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.
I was turning my 2011 F150 around in a lot when a steering error warning poped up on dash along with a stability control error. Steering froze and I did not have steering control. Took all effort to force vehicle to turn and avoid a collision steering was extremely hard to turn with a loud buzzing noise and limited turning range (about 2/3 of normal range left and right. Drove home this way (about 15 miles). Was extremely difficult to control vehicle and very nerve racking. Being a mechanic I scanned codes and it appears that the electronic steering gear failed. This is a very dangerous system I shudder when I think of the consequences had I been driving at highway speed. If there is not a recall for this issue there should be before someone is killed. I included the scanned codes below.
My truck would intermittanly make a chirping noise and would temporarily be hard to steer while driving around town. One of the warning lights came on so I took it into the Ford dealer. The first time, which occurred in June, they couldn't find anything wrong. The second time I took it in (7/21/17), the Ford dealer called and told me the electronic stability control was shot and needed to be replaced. They told me that I was lucky I brought it in as it was hard to steer. I have did an internet search and found this problem has caused Ford trucks to crash. I wrote a letter to Ford detailing the problem (attached) and sent them links to complaints from other Ford truck owners.
Took vehicle 2011 F-100 to Ford service center for service engine light diagnosis. Ford dealer informed me vehicle was misfiring and needed plugs and coils. Dealer then informed me that the vehicle also needs steering rack replacement as codes reveal a rack failure. Service advance track light was on. Quoted $1800 for steering rack replacement. Vehicle now has 83200 miles on it. This light has been coming on and off for at least the last 2 years. Dealer says total failure is a certainty in time. After research on internet I find that Ford has identified this problem on vehicles in my model year and has done nothing about it. Safety concern is that steering could freeze while driving and result in accident.
2011 F150 steering failure, when failed steering failed stability control and steering went. While making turn steering would " lock" preventing tempary control of pickup, before completing trip power assist went totally out. Contacted Ford they state that the power assist needs to be replaced from description alone, they also had recalled multiple other vehicles for this issue how ever the F 150 is not one of those and it will cost 3 K to fix.... umm if all your other vehicles are doing this and this one is doing the same thing then its a defect! the only thing that helped me prevent the accident from happening was my training as an evo ( emergency vehicle operator) at the time of failure I was turning in front of semi, if I would not have taken the ditch and prevented measures this would have been a quad fatality. Truck is parked at a dress given unable to drive home
- Fort Collins, CO, USA
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While driving thru a parking lot I received a warning "service advantrac" then while making a turn into a food drive thru another alarm went off. Power steering assist fault. I lost all power steering and nearly crashed into the drive thru sign. This all happened within minutes. When the steering goes out there is not advanced indications or warnings until it happens. The electric assist motor is just disabled. You have no steering at that point. It is harder to turn then an older manual steering vehicle. The entire rack N pinion steering unit has to be replaced due to under engineering. It is one motor but is embedded into the rack. The cost alone is $1200 for the rack not including labor to install and reprogram. To me this is an extreme safety issue that will some day get someone severely injured or death due to a non steering vehicle. At the time of the failure I had just driven over a very steep and windy mountain road. Scary to think what might have happened if it had failed on that road.
Advancetrac service lights comes on intermittently. While making right hand turns, shutting off vehicle and restarting resets light till the next time it comes on. On one occasion the turn signals would not stay locked on. Took it to the local Ford dealer this morning, diagnoses replace steering rack cost $1,432
Advancetrac service light comes on while making right hand turns. After stopping and restarting the vehicle the light stays out for a while, then comes back on. On one occasion the turn signals also failed to work.
