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

SOY DE PANAMA Y TENGO EL MISMO PROBLEMA QUE DICE LOS OTROS PROPIETARIO, YA ME REALIZARON DOS CAMBIO Y AUN ASI EL OLOR ES FUERTE. TENGO TAMBIEN AMIGOS QUE TIENE LO MISMO PROBLEMA DESDE QUE LA COMPRO

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EXHAUST ODORS IN THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT AND OIL IN THE AIR FILTER

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I OWN A 2012 FORD EXPLORER XLT ECOBOOST WAS FUNCTIONING FINE TILL ONE DAY DRIVING MY FAMILY BACK FROM THE AIRPORT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEGAN TO FLASH. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR SUV BEGAN TO SHAKE HORRIBLY AND WOULD NOT IN ACCELERATION. AFTER HAVING THE EXPLORER TOWED TO THE FORD DEALER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ECOBOOST SYSTEM FAILED.

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THROTTLE BODY ELECTRONICS, VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY STOP. I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT 55MPH AND SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. DASHBOARD INDICATED A 4 WHEEL DRIVE OR ENGINE CHECK. I WAS SLOWED TO 2MPH LUCKILY NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE BEHIND ME. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC, NO WARNING. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IS NOT RECALLING VEHICLES WHY, THE PARTS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY MY SUV WAS IN THE GARAGE FOR 10 DAYS WAITING FOR PART, THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL. FORD REPAIRED MY EXPLORER BUT MANY DRIVERS ARE ON THE ROAD AND HAVE NO IDEA THIS COULD HAPPEN TO THEM. SAFETY FIRST PLEASE

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THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM AT HTTP://WWW.EXPLORERFORUM.COM/FORUMS/INDEX.PHP?THREADS/AIR-BAG-LIGHT-SEAT-BELT-WARNING.349429/ THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG ALL OF THE FIFTH GENERATION FORD EXPLORERS. ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS UNDER THE SEATS THAT RUN TO THE SEAT WEIGHT SENSORS ARE HAVING CONTINUITY ISSUES AND CAUSING AIRBAGS TO NOT DEPLOY.

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WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY FORD EXPLORER 2012 ON A BUSY HIGHWAY (US 60), THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY REMINDED ME THAT "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT", THEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE, WHICH PUT ME IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POSITION. VERY LUCKILY, NO ACCIDENT HAPPENED; A GENTLEMAN STEPPED OUT HIS VEHICLE AND TOLD ME TO RESTART THE VEHICLE; AFTER THAT MY VEHICLE BECOME OPERABLE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED DURING DRIVING IN A BUSY HIGHWAY. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS FAULT!!! ON OCT. 1ST, 2014, THIS VEHICLE'S "POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE" WAS REPROGRAMMED, (2011-2013 EXPLORER, ELECTRIC POWER STEERING REPROGRAM PSCM), AT A FORD DEALER. THE FAULT OCCURRED TODAY APPEARS AN EVIDENCE THAT THE "REPROGRAM" DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. GIVEN A LARGE NUMBER OF FORD EXPLORERS RUNNING ON THE ROAD, I BELIEVE, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS HIGHWAY SAFETY PROBLEM.

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ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. VERY DANGEROUS.

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DRIVER DOOR BOUNCED WHEN CLOSING. WOULD NOT LATCH. TRIED TWICE. WENT OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE. FOUND PART OF DOOR LATCH ON GROUND. ABLE TO CYCLE LATCH WITH KEY FOB AND DOOR WAS ABLE TO LATCH TO GET HOME. WAS REPAIRED UNDER A SERVICE CONTRACT FOR $100. SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE LATCH ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE TIME .

