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

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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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STEERING POWER ASSIST WARNING LIGHT CAME ON; LOSS OF POWER STEERING. TURNED OFF CAR, THEN RESTARTED AGAIN, PROBLEM WENT AWAY. HAS RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. *TR

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ABOUT MONTHS AGO MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ALONG AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A WARNING SOUND AND THE "ASSIST POWER STEERING FAULT" MESSAGE CAME UP AS WELL AS SERVICE "ADVANCE TRAC." THEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND WE HAD POWER STEERING AGAIN. WE TOOK IT INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND NOTHING FOUND! LAST NIGHT MY ENTIRE FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. VERY SCARY. LOOK ONLINE, FOUND A POWER STEERING RECALL IN THE 2011 EXPLORERS, CALLED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND CONVENIENTLY OUR VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS RUDE AND WOULD NOT EXPLAIN THE OTHER RECALL TO ME BECAUSE MY VIN DIDN'T GET RECALLED AS IF IT WAS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. I FEEL THIS IS A BILLION DOLLAR COVER UP BY THE FORD COMPANY. THEY DO NOT WANT TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL SOMEONE DIES. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACTS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BREAKS WOULD CONSTANTLY SQUEAL EVEN WHEN ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT THE CALIBER, ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

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WHILE DRIVING MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND LIGHTS ON MY DASH INDICATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION CONTROL WERE NO LONGER WORKING. I WAS FORCED TO ATTEMPT TO PULL OVER WHICH WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO MY POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKING. I TURNED MY VEHICLE ON AND OFF 5 TIMES (GIVING IT TIME BETWEEN TO RESENT ITSELF) BEFORE IT WOULD WORK PROPERLY HOWEVER I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH IT THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT FORD REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FORD! FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE START TO LOSE THEIR LIVES!

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WHILE DRIVING MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND LIGHTS ON MY DASH INDICATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION CONTROL WERE NO LONGER WORKING. I WAS FORCED TO ATTEMPT TO PULL OVER WHICH WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO MY POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKING. I TURNED MY VEHICLE ON AND OFF 2 TIMES (GIVING IT TIME BETWEEN TO RESENT ITSELF) BEFORE IT WOULD WORK PROPERLY HOWEVER THE LIGHTS INDICATING THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING REMAINED ON. I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT FORD REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FORD! FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE START TO LOSE THEIR LIVES!

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THE STEERING POWER ASSIST FAULT WAS LITE UP AND THEN I LOST ALL STEERING AND ALL I COULD DO WAS TURN MY FLASHERS ON TO AVOID BEING HIT AND DRIVE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TT

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THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, WHEN THE CAR COMPLETELY LOSES ALL POWER, CANNOT TURN THE WHEEL, CANNOT ACCELERATE AT ALL AND YOU ARE COMPLETELY UNABLE TO MOVE THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN EVERY TIME TO BE SERVICED, THEY SAY THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWS THAT NOTHING IS WRONG, NO CODES SHOW UP. THIS PAST TIME I WAS 1 FOOT OVER TRAIN TRACKS WHEN THE CAR DIED. AN ONCOMING TRAIN PASSED BEFORE I HAD TIME TO RESTART MY CAR. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL AND IF MY CHILDREN WHERE IN THE CAR I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THEM OUT OF THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED AT AN INTERSECTION AND DRIVING 40 MPH DOWN A BUSY STREET, HAPPENED TAKING A LEFT TURN ON A BUSY STREET. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS THAT IT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT LITERALLY JUST STOPS WORKING. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT ON THIS CAR THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE A FAMILY IS KILLED. *JS

