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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,191)Crash / fire / injury (40)Steering (737)Body & structure (110)Electrical system (94)Engine (83)Transmission & drivetrain (64)Airbags (44)Fuel system (40)Brakes (28)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (28)Suspension (24)

110 of 1,191 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters · page 5 of 5

Jan 21, 2015Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE PROPER SEAM SEAL WAS NOT CORRECTLY APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE WHEN MANUFACTURED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED WITH THE SEAM SEAL LEAK FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,595.

NHTSA ODI 10676994

Oct 1, 2014Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, WATER LEAKED DOWN THE REAR DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ODI 10640498

Sep 15, 2014SteeringBody & structureBrakesCrash

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT AROUND 20 MPH WHEN THERE WERE CARS THAT SUDDENLY STOPPED. WHEN I WAS BRAKING I FELT AS IF THE STEERING WAS ALLOWING ME TO TURN AND IT HAPPENED SO FAST I FELT AS IF I LOST BRAKING POWER. THEN I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME HARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10633318

Sep 7, 2014Body & structureVisibility & wipers

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, WHERE IT HAD BEEN SINCE THE PREVIOUS DAY. I OPENED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND GOT INTO THE CAR. I PUT THE KEYS INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH AND STARTED THE VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT I CLOSED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. AT THIS MOMENT I HEARD A LOUD "POP" SOUND. I LOOKED INTO THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW A LARGE HOLE IN THE GLASS OF THE UPPER CENTER PORTION OF THE REAR WINDOW. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE REMAINING GLASS WAS SHATTERED AND SPIDER WEBBED. THERE WAS GLASS ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10631325

Jun 26, 2014Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROOF RACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN INTO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 10606221

Jun 3, 2014Seat beltsBody & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

NHTSA ODI 10595907

Jun 11, 2013Visibility & wipersBody & structure

AS I AM OUTSIDE TALKING TO A NEIGHBOR I HEAR A WEIRD SOUND, THEN I SEE PIECES OF DEBRIS ON THE GROUND NEAR THE REAR OF MY 2011 EXPLORER, AS I GET CLOSER I SEE PIECES OF SHATTERED GLASS JUST CRUMBLING BEFORE MY EYES AND FALLING ONTO THE GROUND. AS I LOOK UP MY REAR WINDOW LIFTGATE GLASS IS JUST SHATTERED. I CANT BELIEVE MY EYES BECAUSE I KNOW NOBODY OR NO OBJECT HIT THE GLASS. THIS HAS TO BE A FORD DEFECT IN THE GLASS AND HAS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THEM. HOWEVER THEY ARE DENYING ME THE RIGHT TO BE COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED. THE EXPLORER BARELY HAS 11,000 MILES ON IT. AND I AM JUST SICKENED OF FORD FOR NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10519341

Aug 13, 2012SteeringBrakesFuel systemBody & structureLatches & locksSeatsTraction Control System

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

Mar 22, 2012Body & structure

THE CHROME ON THE VEHICLE (BACK PANEL, WHEELS, DOOR HANDLES, GRILL AND SIDE BUMPERS) ARE ALL CORRODING. FORD IS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY SAYING IT IS "ENVIRONMENTAL" EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 8 MONTHS OLD. THE VEHICLE WILL INEVITABLY RUST COMPROMISING THE VALUE AND SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10452703

Feb 14, 2012Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH DIRT OR WATER, PARTICLES WOULD SEEP INTO THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

NHTSA ODI 10447926

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Working with the data? Download all 1,191 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Ford Explorer verdict →