general problems of the 2011 Ford Explorer - part 1

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph, the power steering suddenly failed while attempting to make a right turn, causing the steering wheel to seize. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and followed the owner's manual instructions on how to reset the power steering; however, all attempts failed. The contact left the vehicle parked at the incident location. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Loss of power steering.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became extremely stiff. The steering wheel was extremely difficult to turn. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, there was a grinding sound coming from the steering column while making left and right turns. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel jerked while driving and making left or right turns. The contact stated that three unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the traction control warning light was also illuminated. Additionally, there are unknown messages displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but the diagnosis was unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 193,000.

The electrical power steering stopped working while in motion was real hard to steer and avoid hitting curbs or vehicles close to our vehicle. It was previously replaced by Ford for the same reason but now it happened again and they are telling me it doesn’t have warranty which is fine but if I buy the part which is not cheap by the way it just going to keep failing after a few years.

I was driving to independence missouri and the power steering went out, it was difficult to steer and if I was going slow enough I could not turn the wheel at all. There was an alert that popped up stating power steering fault. My mechanic reset the code and it was fixed for about 30 minutes before coming back on. I took it to a Ford dealership in chillicothe missouri and they had to reset the entire module and reprogram it. This fixed the issue for about 2 weeks and it is now doing the same thing as before. I paid $150 for an hour of labor plus diagnostic. I am expecting to take it back to the dealership on 12/3 for the same issue.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The steering wheel seized, and the steering wheel symbol was displayed on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was turned off and restarted to reset the steering assist function. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the electric power steering assist system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Power steering stopped working while driving.

While driving power steering stopped working. Thankfully I was able to pull my vehicle over without incident. My vehicle has not been inspected as of yet by the dealership as I am on ssd called the dealership and the cost is $139. 00 to run the diagnostic. Warning lights kicked on as soon as it happened. This was originally supposed to be remedied in recall 15n01 epas. I called the dealership and the cost for repair on this issue is extremely expensive compared to what I still owe on my Explorer. Updated to show images of what was scanned, which falls under the recall from 2015. I still owe $2800. 00n on this vehicle and repairs will cost more than what is owed. I've called Ford and they pretty much do not care.

While driving power steering stopped working. Thankfully I was able to pull my vehicle over without incident. My vehicle has not been inspected as of yet by the dealership as I am on ssd called the dealership and the cost is $139. 00 to run the diagnostic. Warning lights kicked on as soon as it happened. This was originally supposed to be remedied in recall 15n01 epas. I called the dealership and the cost for repair on this issue is extremely expensive compared to what I still owe on my Explorer.

Steering wheel locked up when I tried to restart car.

My vehicle is subject to NHTSA safety recall 14s06 related to loss of electric power steering assist. The power steering control module was reprogrammed in 2014, and Ford now considers the recall closed based on that reprogramming. In 2025, the vehicle again experienced loss of electric power steering assist and currently exhibits the epas diagnostic trouble code associated with the recall defect. This condition has been verified by a Ford dealer. On November 13, 2025, the dealer attempted reprogramming of the steering control module as a diagnostic and customer service step to determine whether reprogramming would resolve the condition. This attempt did not correct the defect, and the loss of steering assist persists. Supplement 3 to recall 14s06, issued in 2019, includes a dealer q&a section (attachment 4, question 3) that specifically addresses what happens if a customer experiences loss of steering assist after the module has been reprogrammed. Ford’s guidance states that any subsequent loss of assist after reprogramming may be eligible for extended coverage under a related program. This guidance acknowledges that reprogramming alone may not prevent recurrence of the defect and that further corrective action may be required when the loss of assist returns. Despite this acknowledgment, Ford has denied further remedy solely because the recall is marked “closed” in its internal system and because the vehicle exceeds the time and mileage limits of customer satisfaction program 15n01. The recall defect remains present in the vehicle, and the original remedy has not been adequate to correct it. I am requesting NHTSA review whether Ford has met its obligation under 49 u. S. C. §30120 to provide an adequate remedy for this safety defect. Component: steering issue: loss of power steering assist recall remedy: remedy failed / not provided.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to make a right turn at 20 mph, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed as the "steering assist fault service required" warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact stated that her left arm had been broken prior to the failure and that the loss of power steering assist nearly caused an accident. The contact had the vehicle towed to a mechanic where she was informed of NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering). The mechanic linked the failure to the recall and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. Both the dealer and the manufacturer informed the contact that her vehicle was not under recall; the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

