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

DRIVING ALONG AND THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED THREE TIMES. TURN CAR OFF AND RESTART AND IT WORKS AGAIN. TAKING TO FORD DEALER ON AUGUST 27 FOR REVIEW. SAME AS INHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE12017. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472618

AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST AND A CHIME SOUNDED WITH A MESSAGE STATING"POWER ASSIST FAILURE" AND THEN ANOTHER MESSAGE OF "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" WERE SHOWN IN THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT, THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN JUNE OF 2012, BUT I WASN'T AWARE OF THIS WEBSITE TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. I ALSO DID NOT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR IT TO BE LOOKED AT AS IT SEEMED LIKE A RARE EVENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472624

I WAS TRAVELING APPROX 60MPH WHEN AN ALERT FROM THE DASH SOUNDED, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND 2 MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE ONBOARD MESSAGING SYSTEM: 1) "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND 2) "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC". AT THAT TIME I LOST ALL POWER STEERING ABILITY. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD AT THE TIME AS I AM UNSURE IF I COULD HAVE KEPT THE VEHICLE FROM GOING OFF OF THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER AT A GAS STATION AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I RESTARTED THE CAR APPROX 5 MIN LATER AND IT HAD NO WARNINGS AND THE POWER STEERING HAD BEEN RESTORED. THE NEXT DAY, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED, EXCEPT I WAS GOING APPROX 10MPH TURNING LEFT INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO LET THEM LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED ME TODAY THAT THEY NEEDED TO ORDER A NEW "RACK" AND THAT THE PART WAS "BACKORDERED" AND HAD A DELIVERY DATE OF NOVEMBER (TODAY'S DATE IS 8/27/12). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472703

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STEEP AND CURVY ROAD AND THE STEERING LOCKED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE ALL TERRAIN ASSISTANCE FAILURE LIGHT. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ... I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE FAILURE LIGHT REMAINED FOR BOTH THE POWER STEERING AND ALL TERRAIN. I TURNED THE CAR OFF WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION AND THE FAULT CAME BACK ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME. I HAVE AN 8 MONTH OLD CHILD AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE ... ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE SYNC SYSTEM TOTALLY CRAPPED OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING AT THE DEALER FOR ABOUT A MONTH. WE PAY ABOUT $700 A MONTH FOR THIS ON A LEASE AND CAN'T WAIT TO TURN IT BACK IN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472448

A WARNING MESSAGE SAYING "SERVICE AUTOTRAC" CAME ON, FOLLOWING QUICKLY BY A POWER STEERING WARNING MESSAGE. AT THAT POINT, I COULD NO LONGER STEER THE VEHICLE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472406

I WAS SLOWING DOWN AND GETTING INTO THE LEFT TURN LANE. THE LIGHT WAS GREEN SO I STARTED TO TURN LEFT AND THE TRACTION LIGHT SYSTEM CAME ON, BOTH LIGHTS, AND THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE ALERT CAME ON AND I LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND ALMOST HIT A POLE. IT WAS A NICE DAY, NO RAIN OR MOISTURE. THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472104

I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND ONLY GOT ABOUT 6 FEET OUT OF THE GARAGE AND I IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER STEERING - THERE WAS A MESSAGE SHOWING ON THE DASH "POWER STEERING MODULE FAULT". 2 DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED THERE WAS A VERY HARD SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. YOU COULD SEE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SHAKE. THE FORD DEALER SAID THAT WAS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT. AND ALSO SAID THAT FORD IS AWARE OF PEOPLE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT ALSO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472108

STARTED PARKED EXPLORER AND WENT TO BACK UP. THE POWER ASSIST STEERING FAULT LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME AS THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC LIGHT. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE AT ALL.TRIED BACKING UP AND GOING FORWARD BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. NEXT I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON. THE FAILURE LIGHTS WOULD NOT CLEAR AND THE STEERING WAS STILL LOCKED. CALLED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY ME TRY RESTARTING SEVERAL TIMES. EVENTUALLY THE PROCESS WORKED AND THE STEERING CAME BACK.DEALER ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN RIGHT AWAY.LOCAL DEALER PROVIDED A RENTAL CAR. DEALER CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND SAID OUR EXPLORER WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER ORDERED REPLACEMENT STEERING RACK. PROJECTED DATE FOR REPLACEMENT PART IS NOVEMBER 9. OUR DEALER HAS BEEN GREAT. I AM NOT SURE EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS REPAIRED WILL I TRUST IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471934

