY A CO2 DETECTOR TO SEE IF THIS IS IN FACT TRUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE ODOR OF EXHAUST FUMES FILLED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED TO PAY A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED, BUT RECURRED LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AWAITING FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

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EXHAUST FUMES ENTER THE CABIN THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM, UPON ACCELERATION AND ON INCLINES.

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SEP 3, 2016 3RD INCIDENT OF POWER STEERING GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING. FIRST TIME WAS ONE YEAR AGO. THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. I HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO "UN-JAM" IT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR. 6 MONTHS AGO STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING WITH MY HUSBAND AND 3 CHILDREN ON VACATION. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALER WHO "FOUND NOTHING WRONG" WITH THE CAR AND SENT US ON OUR WAY WITHOUT PAPERWORK EVEN DOCUMENTING OUR COMPLAINT. 3RD TIME WAS A WEEK AGO WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY HUSBAND AND SON. MY HUSBAND, THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND THE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING. DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE STEERING GEAR AGAIN. "SAME FIX AS LAST TIME, BUT BETTER PARTS SINCE A YEAR AGO" IS WHAT I'M TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE NO FAITH IN THIS CAR AND CANNOT PUT MY FAMILY OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AT RISK. STEERING LOCKING UP WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING IS EXTREMELY TERRIFYING AND FORD IS TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO BECAUSE IT IS NOT UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY ANYMORE. BASICALLY, IF YOU BUY A FORD YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO RISK YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THEIR RECALL FIXES DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 10905063

DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT 70 MPH THE PLASTIC COVERING OVER PASSENGER SIDE FRONT PILLAR CAME OFF, FLEW OVER CAR AND LANDED OFF ROAD BEHIND ME.

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MY 2011 FORD EXPLORER LOST POWER EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE DID NOT DIE THERE WAS NO POWER WHEN PRESSING ON GAS PEDAL. THE YELLOW WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON THE PANEL. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND IT RESTARTED. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T GET ANYTHING TO REGISTER. I PICKED THE CAR UP ANYD BEFORE I MADE IT HOME IT LOST POWER AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK IN AND THEY STILL COULDN'T GET ANYTHING TO REGISTER. THEY REPLACED THE BA SENSOR FIR $500 SINCE MY AIR FILTER WAS DIRTY AND COULD BE THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. A WEEK LATER THE CAR STOPPED AGAIN. IT HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER AND THEN IT STALLED 4 TIMES IN ONE DAY AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED. I BORROWED A CODE READER AND THE CODE P2111 APPEARED. I GOOGLED THIS AND IT SHOWS THROTTLE BODY. EACH TIME I LOST POWER IT DID NOT DIE BUT RAN ROUGH. WHEN I RESTARTED IT WAS A LITTLE HESITANT TO START. AT FIRST IT HAPPENED WHEN I ACCELERATED AFTER GOING AT A LOW SPEED BUT THEN IT HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH.

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IT START HAPPENING YESTERDAY WHEN START MY SUV AFTER IT START ON MESSAGE CONSOLE I SEE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND STEERING WHEEL GET VERY HARD TO TURN. TRUCK HAVE 78K AND DON'T KNOW IF FORD DEALER WILL ACCEPT THAT AS A RECALL? I HAVE SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTART AND ISSUES WENT AWAY. BUT LATER ON SAME DAY WHEN I START THE TRUCK IT HAPPEN AGAIN.

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EXHAUST FUMES ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHEN THE AC IS RUNNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND AT ANY SPEED WHEN THE ENGINE IS TAXING IE GOING UP A STEEP GRADE.

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MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.

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STRONG EXHAUST ODORS IN THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT, NOTICEABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AT FULL THROTTLE OR WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS SET TO RECIRCULATE AIR. BROUGHT IN MULTIPLE TIMES TO FORD DEALERSHIP, HAD FORD REPAIR ITEMS SPECIFIED ON THEIR TSB. STILL NOTICEABLE EXHAUST ODOR, RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP, DEALERSHIP VERIFIED REPAIRS AND STATED THEY COULD DO NOTHING ELSE. STILL NOTICEABLE EXHAUST ODOR COMING INTO OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT.

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LAST NIGHT I HAD DONE MY FIRST FULL THROTTLE APPLICATION EVER. SUBSEQUENTLY I RECEIVED THIS STRONG SMELL, SO STRONG THAT I COULD BARELY BREATHE IN THE CABIN. IT SMELLED AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. I SLOWED WAY DOWN TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO FLAMES ANYWHERE. COME TO FIND OUT THROUGH INTERNET RESEARCH, IT WAS CARBON MONOXIDE, GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF IT I'M PRESUMING A SIGNIFICANTLY UNSAFE LEVEL.

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THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHICH SHUTS DOWN THE AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM. THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2011. IT ALSO APPEARS TO BE COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION.

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