Been having problems with the stability control light popping up on the screen when all of a sudden my steering wheel locked up and the steering control light shows up. Truck won't steer left or right. Thank god I was parked when it failed. Being told it's the electronic rack N pinion box. I only have 60,000 mile on the truck. I'm 59 years old and I drive to from work. Please help.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. While turning out of a parking lot at 10 mph, the steering wheel seized and the power steering indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The dealer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 11V128000 (electrical system, body control module) and 10V659000 (electrical system, body control module). The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
Steering lock up while driving. While making a sharp left turn in a parking lot the steering wheel locked up momentarily then became hard to turn. At the same time I heard a loud grinding or buzzing sound and the 'service advance trak' light came on. I had to have the car towed 150 miles to my mechanic. My mechanic conferred with the local Ford dealer and determined that the rack and pinion had to be replace. Truck has 57,000 miles on it. My mechanic expected the part to take up to a week to arrive but it was delivered the same day. Dealer had several units in stock. Seems strange to have that many of this P[art in stock unless there is a design or manufacturing flaw that Ford has not declared. I checked the F150 online forums and there are many references to this problem. Not sure what it takes to make a recall happen but given the seemingly high number of owners affected by this Ford should do something to help. This cost $1745 to fix (including tow) and created a very dangerous situation.
While traveling the vehicle unexpectedly puts itself into park. The vehicle then locks up the breaks and skids across the road. After skidding the vehicle's throttle does not work and the vehicle is inoperable. This has happened for approximately two (2) years. It has happened while driving at high speed (70 mph) on a limited access highway facility. It has occurred at stop lights. In one instance while at a stop light the vehicle ceased to operate and was struck by another vehicle. Last week was notified by the vehicle manufacturer that they were conducting a recall for the exact reason that has caused me problems for the past two years. The malfunction has caused mechanical damages to the vehicle's suspension, steering, tires, and acceleration. The vehicle vibrates uncontrollably at any speed over 35 mph. There are also rattling inside and outside of the vehicle.
Service advance trac light comes on monthly after turning lock to lock. Turn signals will not stay on after this happens until the light resets itself a day or so later.
During operation with vehicle in motion on a street, power steering shut off, directional signals would not stay on when used. Diagnosed at a Ford dealership as an epas failure.
2011 Ford F150 lariat - when accelerating to pass, engine lights will flash and the truck will lose power. After several seconds of flashing, the engine light stays on and the truck decelerates. I shut the truck off and then re-started but the engine light stayed on. I was traveling on a highway and had to pull off to a city street. Very dangerous situation.
2011 F-150 FX4. Service advancetrac warning light displays. It comes on when I start up the vehicle stationary. The turn signals stop working, too. The next day the light will be off. Appears to be a common manufacturing defect that should be a recall just like on the 2014 F-150S as it is a issues of safety.
My 2011 Ford F150, with less than 23500 miles, suddenly developed problems with its electronic steering system consisting of (a) very loose steering, (B) a "service advanctrac" warning message, (C) the control for the left & right blinkers no longer working. I was driving down a dirt at a low rate of speed when the problem struck without warning, and then got onto a paved road where the steering continued to feel very 'sloppy' and somewhat difficult to control the truck. The local Ford dealership diagnosed the problem with the epas (electronic) steering system which was first introduced on the 2011 F150 model. They first quoted $1300 to repair it since I am out of the 3/36 warranty, but later came down to $480 when I complained about it being a safety issue and that it was ridiculous for something like this to happen on a truck with less than 25K miles (mostly highway miles). According to the dealer, Ford covered the cost of the expensive replacement part. There are many online complaints (websites & NHTSA) regarding problems with the Ford epas steering system. Its sudden and unexplainable failure, especially on trucks with low mileage, makes this a significant safety concern in my opinion.
On three separate occasions while backing into my driveway in my 2011 Ford F150 XLT as I turned my steering wheel sharply to the right and began backing up my service advance trac warning light lit up. Each time the light would go away upon restarting the truck. The forth time it came on while conducting a 3 point turn at slow speed, however the light remained on and dash displayed a picture of front wheels at hard lock right reading 37degrees of angle while I was driving straight ahead. At that time my turn signals stopped working unless held on. Upon restarting the truck the warning remained on and display failed to show change in wheel position when turning steering wheel. I brought it in to dealer to have it checked and two codes were present (C1B00 and U2101). I was told vehicle needs electronic steering rack replaced. I then looked issue up and found there is already a tsb for this issue. I feel lucky that this issue has only occurred at slow speeds others were less fortunate and were involved in potentially deadly accidents. Other accounts of this issue began as mine and problem progressed into a total loss of power steering and in ability to straiten steering wheel. I feel Ford needs to look further into this potentially deadly issue!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- West Seneca, NY, USA