What 821 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Explorer Police Intercept

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL ODOR COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED; HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN AIR FILTER NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 10954436

I PURCHASED MY EXPLORER IN OCTOBER 2011. I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING WITH BOUTS OF NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIZZINESS, WEAKNESS AND GENERAL INSTABILITY SINCE AUGUST 2013. I HAVE BEEN UNDER SEVERAL DOCTORS CARE WITH LITTLE IMPROVEMENT IN MY CONDITION. MOST RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH VESTIBULAR PROXSYSMIA. MY MAJOR CONCERN IS THAT THESE SYMPTOMS COULD WELL HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY PERSISTENT CARBON MONIXIDE EXPOSURE. I WILL BE PURSUING THIS POSSIBILITY WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED WITH MY CASE. I JUST RECENTLY TRADED IN THIS VEHICLE FOR A FORD ESCAPE SO NO LONGER OWN IT.

NHTSA ODI 10954166

DROVE VEHICLE WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON AND RECIRCULATION CLOSED FROM TEXAS TO VIRGINIA AND BACK AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE WAS AN EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CAR MOST TIMES. HAD TO BE TAKEN TO EMERGENCY CARE WITH RESPIRATORY DISTRESS A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER RETURNING. WAS ON TREATMENT FOR COPD FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

NHTSA ODI 10954260

THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONTINUOUSLY DESPITE BEING CHECKED. I SEE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDER MY SEAT TO AFFECT THE UNITS BEING UNPLUGGED

NHTSA ODI 10954378

I HAVE THE SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH MY EXHAUST SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH, NO CHECK LIGHT IS ON, WHEN MY CAR IS IDLING OR EARLIER TODAY WHEN I WAS JUST DRIVING FOR AWHILE WITH THE HEAT ON, I SPELL A STRONG EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10954379

MY 2012 FORD EXPLORER WOULD ALL OF A SUDDEN SOUND LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. I WOULD LOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATOR & VEHICLE WOULD IDLE VERY ROUGH. THE "WRENCH" LIGHT WOULD APPEAR ON THE DASH DISPLAY. I WOULD HAVE TO DRIFT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, & THEN RE-START THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING & BECAME MORE FREQUENT. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY (AT MY COST) & EXPLAINED NO RECALL HAD BEEN DETERMINED YET, BUT EXPECTED IT TO BE ISSUED IN THE FUTURE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS. I ALSO HAD TO PAY TO HAVE MY SELECTOR LEVER ASSEMBLY REPLACED AGAIN SINCE I WAS AGAIN HAVING THE ISSUE OF VEHICLE PROBLEM OF "SHIFT TO PARK" APPEARING ONCE AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME THIS PART WAS REPLACED IT WAS COVERED UNDER TSB 15-0047, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS AT MY EXPENSE.

NHTSA ODI 10949795

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SUDDENLY FAILED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED IN 2013, BUT THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 10944980

THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS WERE NOT RELEASING PROPERLY AFTER APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. THIS LED TO ACCELERATED WEAR OF THE BRAKE PADS, OVERHEATING OF THE PADS AND ROTORS, AND ULTIMATELY, NON-REPAIRABLE DAMAGE TO THE ROTORS. WE BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO A DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD LEAD TO BRAKE FAILURE, OR OVERHEATING TO THE POINT OF CREATING A FIRE OR EXPLOSION HAZARD.

NHTSA ODI 10939060

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT AREA. PULL OVER AND TOW TO DEALER . THE TRANSMISSION PTO HAD A INTERNAL FAILURE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 51K MILES NORMAL DRIVING. I SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT FORD HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THIS PART BREAKING IN LOW TIME. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10939129

ABOUT A YEAR AGO I BOUGHT 2012 FORD EXPLORER XLT WITH A 2.0 FOUR CYLINDER ECO BOOST ENGINE FROM A DEALER IN AKRON OHIO. I LIVE IN ROCHESTER, NY. DURING THE FIRST WINTER MONTHS I HAD THE CAR, WHEN I HAD THE HEAT ON I NOTICED A STRONG EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CABIN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IN SUCH GREAT SHAPE, BUT THE MORE PASSENGERS WOULD SAY THE SAME THING I STARTED TO REALIZE IT WAS A REAL ISSUE. I DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE AND SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN I HAVE THE HEAT ON AND I PUT THE CIRCULATION IN RECYCLE MODE, IT SEEMS TO SUBSIDE THE PROBLEM A LITTLE, BUT THEN THE RECYCLE MODE SHUTS OFF AND GOES INTO FRESH AIR MODE AUTOMATICALLY AGAIN I GET BLASTED AGAIN WITH THESE HORRIBLE FUMES. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 5 MINUTES WHILE I AM DRIVING AND I HAVE TO KEEP HITTING RECYCLE AND OPENING UP THE WINDOWS WHILE I AM DRIVING TO AIR OUT THE FUMES. WHEN I AM MOVING AT 50 OR MORE IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT WHEN I COME TO A STOP IT IS BAD, EXHAUST FUMES SPEW INTO THE CABIN. I GET HEADACHES ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. I AM AFRAID TO TAKE MY KIDS IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. IF I START THE CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AND I FORGOT TO TURN THE HEAT OFF THE NIGHT BEFORE, THE HEATER KICKS IN WHEN I START IT AND IT IS BAD. THIS MORNING IT SNOWED HERE IN ROCHESTER SO I WENT OUT AND STARTED THE CAR AND LET IT WARM UP FOR 5 MINUTES, WHEN I CAME OUT IT SMELLED SO BAD I COULDN'T EVEN GET IN. I HAD TO ROLLS DOWN THE WINDOWS AND LET IT AIR OUT, AND EVEN THEN WHEN I CAME TO WORK TODAY I HAVE HAD A HEADACHE ALL DAY AND I SMELL LIKE AN EXHAUST STACK. PLEASE HELP ME. I LOVE THE CAR, EXCEPT FOR THE FUMES ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10934168