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED. THE MOST RECENT EVENT OCCURRED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SHE SAID THE CAR WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND SHE HAD TO BRAKE TO A STOP IN THE TRAVEL LANE. THE PROBLEM CAN BE RESOLVED TEMPORARILY BY SHUTTING OFF THE IGNITION AND POWER AND RESTARTING, BUT IT IS OBVIOUSLY A RECURRING ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471729

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO A SERVICE DRIVE TO GO ON THE EXPRESSWAY. AS I WAS COMPLETING THE TURN I LOST THE POWER STEERING & THE CAR STARTED TO DECELERATE. I GOT 2 MESSAGES ON THE DASHBOARD, THE ONLY ONE I PAID ATTENTION TO WAS "SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK", I THINK THE 2ND MESSAGE WAS ABOUT A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. IF IT WAS, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE ADVANCE TRACK BREAKING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD & STOP THE CAR. SHUTTING THE CAR OFF & RESTARTING DID NOTHING TO CLEAR THE PROBLEM. WHEN I LOOKED UP ADVANCE TRACK IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IT EXPLICITLY SAID IF THE ADVANCE TRACK BROKE THE CAR WOULD DECELERATE & POWER STEERING WOULD BE LOST & THE CAR WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED, IT SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN IF THIS HAPPENED. I THEN CALLED THE DEALER & WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN. WHEN I CALLED THE NEXT DAY I WAS TOLD THE PART HAD BEEN ORDERED & SHOULD BE IN ON WED & THEN IT WOULD BE INSTALLED. WHEN I CALLED ON WED I WAS TOLD THE PART WAS ON A 2 WEEK NATIONAL BACKORDER; WHICH MEANT THE PART WOULD NOT BE IN UNTIL AUG 9. IT IS NOW AUG 20 & THE PART HAS STILL NOT BEEN RECEIVED, I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE DEALER EXPECTS DELIVERY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT IT & I AM DRIVING A RENTAL CAR, PAID FOR BY FORD, UNTIL THE REPAIR IS COMPLETE. EARLIER IN THE YEAR I HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BOOT NEEDING TO BE REPLACED & I WONDER NOW IF THE 2 PROBLEMS ARE RELATED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471637

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON OUR FORD EXPLORER. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS NOT A GOOD SITUATION. WE ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHUT THE CAR OFF. EVENTUALLY RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED ON OUR TRAVELS. WHEN WE RETURNED HOME FROM VACATION WE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY NOW HAVE OUR EXPLORER IN THEIR SHOP AND WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING A RENTAL CAR FOR 2 WEEKS. SEVERAL WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE TO BACK IT OUT OF THE GARAGE THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED AND THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND THE POWER SEEMED TO WORK FINE. I HAD NO OTHER ISSUES WITH IT UNTIL THE 7/28/12 INCIDENT DESCRIBED ABOVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471285

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY 11 YEAR OLD SON AND HIS FRIEND, I LOST ALL POWER STEERING. WHICH MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I MANAGED TO GET TO THE SHOULDER THRU TRAFFIC. THIS COULD OF CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND HARMED ALOT OF PEOPLE NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN MY CAR! I GOT THE EXPLORER TO THE DEALER SHIP AND IT HAS BEEN THERE EVER SINCE, THIS IS NOW 7 WEEKS AND COUNTING. FORD STATES THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER. I AM NUMBER 560 AND LAST COUNT 2 WEEKS AGO THERE WERE OVER 800 OF THIS PART ON BACK ORDER. THIS IS OBVIOUS A RECALL ISSUE IF THAT MANY CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE! WHY HAS THIS NOT BE PUT INTO RECALL YET. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT BEFORE THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMERS IS HANDLED. I HAVE BEEN IN A RENTAL CAR FOR 7 WEEKS AND I AM CONCERNED THAT WHEN THEY PUT THE NEW PART IN THAT THIS WILL ONLY HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE FORD DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS ISSUE. PLEASE LOOK AFTER OUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD AND FORCE FORD TO MAKE THIS RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470863

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN THREE WARNINGS CAME UP, ALL REFERRING BACK TO THE POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND SEEM TO RESET. WE THEN DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT STILL SITS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470732

