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

WHILE DRIVING APPROX 45MPH THE SYSTEM TRACK WARNING LIGHT CAME ON & BEEPED, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE POWER STEERING FAILURE LIGHT. I WAS IN AN AREA WITH HEAVY CONSTRUCTION & COULD NOT PULL OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY & STEERING BECAME LESS & LESS RESPONSIVE & IN LESS THAN A MINUTE AS I FOUND A PLACE TO PULL OFF, THE STEERING LOCKED UP TOTALLY. I CALLED FOR TOW SERVICE AFTER TURNING OFF & BACK ON WITH THE SAME WARNINGS & UNABLE TO TURN IT AT ALL. WHILE WAITING ON TOW, I TURNED IT OFF A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES & THE STEERING WAS BACK BUT THE SYSTEM TRACK CONTROL LIGHT REMAINED ON. ONCE THE CAR MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AFTER CHECKING, DRIVING & RECHECKING FOR FOUR DAYS. I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE IT & RETURN IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR FEAR OF IT HAPPENING ON THE FREEWAY AT MUCH HIGHER SPEEDS OR MY NORMAL ROUTE TO WORK WHICH INVOLVES NUMEROUS CURVES & CURVES ON BRIDGES WITH NO PLACE TO GET OFF THE ROAD EVEN IF I COULD MANAGE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. MY HUSBAND ALSO FEARS FOR MY SAFETY IN THIS VEHICLE. HOW MANY CHANCES DO I GET BEFORE I CRASH & HURT OR KILL MYSELF AND/OR SOMEONE ELSE. I FOR SURE DO NOT WANT TO CARRY ANY PASSENGERS IN A VEHICLE THAT IS CAPABLE OF CARRYING SEVEN. *TR

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I WAS ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE GET ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY STEERING LOCKED UP. I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING ALSO CAME ON FLASHING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO. THIS TERRIFIED ME AND THANK GOODNESS THERE WASN'T MUCH TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND STOP THE CAR. THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I HOPE IT IS ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. *JS

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LOST ALL POWER STEERING SUDDENLY ON THE FREEWAY, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. WAS ONLY ONE MILE FROM MY DEALER, SO I DROVE THERE. VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER TURNS. LATER DETERMINED BY DEALER THAT THE POWER STEERING GEAR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. HAS BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR ONE WEEK NOW, PART WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL FOLLOWING WEEK AT LEAST. NEW VEHICLE, ONLY 11,000 MILES. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE WAITING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 11,000.

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OVERHEATING LARGE AMOUNT OF FLUID LEAKING UNDER CAR AND STEAM OR SMOKE COMING OUT OF TAIL PIPE? TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED CAR TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER. MY 2012 FORD EXPLORER HAS BEEN IN SHOP 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR SAME THING: NO HEAT , NO AIR CONDITIONING, OVERHEATING, MY FORD SYNC RECALL??? *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN BURNING FUMES WERE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION, THE GILLS ALLOWED EXHAUST FUMES TO BE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,309.

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POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON HIGHWAY CHANGING LANES. SECOND TIME POWER STEERING HAS FAILED ON FREEWAY AT LOWER RATE OF SPEED. VEHICLE NOW AT FRITTS FORD IN RIVERSIDE FOR THIRD TIME REGARDING SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING GRANDCHILD TO SCHOOL THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY WENT OUT REQUIRING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TORQUE TO TURN CAR. I RECEIVED SEVERAL FAULTS INCLUDING TRACTION CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL OFF, POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. I WAS ABLE TO MANHANDLE THE CAR TO A SAFE PLACE AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND AFTER A FEW MOMENTS RESTARTED AN ALL FAULTS CLEARED. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING AT THIS TIME WE WOULD HAVE BEEN REPORTING AN ACCIDENT FOR SHE COULD NOT HAVE POSSIBLY HAVE TURNED THIS CAR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO RIGGINS MOTORS (SELLING DEALER) AND HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR WITH THEM FOR INVESTIGATION. THIS IS A PROBLEM FORD NEEDS TO OVERCOME NOW AND NOT STALL LIKE THEY DID ON THE MY TOUCH PROBLEM FOR THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE A LOSS OF LIFE IF IT HASN'T ALREADY HAPPENED. *JS