FUMES ENTERING THE CABIN MAKING THE PASSENGERS NAUSEOUS AND RESULTING IN HEADACHES. WE NOTICED THAT ONLY WHEN WE ARE IN MY HUSBAND'S CAR THAT MY CHILDREN AND I BECOME SICK WITH HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. MY HUSBAND DRIVES TO WORK IN THIS VEHICLE AND USUALLY ARRIVES TO WORK WITH A HEADACHE. HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE CAR WAS MAKING HIM SICK. HE TRUSTED THE SERVICE PEOPLE WHEN THEY TOLD HIM THE CAR WAS FINE. HE TYPICALLY DIVES ON HIGHWAYS. THE FUMES ARE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS.

NHTSA ODI 10930124

VEHICLE HAS AN ILLUMINATED AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT SUPPOSEDLY DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN TO ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM OR A FAULTY DRIVERS SEATBELT TENSIONER. APPARENTLY THIS WILL RESULT IN THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING DURING A CRASH. FORD DEALERS HAVE SERVICED OTHER PARTIES EXPLORER'S WITH THE ISSUE BY CHECKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND ADDING DIELECTRIC GREASE OR BY REPLACING THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT TENSIONER. THIS REPAIRS USUALLY RESULT IN UPWARDS ON 5 HOURS OF LABOR PLUS PARTS WHICH THE OWNERS WERE CHARGED. THESE FIXES ARE ONLY TEMPORARY AS THE PROBLEM TYPICALLY RETURNS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE RESULTING FROM POOR MANUFACTURING OR INSTALLATION OF PARTS AND NUMEROUS EXPLORERS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 2012 AND 2016 ARE EXPERIENCING IT. OWNERS SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED FOR THE INCOMPETENCE OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES OR LACK OF PLANNING ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PROBLEM IS SAFETY RELATED.

NHTSA ODI 10929779

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER A PILLAR FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE A PILLAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER A PILLAR PREVIOUSLY FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 10929682

POWER STEERING ON THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED ON AND OFF. I FIND OUT TOMORROW WHAT KIND OF SERVICE BILL I AM GOING TO BE HIT WITH WHEN THEY ATTEMPT THE RECALL. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2014 AND I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF IT! IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE MY WIFE WAS ACTUALLY DRIVING THE CAR IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10928405

DROVE ABOUT 2 MILES IN THE MORNING WHILE TURNING ONTO THE INTERSTATE RAMP THE STEERING LOCKED UP WOULD NOT GO OVER 30MPH, SUV STARTED TO SMOKE WHILE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER CHANGED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. LUCKY TO NOT HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. AFTER HAVING VEHICLE TOWED, PER THE MECHANIC THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IS FRIED, MOTOR VALVES MELTED, AND ALL SPARK PLUGS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS SUV IS ONLY A 2012 AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS MAJOR OF PROBLEMS WHEN IT HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. FORD REALLY NEEDS TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE.

NHTSA ODI 10925105

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PURGE VALVE WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,128.

NHTSA ODI 10924249

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY POWER WOULD BE LOST. WHEN APPLYING MORE PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR, NO USABLE POWER WAS PRESENT AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT EXCEED 30 MPH. AFTER THIS OCCURRED ON THE 4TH TIME ON A SUBSEQUENT DAY, THE "ENGINE" SYMBOL WAS DISPLAYED. CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE IS AT A FORD DEALERSHIP TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM. ON TWO OCCASIONS THIS DISCREPANCY WITH ACCELERATION AND FUNCTIONALITY OF AVAILABLE POWER NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH SMALL CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD CAUSE A MAJOR CONCERN TO OTHER OWNERS AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY AS A WHOLE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH THAT COULD OCCUR DUE TO COMPLETELY LOSING ACCELERATION AND/OR POWER WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10923895