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THE HOOD HAS PAINT THAT IS BUBBLING UP AND COMING OFF. THE HOOD IS ALUMINUM SO IT ISN'T RUSTING, IT APPEARS THAT THAT THE METAL WAS NOT PREPPED PROPERLY AT THE FACTORY

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL ODOR THROUGH THE VENTS WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER WAS ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE EXHAUST WHILE FUMES CONSUMED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE FOR YEARS. THE CONTACT REPORTED THE FAILURE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY PROVIDED NO ODOR TESTING AS WELL AS NO SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION TO THE DEALER FOR A REPAIR SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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I WAS DRIVING ON I30 EASTBOUND IN TEXAS ON OCTOBER OF 2015 WHEN WITHOUT WARNING MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD MOLDING CAME OFF AND HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME. AFTER STOPPING AND CHECKING BOTH VEHICLES NO INJURIES OR DAM AGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLE AND WE WENT ON OUR WAY. I CONTACTED MY FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT WARRANTED AND THE COST TO REPAIR WOULD BE AROUND $400. I EXPRESSED MY DISPLEASURE WITH THIS AND HAD IT REPAIRED.I CHALKED IT OFF TO A FLUKE, ON MAY 10 2016 WE WERE COMING BACK FROM AN EVENT DOING ABOUT 65MPH WHEN I HEARD SOMETHING "POP" AND REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THE FREEWAY WAS BUSY AND IT WAS AT NIGHT SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO KEEP DRIVING AS WE WERE ONLY A COUPLE OF MILES FROM HOME. UPON ARRIVING AT HOME OUR INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THIS TIME THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAD COME OFF. KNOWING THE COST OF REPAIR I DECIDED TO SEARCH THE INTERNET AND SEE IF I COULD BUY THE PARTS MYSELF AND REPAIR. WHILE DOING THE SEARCH I FOUND THAT THE WEB WAS LOADED WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME RE-OCCURRING PROBLEMS. THE COST OF THESE PARTS ARE OVER $200 BUT MORE THAN THAT IS THE SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS INVOLVED. IF THIS DEFECTIVE PART HAD COME OFF AND HIT A MOTORCYCLE RIDER IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY POSSIBLY EVEN THE DEATH OF THE RIDER. THIS IS AND ONGOING PROBLEM THAT IS COSTING CONSUMERS MONEY AND RISKING INJURY TO TO ANYONE WHO HAPPENS TO BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT THE DEFECT YET REFUSES TO ACT. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE INTENTIONALLY PUTTING MOTORISTS AT RISK BY THEIR COMPLACENCY ON THE PROBLEM.

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REPEATED ISSUE WITH MALFUNCTIONING TCM. WENT INTO DEFAULT MODE WHILE DRIVING ON STATE HIGHWAY. REPAIRS MADE BUT HAVE SINCE TAKEN VEHICLE IN AGAIN FOR SAME SERVICE ISSUE AND IS SCHEDULED FOR A THIRD REPAIR. I KNOW THE 2012 FOCUS, FIESTA AND EXPEDITION HAVE CLASS ACTION SUITS DUE TO TCM. DEALER HAS TWICE TOLD ME VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE IN IT'S CURRENT STATE SINCE SERVICE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE NOT FLASHING IN DEFAULT MODE.

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THE SEAT BELT SIGN KEEPS COMING ON. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES. THEY HAVE CORRECTED "THE PROBLEM" ALL 3 TIMES AND THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHT IS BACK ON. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THE SEAT BELT SIGN TURNS OFF BUT COMES BACK ON WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

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THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY / SPRING CAME APART AND THE HANDLE REMAINED STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION AS A SMALL PIECE OF BLACK PLASTIC FROM BEHIND THE HANDLE MOLDING BECAME WEDGED BETWEEN THE DOOR INTERIOR AND THE HANDLE ITSELF (LEAVING IT PROPPED IN THE 'OPEN' POSITION)

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WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE EXPLORER IN 2012 THE STEERING QUIT WORKING ON A HILL AND MY WIFE CRASHED INTO A BANK AND A CONCRETE LIGHT POLE. NEVER WAS PAID BACK FOR OUR INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE PLUS NOW WE HAVE A WRECK CAR NOT WORTH NOTHING EVEN THOUGHT IT WAS REPAIRED. FORD DID THERE UPDATE RECALL TO THE STEERING. ALL HAS BEEN FINE TILL APRIL 2016. TWICE IT HAS SHOWED A STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T MOVE. LUCKILY IT WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY. FORD CAN'T LOOK AT IT FOR A WEEK SO IT SITS IN OUR DRIVEWAY MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE IT AGAIN AND I DON'T BLAME HER. SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN SAME PROBLEM WHICH WAS SUPOSABLEY FIXED

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THIS VEHICLE LEAKS WATER IN THE WHEEL WELL WHEN IT RAINS AND HAS CASED THE CARPET TO MOLD...THERE ARE CRACKS IN THE REAR HATCHBACK AND UNDER THE LUGGAGE RACK AND THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW HAS A STREAM OF WATER GOING IN THE REAR DOWN THE SEAT BELT CANNOT HAVE THE SPEAR TIRE IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAS TO HAVE A TOWEL THERE TO SOAK UP THE WATER..MOLD MAKES ME SICK TO DRIVE IT..

