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

I PULLED INTO A PARKING STALL AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THEY FAILED AND I ONLY STOPPED AFTER HITTING THE GLASS DOORS OF A CLOSED BUSINESS. I DID NOT HIT THE GAS PEDAL AND WAS STOPPED DUE TO THE BUSINESS' GLASS FRONT DOORS. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 37 YEARS AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. NO ONE WAS HURT THANKFULLY, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL UNRESOLVED. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED OTHER EXPLORERS FROM OTHER YEARS (2005, 2007 & 2009) ALSO HAD SIMILAR BRAKE FAILURES AND FORD COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEMS ON THOSE CARS, BUT SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY NOT RIGHT. SEE WWW.EDMUNDS.COM & TYPE IN "EXPLORER BRAKE FAILURE". CHECK OUT POSTS #12, 37, 38, 39, 40 AND 42. FORD DEALERSHIP FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, BUT THEY CLEARLY FAILED. I DON'T WANT SOME INNOCENT PERSON HURT DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE DOWN THE ROAD. ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

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LETTER FROM RE FEW DEFECTS IN MY 2011 FORD EXPLORER REMAIN AFTER THE DEALERS REPEATED REPAIR ATTEMPTS. THESE ISSUES DISTRACT ME WHILE DRIVING AND IT IS A CONCERN TO MY SAFETY AS WELL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE MAIN ISSUE WAS THE STEERING; THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STRAIGHT AND WHEN DRIVING, THE VEHICLE PULLED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE SHIFT INCREASED WHEN INCREASING SPEED. ALSO, THE A/C UNIT CHANGED TEMPERATURES BY ITSELF. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TOUCH AND SYNC DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED AS HIS PHONE AND OR MP3 PLAYER KEPT GETTING DISCONNECTED. WHEN USING THE SYNC SERVICE TO REQUEST DIRECTIONS IT KEPT MISINTERPRETING THE COMMANDS, AS WELL AS DISCONNECTING WHEN DOWNLOADING A ROUTE. ON ONE OCCASIONS, THE ENTIRE SYSTEM FAILED AND THE SCREEN WENT BLANK. *JB

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I AGREE ABOUT THE MICROPHONE ON THE MY TOUCH SYSTEM. IT PICKS UP WIND NOISE, AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING FAN NOISE & WHEN IT RAINS, DRIVER CAN NOT BE HEARD. IT SEEMS THAT THE ROOF DOES NOT HAVE INSULATION TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO SPEAK TO THE MICROPHONE WITHOUT SHOUTING. I DID MENTION THIS TO THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT COMES FROM THE FACTORY. *KB

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THE ABS SYSTEM IS COMMANDING INPUTS TO THE BRAKES WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TORQUE. THIS HAPPENS REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS. THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND THE CAR IS STILL UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

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COOLING FANS FAILED, ENGINE OVERHEATED RAN ROUGH AND THEN STOPPED RUNNING. 3/4 GALLONS OF ANTI-FREEZE BOILED OUT OF OVERFLOW AND ON TO ENGINE. *TR

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POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND TURNING A CORNER. MANUAL STEERING IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

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2011 FORD EXPLORER 4WD IS PROGRAMMED TO SEND 100% POWER TO THE FRONT WHEELS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. UPON SUDDEN ACCELERATION ESPECIALLY GOING UPHILL THE SUBSEQUENT TORQUE STEER IS OVERWHELMING TO THE DRIVER. CAN BE SO SEVERE IT CAN RIP THE WHEEL FROM THE HANDS OF THE DRIVER. THIS NEEDS TO ADDRESSED WITH PROGRAMMING TO BETTER DISTRIBUTE POWER TO ALL 4 WHEELS. *TR

