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

HAVE HAD VEHICLE CHECKED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR ISSUES WITH THE GPS SYSTEM. THEY HAVE RESET AND RUN UPDATES, BUT MOST OF THE TIME I AM TOLD THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH IT THAT THEY CAN FIND. WHILE DRIVING THE GPS SYSTEM PLACES THE CAR OUT IN A POND, THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD OR SOME WHERE OTHER THAN WHERE MY CAR IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED. THE PROBLEM IS SO BAD THAT I HAVE PURCHASED A TOMTOM TO REPLACE THE USELESS SYSTEM THAT I PURCHASED. FIRST OCCURRENCE DATE AND MILEAGE IS LISTED.

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VEHICLE FAILED TO GENERATE HEAT TO EITHER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OR TO DEFROST OF FRONT WINDOW. IN VIEWING YOUTUBE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WHICH FORD WILL CORRECT ONLY DURING THE VEHICLES WARRANTY PERIOD UNDER TBS 12-1-8. ONCE PAST THE WARRANTY IT FALLS UPON VEHICLE OWNER TO BARE THE COST FOR REPAIR.

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WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 55 MPH, IN A DOWN-POUR RAIN, ON A STATE HWY, ON A STRAIGHTAWAY, THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST WHEN THE "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON (CHECK BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL). STEERING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. CAUSE AT THIS TIME IS UNKNOWN.

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DRIVERS SIDE ARMREST TEARING APART DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD TRIM RUBBER FALLING OUT OF WINDSHIELD.RUST ON HOOD.

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I HAVE AN AIR BAG LIGHT THAT STAYS ON MOST OF THE TIME, BUT WILL SOMETIMES GO AWAY. IT HAS BEEN ON FOR AT LEAST A MONTH NOW. THE CAUSE IS A LOOSE CONNECTOR UNDER THE SEAT THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED. APPARENTLY THE FORD FIX ACCORDING TO TSB (ATTACHED) IS APPLY GREASE TO THE CONNECTORS. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM ACROSS THE INTERNET. THERE IS A 12 PAGE THREAD ON EXPLORER FORUMS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO IT. MY DEALER REFUSES TO FIX IT BECAUSE I AM OUT OF WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL. HOW CAN A LOOSE CONNECTOR THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE REPORTED NOT BE? TWO TO THREE HOURS OF LABOR IS A SMALL PRICE FOR FORD TO PROVIDE SAFETY TO THEIR OWNERS. HERE IS A LINK TO THREAD DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM HTTPS://WWW.EXPLORERFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=349429

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I BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED CONTROLS WHILE DRIVING, WHICH WERE INTERMITTENT. FIRST, THE VOLUME BUTTON FAILED AND THEN CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTIONS FAILED. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD SOMETIMES CANCEL ON ITS OWN, CAUSING A SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED LOSS OF SPEED WHILE I THOUGHT IT WAS ENGAGED. THE "RESUME" AND "CANCEL" BUTTON FUNCTIONS ALSO SWAPPED. "RESUME" WOULD CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL AND "CANCEL" WOULD RESUME CRUISE. I ONLY FIGURED THIS OUT AFTER PRESSING CANCEL WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL TO SLOW THE CAR FOR TRAFFIC AHEAD OF ME AND IT DID NOT RESPOND OR SLOW THE CAR. THE CAR CONTINUED AT ITS SET SPEED UNTIL I HIT THE BRAKES TO SLOW IT. THE DIAGNOSIS FOR THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CLOCK SPRING HAD FAILED AND IT WAS REPLACED. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE DRIVER AIR BAG MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN AFFECTED. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 43,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE, THEY REINSTALLED SOFTWARE WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT YET HAVE THE INVOICE FROM THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLOCK SPRING BECAUSE IT HAS NOT YET BEEN PAID WHILE I TEST THE REPAIR. THE CLOCK SPRING DID APPEAR TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT PERRY FORD IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT REAR PASSENGER AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLES FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V171000 (STRUCTURE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT 58 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 3 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V286000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

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WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID TO A STOP, THIS LOCKED UP THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS SKIDDING ON THE PAVEMENT. THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE GROUND WHEN IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. ALSO THE REAR VIEW CAMERA CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME SO THE OCCUPANTS COULD SEE THE CAR BEHIND THEM, ALSO INDICATING THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE. THE TRANSMISSION LEVER/HANDLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I BELIEVE THIS WAS SOME TYPE OF ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION, BUT NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND ON THE COMPUTERIZED VEHICLE CHECK IT INDICATED NO MALFUNCTIONS, TEMPORARILY THE HILL ASSIST LIGHT CAME ON BUT WENT OUT SHORTLY BEFORE THE CAR WAS TOWED. THE CAR COULD NOT BE SHIFTED INTO ANY GEAR, NOR MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE LOCKED AND SKIDDING AS IT WENT ONTO THE TOW TRUCK. THE REAR WHEELS MOVED AT THIS POINT AND IT IS A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE.