MY 2012 FORD EXPLORE LTD. STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. A WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON IN LOWER LEFT DASH, AND THE CAR LOSES POWER. I CAN NO LONGER ONCE THIS HAPPENS. I MUST TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART THE ENGINE TO GET IT GOING AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS, ON REGULAR CITY, SUBURBAN OR NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, NOT TO MENTION IT IS NOW HAPPENING 2-3 TIMES A DAY WHILE WITH NO WARNING. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ONLY, SOMETIMES AFTER TURNING, SOMETIMES NOT, BUT THE CAR IS ALWAYS IN MOTION AT THE TIME, AT VARIOUS SPEEDS IN VARIOUS TEMPERATURES, WITH CLIMATE CONTROL EITHER OFF OR ON, SEEMS TO HAVE NO BEARING. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAN EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DEATH. APPARENTLY THE CURRENT RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT ADDRESS THIS. I AM HAVING THAT WORKED ON RIGHT NOW AS I TYPE. THIS HAPPENED ONCE LAST YEAR ON THE HIGHWAY, AND ONCE ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AS I PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT. HADN'T HAPPENED AGAIN SINCE UNTIL THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IN THE 80 DEGREE WEATHER OF PLANO TX, WHETHER CAR WAS ALREADY WARMED-UP OR NOT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10919359

TAKATA RECALL I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2016, ON OCTOBER 22, 2016 WHILE DRIVING IN ELBERTON GEORGIA MY CAR ALERTED ME THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. ABOUT 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD MY TURN SIGNAL WOULDN'T STAY ON WHEN BEING USED TO TURN. A FEW HOURS LATER WHEN READY TO HEAD HOME I COULD NOT GET MY CAR TO STEER WITHOUT MAJOR EFFORT ON MY PART. I AM A MOTHER OF 3 AND I REFUSE TO PUT MY KIDS IN AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. THE ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE AND I WAS INFORMED BY FORD THAT THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE ISSUE AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE THE RECALL 14S06 HAS EXPIRED AND I HAD EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE WARRANTY BY ALMOST 3000 MILES. I DON'T FEEL THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHARGES TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED BEING AS I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL. I'M NOT HAPPY THAT I'M EXPECTED TO COVER CHARGES ON SOMETHING I WASN'T AWARE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE UNTIL THE SERVICE ALERT APPEARED. THIS IS MY 1ST FORD VEHICLE AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT, HOWEVER, IF THIS IS THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT I AM GOING TO RECEIVE I WILL NOT EVER BUY ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE AND I WILL NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE TO PURCHASE FROM FORD. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 2 DAYS AS OF RIGHT NOW, WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET MY KIDS TO DAYCARE/SCHOOL AND GET TO WORK. MY HUSBAND HAS HAD TO ASK ABOUT CHANGING HIS SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO HELP ME SINCE I DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE. SINCERELY, UNHAPPY MOTHER OF 3 *TR

NHTSA ODI 10918768

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD FLEW OFF. UPON STOPPING AND INSPECTING, THE PLASTIC SLIPS THAT HELD IT IN PLACE WERE BROKEN. I CHECKED THE DRIVER SIDE, AND THE CLIPS ARE STARTING TO BREAK ON THERE AS WELL, IT IS NO LONGER ATTACHED AT THE TOP AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME THAT FAILS COMPLETELY AS WELL. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES SHOWING THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT FLEW OFF AND THE DRIVER SIDE THAT IS FAILING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10916740

MY AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND WON'T TURN. WHAT I HAVE READ IS ONCE IT ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY I'M CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. FORD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IS NOT TRYING TO FIX THIS IS VERY UNACCEPTABLE FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10917215

VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVING PERFECTLY FINE AND OUT OF NO WHERE IT SHOWS 2 WARNINGS. ONE INDICTING TO SERVICE POWER STEERING, AND THE OTHER INDICTATING TO SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC SYSTEM. THE STEERING FLUID IS FULL AND THERE ARE NO DAMAGED TO THE HOSE OR POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THIS IS SHOWING THE SAME SIGNS OF THE RECALLED EXPLORERS YET THIS ONE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 10915078

STRONG EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE CABIN WHEN ACCELERATING. VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 65000 MILES. MY SPEED WAS FROM 0MPH TO 65 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 10910923

STRONG EXHAUST (BURNING OIL SMELL) COMING INTO CABIN UNDER MEDIUM TO HIGH ACCELERATION THROUGH VENTILATION ( AC ON) . THE SMELL PERMEATES THE CAR AND BURNS YOUR NOSTRILS. I COULD SMELL IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME EVEN AFTER EXISTING THE VEHICLE (AS THE SMELL REMAINS IN MY NOSE). EVEN FELT A BIT LIGHTHEADED AFTER EXISTING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD PASSENGERS NOTICE THIS SMELL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ALSO.

NHTSA ODI 10909732

THE ALUMINUM HOOD CAUSE GALVANIC CORROSION AND RUST BUBBLES FORMED ON THE FRONT OF THE HOOD. THESE BUBBLES STARTED TO PEEL AND FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR DESIGN FLAW.

NHTSA ODI 10908625