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WE HAVE PURCHASED A 2011 EXPLORER, WITH THE BLUETOOTH ACTIVATED, THE PERSON DRIVING CANNOT BE HEARD BECAUSE OF BACKGROUND NOISE. FROM MY INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE ROOF AREA ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD SEEMS TO NOT HAVE ANY INSULATION, THE WIND NOISE IS BEING PICKED UP BY THE SPEAKER ABOVE THE DRIVERS HEAD. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM, WHEN IT IS RAINING THE NOISE FROM THE RAIN SOUNDS LIKE A TIN ROOF OF AN OLD HOUSE. I REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NOT ANYTHING THEY CAN DO WITHOUT FORD HAVING MORE COMPLAINTS. *TR

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POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND ON THEN CAUSES POWER STEERING TO WORK AGAIN. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. DEALER DID NOT FIND AN ISSUE AT FIRST VISIT. SCHEDULED FOR SECOND DEALER VISIT. WE FEAR SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. *TR

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MY NEW FORD EXPLORER IN ENGAGING THE BRAKES WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT. IT APPLIES ONE BRAKE AT A TIME AT ALL SPEEDS. IT TORQUES THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE POINT OF LOSING CONTROL. *TR

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ARM RESTS FOR DRIVER'S SEAT TOO FAR FROM SEAT, ESPECIALLY ON THE LEFT, AND PROVIDE NO SUPPORT. NOT A PROBLEM FOR LOCAL DRIVING BUT ON LONG TRIPS CAUSES ARM FATIGUE. *KB

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THE ACUTE ANGLE ON FORD EXPEDITION ARE UNSAFE AND CAUSE SEVERE MUSCLE FATIGUE AND STRESS. FORD PROVIDES NO EXPLANATION AS TO THEIR PURPOSE, NOR DO THEY PROVIDE ANY GUIDELINES AS TO THE PROPER ADJUSTMENT OR FIT. I AM NOT ONLY ANGRY AND DISAPPOINTED AT FORD BUT ALSO THE GOVERNMENT. WHERE ARE YOU GUYS? WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH ALL THE TAX MONEY WE'RE SENDING YOU? WHERE'S THE TESTING AND OVERSIGHT? PS YOU DID NOT INCLUDE THE FORD EXPEDITION IN YOUR LISTS SO I HAD TO CHOOSE THE EXPLORER. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. *TR

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2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT WHEEL BEARING HUBS ARE BAD AND IS A ON GOING ISSUE. *TR

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TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TRIED TO PRESSED THE BRAKE HIS FOOT REST ON A BAR THATS NEXT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE PAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGN AND THEY COULD NOT ALTER IT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60. PM

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I HAVE A 2011 FORD EXPLORER AND THE SUN VISORS DO NOT ALLOW ME TO MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO BLOCK THE SUN. WHEN THE VISOR IS FULLY OPENED I CANNOT MAKE 1/4 OR 1/2 INCH ADJUSTMENTS. I ALMOST HAVE TO BRING THE VISOR HALF WAY DOWN BEFORE IT HOLDS IN PLACE. THEN IT BLOCKS MY VIEW OF TRAFFIC. I'VE NOTIFIED CHAMPION FORD KATY AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I CAN MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS WHEN THE VISOR IS FACING ME. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS MANUFACTURED OR INSTALLED BACKWARDS. *TR

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LEAR CORPORATION AND FORD ALREADY KNEW THAT A SPACER/WASHER WAS LEFT OFF THE EXPLORER BY THREE ROTATING LEAR EMPLOYEES ON THE NIGHT SHIFT. THESE EMPLOYEES WERE NOT PENALIZED IN ANY WAY. THE SHIFT STINKS OF NEPOTISM AND EVERY OTHER EOE/EEO MISDEED. OTHER EMPLOYEES, NOT MEETING NUMBERS(NOT QUALITY ISSUES) ARE BEING WALKED OUT. THIS LEAR FACILITY, IN HAMMOND, INDIANA, RECEIVES A $5000 FEDERAL TAX CREDIT FOR EACH NEW W2 FORM TURNED IN. *TR

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