I’m the original and only owner of a 2011 Ford Explorer (VIN [xxx]). Although Ford recall 14s06 (NHTSA 14v-286) was marked complete by autonation Ford of bellevue, I’m now experiencing the same issue: loss of power steering assist while driving, which creates a safety hazard. On July 29, 2025, a certified dtc scan at pierre Ford of seattle revealed three power steering control module (pscm) codes: u3000:49, u3000:72, and u3000:96. These codes are explicitly listed in Ford’s own bulletin (rcmn-14v286-7022) as qualifying for steering gear replacement under customer satisfaction program 15n01, which Ford issued as an extension of recall 14s06. Despite this, Ford denied the dealer’s request to perform the repair, citing that the csp period had ended. However, Ford’s bulletin states that repairs should still be approved via sssc request if dtcs are present — which they are. I believe Ford is failing to honor its own published recall repair procedure. This is not wear-and-tear; it is a continuation of a known safety defect. The steering intermittently becomes difficult to control — especially at low speeds — putting my family and others at risk. I’m requesting NHTSA investigate Ford’s denial of valid repair claims tied to recall 14s06/15n01 and hold them accountable for unresolved safety issues. Documentation available upon request. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The contact stated that the message "power steering fault" was displayed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the power steering control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 172,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to make a turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel seized. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that her daughter was inside the vehicle during the failure. The contact continued driving but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the power steering had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford campaign number: 15n01. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized and failed to turn to the left or the right. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included, and the contact was informed by the manufacturer that the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 205,616.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact was unable to turn the steering wheel to the right or the left. The contact stated that two passengers inside the vehicle assisted with steering the vehicle. The message "power steering assist" was displayed on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack had failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Recall 15n01,,,dealer sam galloway fort myers florida is refusing to repair steering recall for bad gear I was nearly killed as can was unstteable in a near head on crash!!! the diagnostic is showing the code u3000:49 in the dtc and they refuse>>>please help. . . Im disabled.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was in a parking lot, the steering became inoperable. The message “power steering service now” was displayed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the traction control, engine oil, and tpms warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the power steering system needed to be reset. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The contact’s daughter owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering failure warning light was illuminated. The warning light had escalated from yellow to red. The driver continued driving the vehicle; however, excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The service power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but a diagnostic result was not yet provided. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 240,000.

Power steering assist fault, and power steering eps system failed while driving! was replaced by Ford in 2015 and has already locked up while driving! tire pressure sensor constantly stays on even after replacement.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 mph, the steering wheel became stiff and difficult to turn in either direction. The contact was able to veer over to the shoulder of the road. The message "power steering assist failure" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the contact was informed that the repairs were denied by the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. In addition, the local dealer diagnosed the vehicle and linked the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 2 mph, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The contact stated that an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle at the residence and determined that the steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced. A dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 10 mph, the steering wheel seized and was not functioning properly. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a crash into a gate where it came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. No warning light was illuminated. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the electronic power steering assist rack. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 185,000.

The contact owned a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized with the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); because the mileage was over 150,000. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.

See attached document for complaint.

I was driving down a highway at 55 mph and my traction control lights came on. Next my assist power steering warning light came on which was yellow. Then the red assist power steering warning came on and I lost all power steering. The dealership did confirm the problem was my steering angle sensor, but said this did not fall under the recall anymore because I have too many miles.

The contact stated that their daughter owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact's daughter infromed them that when they drove the vehicle, who had informed them that the power steering assist would suddenly seize while driving at various speeds. When the failure occurred, the driver would have to turn the vehicle off, then back on to regain power steering assist. The power steering had failed, and the driver was unable to regain power steering. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the rack and pinion, but the battery failed. The vehicle was repaired. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer approximately 3 times. The vehicle was not repaired again. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the steering wheel failed to move as intended. The service power steering now warning light illuminated. The contact merged to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's place of business and had not been driven since the incident. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 168,281.

On or around December 15 while driving I lost the ability to steer the car without using considerable strength.

Power windows and power mirror buttons stopped working and then “service power steering now” message came on and the steering wheel is locked and very hard to turn. The electrical wiring for the windows run through the power steering gear. The vehicle has not been inspected or repaired.