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CarComplaints.com Notes: The NHTSA's complaint data shows potentially scary power steering problems with the 2011 Ford Explorer.

The steering complaints are pretty serious - owners report the power steering cuts out while driving. The NHTSA opened an investigation into the power steering problems in June 2012, which lead to a recall in 2014. However years later, many 2011 Explorer owners report this defect is still occurring.

It's too bad because the 2009 & 2010 Ford Explorer are solid, trouble-free model years.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
15 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
69,570 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Ford Explorer steering problems

steering problem

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2011 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 11 of 33)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #455

Dec 172020

Explorer

  • 60,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle was purchased a couple of months ago and has been fine until today. Pulled into the gas station, tire low light came on, pulled over to get air and power steering went out. Couldn't get the vehicle steering to work at all.

- Springfield, KY, USA

problem #454

Dec 152020

Explorer

  • 150,000 miles
The car drove fine at 7am - at 8:30 am. I pulled out of my driveway, I was going 45 mph with my 9 year old in the car on a very busy road, all of a sudden the car starting flashing "hill descent control off" then it went to "service advance trac" then "service power steering now" and power steering completely failed. I had to steer the car to the side of a ditch with my 9 year old daughter, and its 26 degrees out. Car had to be towed to my repair shop. Repair guy states power steering rack is not good and states there is an open recall on 2011 Ford Explorer for it. I look through service records I show him in 2016 riverhead Ford did the work 5 days after I bought the car - he says there is no way it was done otherwise this would not be happening. Or, the parts they used to repair it are faulty. I called riverhead Ford they can't service the car, or give me a loaner until 1/7/2021 because of covid & told me there was nothing they can do. In the last four years I've replaced the power steering rack, the engine blew 18 months ago, and now the power steering rack again. The car is defective, and I'm lucky my daughter and I are alive. Ford needs to address this before someone is killed.

- Westhampton Beach, NY, USA

problem #453

Oct 152020

Explorer

  • miles
Tried driving my Explorer one morning and I had no power steering control, meaning the steering wheel was very hard to turn and I wasn't able to pull it out of car port being that said I search more about the issue online and found out that there was a recall for power steering loss. Contacted Ford to see if the could fix it due to the recall but customer service agent was saying my vehicle did not have any recalls according to the VIN of my vehicle, when clearly it has the same problem other vehicles with same issue and with recall letter have.

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #452

Dec 052020

Explorer

  • 153,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We were turning left in a busy intersection, from a busy street onto a highway, when my power steering went out suddenly. Normally I'm the only driver of this vehicle, miraculously my husband was driving and was able to manually steer us home. If this fault had occurred when I was driving, it would have been a serious accident. It's a known issue with Ford, they fought many legal battles over it, in my VIN does not fall under their recall. They have an field service action for my VIN, but it expires at a hundred and 150000 miles. I was less than 4000 miles over that when mine failed. This should be an across-the-board recall for all Ford epas systems for the affected years, as they seem to be aware that it is an inevitable failure.

- Nacogdoches, TX, USA

problem #451

Nov 222020

Explorer

  • 73,900 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the service power steering warning light illuminated and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact was able drive to his residence. The vehicle was taken to hammonasset Ford (191 boston post rd, madison, ct 06443; (203) 245-8828), where it was diagnosed with needing the power steering assembly to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 14V286000 (steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,900.

- Guilford, CT, USA

problem #450

Nov 292020

Explorer

  • 111,946 miles
While driving down interstate 75 from gainesville fl to loganville ga my power steering pump went out ! thankfully my children were not in the car, but even after pulling over and cutting the vehicle off to try to reset it it did not work!

- Loganville, GA, USA

problem #449

Nov 232020

Explorer

  • 89,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The steering wheel locked up when my mom started the vehicle and tried to back up. Took it to Ford they said a recall was out on this but Ford is not covering it.