POWER STEERING FAILED IN MY 2011 FORD EXPLORER WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE SAFELY BUT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH MY 2 YOUNG BOYS IN THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470620

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED MESSAGE CAME ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE ANY TURNS OR MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER POWERING OFF AND RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO FILED A REPORT AND DID NOT OFFER ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,472 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,600. UPDATED 09/21/12*LJ THE CONSUMER THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL FAILURES AND RELATED MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL'S MESSAGE CENTER. THE DEALER FOUND A DIAGNOSTIC CODE FOR THE SPEED SENSORS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 09/27/2012 *JS *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470387

POWER STEERING FAILURE WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10-15 MILES PER HOUR. THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP WITHOUT WARNING AND THEN THE POWER STEERING FAULT LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH BUT WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING DID NOT RETURN. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF A SECOND TIME AND LET IT SIT FOR 60 SECONDS AND THE SECOND TIME THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. TWO DAYS LATER WHEN DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN, I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT AFTER 60 SECONDS AND THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470436

DRIVING MY EXPLORER AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND SAID THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. WHICH IT HAD. ALSO RECEIVED WARNINGS MY TRACTION CONTROL HAD FAILED. STOP VEHICLE AND TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE PROBLEM RESET IT SELF. THIS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN 5 DAYS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470273

THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW ABOUT 3 WEEKS APART FROM EACH OTHER. WE ARE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND THE POWER STEERING WILL FAIL. AN ALERT ON THE DASH WILL SAY POWER STEERING FAILURE. ONCE WE TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT THE POWER STEERING ENGAGES AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND SINCE THE COMPUTER DIDN'T SUBMIT A CODE AND THEY COULDN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM THEY SENT ME HOME WITH IT. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE, IF WE HAPPEN TO BE TURNING WHEN IT ALL THE SUDDEN GOES OUT WE WOULD HAVE ENDED UP GOING OFF THE ROAD OR IN TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THESE CARS ARE MAINLY OWNED BY FAMILIES WITH KIDS SINCE IT HAS THREE ROWS OF SEATS, CAN SOMETHING BE DONE BEFORE IT RESULTS IN MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470066

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE WARNING LIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN SEIZED AND THE CONTACT WAS BARELY ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 10470093

I WAS SLOWING TO STOP FOR A STOP LIGHT AND A LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH THAT THE ADVANCE TRACTION FAILED. SECONDS LATER, A LIGHT CAME ON SAYING THE POWER STEERING FAILED, I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469928

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE TRAIN MANAGEMENT MODE WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL AND ALL OF THE GEAR BOX LIGHTS ON FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE STEERING RACK FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ODI 10469964

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WILL NOT FUNCTION, ITS STIFF AS A BRICK, WHEEL CAN NOT BE TURNED. SHUTTING OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. ONE OCCASION, WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF AND THE WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. IT WAS MOMENTARY AND CORRECTED ITSELF. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469989

FORD "MYFORDTOUCH" SYSTEM HAS FAILED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IT HAS FROZEN, LOCKED UP, AND CONTINUOUSLY REBOOTED. WHEN THIS OCCURS, YOU LOSE ALL FUNCTIONALITY AND ABILITY TO CHANGE RADIO STATIONS, ADJUST CLIMATE CONTROL, USE NAVIGATION, HANDS FREE FUNCTIONS, ETC. WHILE THERE IS SOME MANUAL CONTROLS FOR BASIC OPERATIONS, IT DOES NOT ALLOW FULL CONTROL OF TALL SYSTEMS. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN THE MFT SYSTEM FAILS, YOU HAVE NO ABILITY TO TURN ON OR ADJUST THE REAR CLIMATE CONTROLS FOR REAR PASSENGERS. DEALER HAS TRIED UPGRADING SOFTWARE, RESETTING SOFTWARE, REINSTALLING SOFTWARE, AND REPLACING HARDWARE. WHILE THE PROBLEM IS NOT AS BAD AS IT HAS BEEN, IT CONTINUES WITH NO RESOLVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469990

STARTED CAR AND PROCEDED TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY. POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. A WARNING SHOWED ON DASH SCREEN "POWER STEERING ASSIST" OFF FAILURE. STOPPED CAR / RESTARTED AND THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. DROVE 5- 10 MILES, NO OTHER FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469687

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD EXPLORER AND I GOT A WARNING ALARM THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER AND WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING BUT THEY ARE GOING TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469915