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WHILE CHANGING LANES ON THE 60 WEST FREEWAY I ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE LANES AND VEHICLE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MY LANE CHANGE AND WAS NEARLY STRUCK BY A TRAILING DIESEL TRUCK. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL ONE INCH TO THE RIGHT AND ONE INCH TO THE LEFT. I PULLED OFF HIGHWAY BASED ON MY ADVANCED DRIVING SKILLS AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. THIS VEHICLE IS MY ASSIGNED WORK VEHICLE. SEVERAL FAULTS TO INCLUDE HILL FAULT, TRACTION FAULT FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED MY WORKPLACE. A COWORKER FOLLOWED ME TO THE FRITTS FORD IN RIVERSIDE, CA. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE. FRITTS FORD TESTED MY VEHICLE FOR TWO DAYS. THEY SAID THE ERROR COULD NOT BE REPEATED BUT MY VEHICLE HAD NUMEROUS FAULTS RECORDED WITH THE DRIVETRAIN, STEERING, HILL, TRACTION CONTROL. THEY SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED BUT IT NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE. I FEAR SIMILAR INCIDENTS WILL CAUSE FATALITIES WITH UNSKILLED CIVILIAN DRIVERS. *TR

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FIRST INSTANCE (2 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT XLT MODEL - BOUGHT LATE SEPTEMBER 2011), IN DECEMBER 2011, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DRAINING MY BATTERY CAUSING MY TOUCH TO GO OUT, MY ENGINE LIGHT TO GO OFF, ETC. NOW, SECOND INSTANCE (MARCH 31, 2012), DRIVING AN HOUR TO A DESTINATION, TURNED OFF THE CAR FOR 10 MINUTES, GOT BACK IN THE CAR, THE CAR STALLED AND LOCKED THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER TALKING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY TOLD ME IF I GOT THE CAR RUNNING, THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. FINALLY GOT THE CAR TURNED ON FOR THE DRIVE BACK, HALF WAY BACK, THE RPMS WERE REVVING AND THEN THE CAR WAS SUCKING BACK, ALMOST HOME AND THE CARS POWER STEERING STARTED TO GO OUT AND IT WAS STALLING AT EVERY LIGHT. TOOK INTO FORD DEALERSHIP, THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND THINK IT IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THE SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN'T FIND IT. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR RIGHT NOW. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MY SYNC FUNCTION THAT WAS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM TO FAIL LY INCLUDING THE AIR CONDITIONER, HEATING SYSTEM, RADIO AND DEFROSTER SYSTEM. ALL SYSTEMS REMAINED AT A CONSTANT RATE IF ACTIVATED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE THE FUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS FAULTY BUT HE DID NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT FAILED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,200 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

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I BOUGHT A NEW 2012 FORD EXPLORER ON 11/26/11. THE "MY TOUCH" COMPUTER DIDN'T WORK FROM THE BEGINING. THE RESPONSE IS SLOW OR NON-EXISTENT. THE SCREENS CHANGE ON THEIR OWN. THE SYSTEM FREEZES UP AT TIMES LEAVING NO CONTROL OVER NAV, STEREO, CLIMATE, PHONE, OR EITHER OF 2 DASHBOARD SCREENS. IT WILL SWITCH TO RADIO AND PLAY REALLY LOUD AND THEN SWITCH BACK ON IT'S OWN. FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND CAN'T FIX IT. THEY'VE HAD MY CAR 3 TIMES AND NOW REFUSE TO SEE ME MORE ABOUT THIS. THEY SAY A FIX WILL COME IN THE FUTURE. MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. FORD IS SELLING BROKEN CARS, CHARGING NEW CAR PRICES, AND CAN'T FIX THEM. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE BEING REDESIGNED AND THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING NEW PARTS FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,112 UPDATED 02/27/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT ALSO FAILED. UPDATED 02/28/12

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I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND TOOK A LEFT HAND TURN AS I PROCEEDED DOWN A HILL. MY STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN,LIKE THE WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND THE BRAKES WERE HARD TO PUSH, NOT SLOWING ME DOWN. THE EXPLORER WENT OFF OF THE ROAD STRIKING A CONCRETE POLE. IT DESTROYED THE ENTIRE RIGHT FRONT END, AND DESTROYED THE POLE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY COULD FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, AND THE BRAKES, BUT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE. THEY SAID THAT IT'S NOT FORD'S FAULT FOR THE DAMAGE. *TR