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WHEN I START MY CAR THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS COMING ON. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS THAT THE PRESSURE IN AN AIRBAG IS NOT ACCURATE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE ME $300 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM AND NOT A WARE AND TEAR PROBLEM THAT I SHOULD BE PAYING FOR. ALONG WITH THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING OR NOT DEPLOYING DUE TO THE PRESSURE NOT BEING CORRECT IN THE AIRBAGS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE ACCELERATING OVER 65 MPH, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING AND POWER TERRAIN MESSAGES DISPLAYED BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT EXTERIOR DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD PANEL DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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FAULTY ELECTRICAL SWITCH WITHIN THE GEAR SHIFTER KNOB PERIODICALLY INDICATES THAT CAR IS NOT IN "PARK" WHEN THE CAR IS ACTUALLY IN PARK. THIS IS WORRISOME SINCE YOU ARE ALWAYS AFRAID YOUR CAR WILL ROLL AWAY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS PERIODICALLY FOR ME AND IS REMEDIED TEMPORARILY BY FRANTICALLY "CLICKING" THE GEAR SHIFTER SWITCH UNTIL THE MESSAGE GOES AWAY. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT UNIQUE TO ME. THERE ARE SEVERAL POSTS ONLINE ABOUT THE EXACT SAME ISSUE.

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WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE GEAR IS IN PARK. I NEEDED TO PUT BACK IN TO DRIVE AND PARK AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES AND MOVE SHIFTER FOR IT TO FINALLY RECOGNIZE THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2011. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED AND WAS IN JULY OF 2013. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER AND BOX. THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015. I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED ANOTHER SHIFTER AND GEAR BOX ON THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS THE 3RD OVERALL GEAR BOX ON THIS CAR IN 4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. FORD DOES NOT RECOGNIZE AS AN ISSUE, HOWEVER, THERE IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN WHEN SOMEONE THINKS THEY PUT THE CAR IN PARK, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE STILL READS IT AS IN GEAR.

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UNDER HARD ACCELERATION I GET A STING ODOR IN THE CABIN. IT IS LIKE AN EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE THE CAR. IT ALWAYS DOES IT ABOVE 3500 RPM.

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AT LOW SPEEDS THE FLOOR OF THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS SHUTTERING BACK AND FORTH. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE STEERING WHEEL BUT IT DOESN'T MOVE BACK AND FORTH IF I TAKE MY HANDS OFF BUT I CAN DEFINITELY FEEL IT IN THE STEERING THROUGH THE FLOOR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR WHEN DECREASING IN SPEED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED ONCE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD DIM OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,800.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V171000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A STOP, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V286000 (STEERING), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTIFICATION ON THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES; HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REMEDY WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 11/18/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL WAS FIXED ON SEPTEMBER 29, 15. *JB

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THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM DOES NOT SYNC WITH THE ACTUAL LOCATION OF THE VEHICLE.....SOMETIMES OFF BY A FEW BLOCKS AND SOMETIMES OFF BY A COUPLE OF MILES. THIS POSES A SAFETY CONCERN WHILE DRIVING DUE TO DISTRACTION OF TRYING TO FIND YOUR LOCATION. THIS USED TO BE SPORADIC AND NOW OCCURS DAILY. CORPORATE AND FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS NO WARRANTY. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT ALL OVER THE WEB AND FORD CORPORATE TOLD ME THAT THE INTERNET IS NOT RELIABLE....REALLY? THE COMPLAINTS YOU CAN FIND ARE IN FORD FORUMS, GOOGLE, YOUTUBE TO NAME A FEW. VEHICLES AFFECTED ARE FORD/LINCOLN WITH NAVIGATION. FORD NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THEIR NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILURE. THIS DEFINITELY FALLS UNDER A SAFETY RECALL WITH HIGH PRIORITY. OTHER CAR COMPANIES ARE TRYING TO FIX A POTENTIAL VULNERABILITY FOR HACKING INTO NAVIGATION TO PURPOSELY MIS-NAVIGATE SOMEONE.....FORDS PROBLEM IS THE NAVIGATION ITSELF...OWN UP AND FIX IT. THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING MAY PRODUCE FATALITIES.

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I REVIEVED SAFETY RECALL NOTICE 14S06/NHSA RECALL 14V-286 FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN INFORMING ME THAT A RECALL WAS TO BE PERFORMED ON MY POWER STEERING. THE NOTICE ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING GEAR WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FREE OF CHARGE (PARTS AND LABOR) SHOULD IT FAIL BEFORE 150,000 MILES OR THE END OF DECEMBER 2015. "THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING EFFORT, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS, WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF CRASH" WAS STATED IN THE LETTER. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER(SOUTHWEST FORD OF GREENVILLE, TEXAS) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROGRAMMING OF THE POWER CONTROL MODULE WAS COMPLETE BUT THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE POWER STEERING GEAR UNLESS DIRECTED BY FORD TO DO SO. THE LETTER STATED THE GEAR WOULD BE REPLACED AT NO CHARGE (PARTS AND LABOR) IF THE GEAR IS REPLACED BEFORE 150,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, OR DECEMBER 31, 2015. THE FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO REPLACE THE GEAR UNLESS DIRECTED BY FORD HOME OFFICE. IF THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT REPLACED BEFORE IT FAILS. I AM NOT CLOSE TO THE 150,000 MILES BUT THE END OF 2015 IS NEAR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER STEERING COMPLETELY AS THE CHECK POWER STEERING UNIT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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