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WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKES, I COULD FEEL AND HEAR A DRAG. CAR HAS 17,400 MILES, RIGHT REAR PADS WERE METAL TO METAL AND CUT INTO THE ROTOR. RR BRAKE PADS WERE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE, INDICATING THE PADS WERE SEIZED INTO THE BRACKET. THIS WORDING IS TAKEN FROM THE FORD SERVICE REPAIR INVOICE. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES AT A LOW MILEAGE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.

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THE VEHICLE HAS WATER LEAKS ON THE HATCHBACK,THE RIGHT REAR ROOF AREA AND OTHER PLACES YET TO BE DETERMINED WHEN IT RAINS THE WHEEL WELL HAS 3 INCHED OF WATER IN IT AND IT HAS CAUSED THE CARPET TO MOLD AND STINK UP THE WHOLE VEHICLE

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THERE ARE WATER LEAKS ON THE HATCHBACK ON BOTH SIDES AND IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE IS A WATER LEAK IN THE RIGHT REAR BODY SEAM..OTHER LEAKS COULD BE POSSIBLE.WHEN IT RAINS THE WHEEL WELL HAS 3 INCHES OF WATER IN IT. WE HAD TO REMOVE THE SPARE TIRE AND THE MOLD IS MAKING ME SICK..IT'S A OVERWHELMING SMELL AND IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITH NO SPARE

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I FIRST REPORTED AN INCIDENT WITH THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON MARCH 24. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED BY THE DEALER BY REPLACING MY BATTERY? HERE IT IS 10 DAYS LATER AND ANOTHER POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS REMOTE STARTED FROM INSIDE OUR HOME. 5 OR MORE MINUTES LATER MY WIFE GOT IN THE TRUCK TO FIND NO POWER STEERING AND THE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" ERROR MESSAGE ON THE DASH.

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MY WIFE FIRST TOLD ME SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD A FLAT IN THE FRONT TIRE BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PULLING BACK AND FORTH. SHE STOPPED TO CHECK, NO FLATS. RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND ALL WAS GOOD. LATER THAT WEEK WHILE DRIVING HER DASHBOARD LIGHTS BLINKED INCLUDING THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS. (SHE WASN'T SURE WHAT OTHER LIGHTS ILLUMINATED) AT THE SAME TIME THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE SOFTWARE FIX HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE FOR RECALL 14S06 LAST AUGUST. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE BATTERY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CHARGE TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS? THERE WAS NEVER ANY SIGN OF A WEAK BATTERY. I HAD NO RECOURSE BUT TO HAVE THEM CHANGE IT. AFTER INSTALLING THE NEW ONE I WAS TOLD NO CODES ARE PRESENT THAT WOULD WARRENT ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICE. I AM NOT CONFIDENT AT ALL THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE.

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CAR SPUTTERS AND HESITATES WHEN ORANGE WRENCH COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN MOTION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE PAINT ON THE FRONT HOOD OF THE VEHICLE HAD BUBBLES AND WAS CHIPPED. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

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2012 FORD EXPLORER REAR BRAKES - VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED. PART OF CERTIFYING THE VEHICLE WAS TO REPLACE THE REAR PADS AND ROTORS AT 20K MILES. AT 32K I FOUND MYSELF HAVING TO REPLACE PADS AND ROTORS AGAIN. THIS IS KNOWN ISSUE WITH FORD EXPLORERS WHERE PADS ARE SEIZING IN THE CALIPERS AND DRAGGING ON THE ROTORS CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR. FORD DEALERS AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE REFUSING TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS PROBLEM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY AS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TROUBLE STARTING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A" KEY NOT RECOGNIZED START CAR" MESSAGE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFTER MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,000.

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