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WHILE I WAS PUMPING GAS THE GAS WAS LEAKING FROM UNDER THE CAR. *TR

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IN THE WORDS OF ONE OF THE SEVERAL FORD MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER CARE CASE MANAGER I'VE SPOKEN TO SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO, FORD'S MYTOUCH SYSTEM IS "TOTALLY DYSFUCNTIONAL". THE SOFTWARE UPON WHICH THIS SYSTEM IS BASED WAS APPARENTLY CO-AUTHORED BY MICROSOFT AND FORD IS CURRENTLY TELLING CUSTOMERS THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT RELEASE, SUPPOSEDLY DUE TO BE RELEASED IN "THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR". HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD THIS KIND OF MESSAGE BEFORE...THINK MS VISTA! MY EXPLORER HAS AN APPROX. 8"X5" TOUCHSCREEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH. IT IS SUPPOSED TO COME ON WHEN I START THE VEHICLE AND MANY FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE ARE CONTROLLED BY TOUCHING ICONS ON THE SCREEN. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE SCREEN FAILS TO COME ON, USUALLY FOR ABOUT THE INITIAL 20 MINUTES AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER CONTROLS ARE UNAVAILABLE. THIS INCLUDES FEATURES LIKE BEING ABLE TO VIEW THE REAR-VIEW CAMERA, TURNING ON THE HEATED SEATS, CLIMATE CONTROL FEATURES, DEALING WITH PHONE CALLS AND SELECTING MUSIC SOURCES AND RADIO CHANNELS, ETC.. MYTOUCH ALSO INCLUDES A FEATURE WHERE ITS SUPPOSED TO SYNC TO THE DRIVER'S MOBILE PHONE, BUT THIS ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AT BEST. THE WORST PROBLEM WITH THIS SYSTEM, WHICH I BELIEVE MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE FOR NIGHTTIME DRIVING, IS WHEN THE TOUCHSCREEN, WHICH CANNOT BE TURNED OFF OR DIMMED, STARTS FLICKERING (FORD'S TERM IS "STROBING") VERY RAPIDLY WHILE DRIVING AFTER DARK. THIS CAN CONTINUE FOR UP TO 30 MINUTES AT A TIME, AND IS INCREDIBLE DISTRACTING WHILE TRYING TO DRIVE. I'VE POSTED A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE UNDER THE HEADING "FORD MYTOUCH STOBING". THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN KNOWN TO FORD SINCE THE 2011 MODEL YEAR AND THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THESE PROBLEMATIC VEHICLES WITHOUT TELLING CUSTOMERS UNTIL AFTER THEY TAKE POSSESSION. *TR

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THIS FORM DOES NOT ALLOW ENTRY OF MULTIPLE DATES. THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH MYFORDTOUCH WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT IS CONTINUAL. PUTTING IN ONE DATE IS POINTLESS. THE CLIMATE (DEFROSTER, ETC) SYSTEM AND THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM ARE PART OF THIS MODULE, ALONG WITH PHONE AND AUDIO FEATURES. THIS MODULE LOCKS CONTINUALLY AND IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE DEFROSTER OR NAVIGATION SYSTEM MANUALLY WHEN THIS OCCURS. REPEATED TRIPS TO THE DEALER HAVE BEEN FRUITLESS AND MY WIFE WAS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS SEVERAL TIMES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC CORRIDOR CONDITIONS IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT FORD IS SELLING THESE VEHICLES FOR NEARLY $50,000 THAT ARE DEFECTIVE AND THEY KNOW THEY ARE DEFECTIVE.

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TWO EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCES HAPPENED THIS DAY. (1) I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 AND THE EXPLORER BRAKED EXTREMELY HARD FROM A SPEED OF 65 MPH TO ZERO. THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND AND I COULD NOT DETERMINE ANY REASON FOR THIS. I PROCEEDED ON TO MY DESTINATION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INEXPLICABLY TO 95 MPH. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL MANUALLY AND BY TAPPING THE BRAKE (I WAS FEARFUL OF THE VEHICLE ROLLING). THANK GOD, I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER AROUND TRAFFIC IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY AND THEN THE VEHICLE REDUCED SPEED. IT WAS A VERY TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND ONE THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME HE HAS NO EXPLANATION FOR. I HAVE HAD MANY, FAILURES OF THE MYFORDTOUCH SYSTEM WHICH I WILL DETAIL IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT REPORT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TOUCHSCREEN OF THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO BUT THEY ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THAT A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,450.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER DESIGN DOES NOT SHOW YOU THE LOWER RANGE WHILE DRIVING AND THAT CAUSED THE CONTACT TO EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT. THE HIGHER NUMBERS WERE ON THE TOP OF THE SPEEDOMETER WHICH WERE SHAPED LIKE A "C" AND THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE AT THE BOTTOM TO AVOID SPEEDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FORD MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, A CLAIM WAS FILED AND THEY INFORMED HER TO CONTACT NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78. UPDATED 12/28/11*LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW, AS THE WINDOW WAS TOO SMALL. UPDATED 12/28/11

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE IGNITION OFF WITH THE ELECTRONIC START BUTTON WITHOUT PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK OR DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH ALL THE VEHICLES THAT HAD A PUSH TO START BUTTON BECAUSE IT ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO BE SHUT OFF WITHOUT PLACING THE GEAR IN PARK AND CREATING A RISK OF A ROLL AWAY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800.

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