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DRIVING AROUND A CURVE AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP. WE SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE AND LUCKILY DIDN'T GET HIT. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT NOTIFICATION CAME ON. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR STREET DURING HEAVY AFTERNOON TRAFFIC. THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND I COULD BARELY TURN THE WHEEL. THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR ADVANCED TRACTION FAILURE AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT CAME ON. I ALSO NOTICED THE TERRAIN MANAGEMENT CONTROL WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE ROAD INTO THE DRIVEWAY BUT IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I AM A REASONABLY STRONG ADULT WOMAN AND HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL EVEN SLIGHTLY WHILE SLOWLY MOVING. WHEN I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR INTO A SAFE PLACE I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED AGAIN, IT RETURNED TO NORMAL AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT. THREE DAYS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH ANOTHER DRIVER WHILE I WAS A PASSENGER. THE OLDER MALE DRIVER HAD SIMILAR DIFFICULTY STEERING AND TURNING THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THEY REPAIRED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING FOR AN ESTIMATED COST OF OVER $2000. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,400 MILES SO ABOUT 400 MILES PAST THE WARRANTY. WE WERE ABLE TO GET FORD TO REDUCE THE COST TO APPROXIMATELY $750, SOME OF WHICH WAS FOR THE ALIGNMENT THAT WAS NECESSARY FOLLOWING THE REPAIR. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE WITH DEVASTATING RESULTS. I AM A MOM AND GIRL SCOUT LEADER AND TRANSPORT CHILDREN FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I HAD 4 CHILDREN IN MY VEHICLE. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE "POWERSTEERING ASSIST FAILURE" MESSAGE POPPED UP. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY BUT HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT AGAIN; THE STEERING WHEEL WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE; I HAVE CHILDREN AND DEPEND ON MY VEHICLE DAILY. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN ALONG WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL.

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A SEAT BELT/AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SERVICE DEALERS COULD ONLY INVESTIGATE THIS WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ON. AS IT COMES AND GOES, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. WHEN I DID, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY AND I WOULD BE CHARGED ABOUT $450. THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID IF I DID NOT GET IS CORRECTED THAT THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY THEREBY EXPOSING ME TO RISK. IT SEEMS THAT A SITUATION SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER INDEFINITELY OR ARE THEY WILLING TO TAKE THE CHANCE THAT THEIR CUSTOMERS WILL NOT BE INJURED FOR AN ERROR ON THEIR PART IN MANUFACTURE. I HAD THE DEFECT REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE BUT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN INVESTIGATION OPENED AND POSSIBLE CHARGES AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND POSSIBLY EVEN THEIR DEALERSHIP NETWORK.

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LOST STEERING ASSIST DURING TURN INTO DRIVEWAY. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANUALLY STEER THE VEHICLE, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO STOP DUE TO THE LOW SPEED. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS AGAIN VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE WHEN I BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, HOWEVER, AFTER STOPPING AND STARTING THE VEHICLE 2-3 TIMES THE POWER STEERING BEGIN WORKING AGAIN ALLOWING ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FORWARD IN THEIR MAINTENANCE BAY THE STEERING ASSIST FAILED AGAIN, AT WHICH TIME TWO COMPUTER FAILURE CODES WHERE PRESENT, WHICH I READ AND THEN SHOWED TO THEIR MAINTENANCE REPRESENTATIVE. THE CODE LISTED ON THE RECEIPT WAS C200D. THE SECOND ISSUE INVOLVES ERRATIC SHIFTS AND LOSS OF POWER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP UP TO 35 MPH. A FORD DEALERSHIP HAS COMPLETED TWO-THREE COMPUTER SOFTWARE UPGRADES. THE MOST SERIOUS SHIFTING PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN PULLING OUT OR TURNING ONTO A ROADWAY AND THERE IS MINIMAL ACCELERATION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED DOWN, AND THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO ADJUST AS EXPECTED TO THE TRAFFIC FLOW. THIS PROBLEM WAS FIRST REPORTED 02/2013 AND MOST RECENTLY DURING 09/2013.

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POWER STEERING FAIL LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST MY POWER STEERING. AFTER KILLING THE CAR, LETTING IT SIT THEN RESTARTING IT I STARTED BACK WORKING. *TR

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