- Colora, MD, USA

problem #448

Nov 212020

Explorer

  • miles
Driveing on rt 53 in addison il at 45 mph total loss of steering

- Joliet, IL, USA

problem #447

Nov 192020

Explorer

  • 187,000 miles
Making right turn at traffic aignal, 8:30 am S/w/C anthem way & daisy mountain anthem as 85086 loss power steering. Warning light came on stating power steering assistance loss

- New River, AZ, USA

problem #446

Nov 122020

Explorer

  • 193,000 miles
My power steering totally went out. It kept saying power steering fault and just stopped working. Then it started saying something about trac terrain fault or something. I've only had this car since 2018 and then found out today there was a recall on them for power steering. We bought our car in Oklahoma and now live in Alabama. The power steering has been weird on me before but turning off the car and restarting it would fix it, but it has went out saying fault while I was going around a turn and I had to brake quickly, throw on my hazards, turn off the car and restart it. But now nothing is fixing it, I had to tow it to my house from an hour away because I was stuck at work at 1am. I am the only person in my family able to work and work about 52hours a week and don't know I can afford to fix this issue that apparently was known but not fixed in my vehicle before it was sold to me (not your fault, the delearships fault, but they are 10 hours away...)

- Florence, AL, USA

problem #445

Nov 032020

Explorer

  • 170,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

As I was in motion driving my service power steering light came on and about 30 seconds later I lost all power steering causing my vehicle to swerve to the left. I was able to stop the vehicle. The vehicle ihas has this issue of loosing power steering in the past August of 2019 and the power steering rack was replaced February of 2018. I have taken my vehicle into the local Ford dealership in 2019 and was advised it needed a new power steering rack at my cost! I have since had this issue again November 3rd. I have contacted Ford and the dealership in 2019 created a fraud claim for reprograming the climate control module nothing with the issue that I initially brought in with. Im scared for the safety of my family in this vehicle and the unethical claim barnes baker automotive of trenton, mo has claimed. My vehicle is not safe to drive at this time and I have concerns that the suspension recall has even been preformed. The recall for the power steering has been performed but, is an ongoing problem for my vehicle. Ford is claiming this is not a recall related issue which this vehicle has had a ongoing P[roblem with the power steering locking up. This almost caused an accident!

- Galt, MO, USA

problem #444

Jun 012020

Explorer

  • 77,022 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving in driveway at low speeds, the steering wheel was firm and hard to turn however, after shifting to park and restarting the vehicle, the steering worked as designed. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact called family Ford, Inc., (30 NJ-183, netcong, NJ 07857, (973) 347-3000) however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact stated that the failure was like the failure mentioned in NHTSA campaign number: 14V286000 (steering). The failure mileage was 77,022.

- Blairstown, NJ, USA

problem #443

Nov 012020

Explorer

  • 140,000 miles
Power stressing went out along with warning notices of select track service required

- Bluffton, SC, USA

problem #442

Oct 162020

Explorer

  • 81,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was starting the vehicle, the power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to al packer Ford royal palm beach located at 10601 southern blvd, royal palm beach, fl 3341, (561) 790-1100, where it was diagnosed with needing steering box to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 14V286000 (steering) however the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

- Loxahatchee, FL, USA

problem #441

Jun 172020

Explorer

  • 160,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph, the steering wheel seized with the service advance trac warning light illuminated. The contact regained control of the steering wheel and veer to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact turned the vehicle around and drove back to her residence. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the rack and pinon failed and needed to be replaced. The failure recurred intermittently. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 14V286000 (steering) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the warranty was expired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

- Okolona, MS, USA

problem #440

Jun 162020

Explorer

  • miles
Terrain management and service trac light is on and my steering wheel is unable to turn

- Okolona, MS, USA

problem #439

Sep 072020

Explorer

  • 132,000 miles
The steering is knocking when turning when stationary and when in motion. The steering locks in mid turn while in motion.

- Silverdale, PA, USA

problem #438

Aug 202020

Explorer

  • 151,000 miles
I was getting ready to leave work and I put my car in reverse that's when my power steering assist malfunctioned. It has done that before and I would just put it in park shut it off then restart it and it would be fine. I've talked to my local dealership about getting it fixed because it's a recall only for them to tell me that it's a closed recall. And they didn't tell me that before I brought it in and they're wanting me to pay $77 for the diagnostics test now.

- Ankeny, IA, USA

problem #437

Aug 302020

Explorer

  • 137,000 miles
Power steering failed for the second time in 4 years

- Sharon, CT, USA

problem #436

Aug 072020

Explorer

  • 46,800 miles
Was backing out of a parking space when I couldn't turn the wheel and had the power steering assist fault alert come on the dashboard.

- Pueblo, CO, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

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