Steering Problems of Ford Explorer - part 1

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph, the "service power steering" message was displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot, turned off and then restarted the vehicle. The failure persisted, and the power steering feature failed to operate as needed. While in reverse, the back over prevention camera display the "service camera - take to dealer" message on the screen. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was a recall for the failure, NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 237,000.

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After getting my vehicle from the dealership my steering wheel was hard to turn , took it in and they replaced the struts (the old struts were binding). 6/7 days later the same thing happened with the steering wheel. They had said it was a switch in the power steering and there was a safety recall and I would have to take it into a Ford dealership. When I had called to make my appointment there wasn’t a recall and I called the Ford company and they said the same thing.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Explorer 🔎.

This 2015 Ford Explorer XLT - the power steering goes out. Multiple times. No recall with many many of these vehicles reporting to have the same problem. I was 200 miles away from home when this happened. The steering becomes extremely stiff and jerks. Making it very dangerous.

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The electronic power steering failed yes its available for inspection my child and my safety were put at risk when I warning came up and said "steering loss, stop safely" and the steering wheel was locked. The problem was still there when it was brought into Ford service center nothing prior to the warning.

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While my granddaughter was driving our 2019 Ford Explorer, the steering effort suddenly increased without warning, as if the electric power steering assist stopped functioning. She was traveling at approximately 45 mph on a public road and was unable to steer normally. The sudden loss of assist caused her to nearly leave her lane and almost resulted in a collision. This vehicle uses an electric?assist rack?and?pinion steering system. There were no warning lights or messages before or during the event. Road conditions were dry. After the incident, steering remained abnormally heavy/intermittent. It isn't as though it mimics an old school vehicle without power steering, where it simply requires a good deal of strength. With this situation, if you work hard to make a correction, the car suddenly pulls further quickly in that direction, or in the opposite direction in a very jerky manner. The failure occurred without any prior symptoms and created an immediate loss?of?control hazard, especially for younger or smaller drivers who cannot overcome the sudden increase in steering force. It basically feels like it is locked up. I am reporting this because the failure was sudden, unannounced, and nearly caused an accident. This appears to be a malfunction of the electric power steering assist system, and it presents an unreasonable safety risk. On a related note, I am the director of quality for a manufacturing facility and have conducted hundreds of formal risk assessments during product design. A sudden, unannounced loss of steering assist represents a high?severity, low?tolerance safety hazard. In my professional opinion, this failure mode warrants an accelerated investigation.

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As I was backing my 2013 Ford Explorer base model out of my garage I heard a pop and then my steering started making a grinding/dragging noise. When I pulled onto the street I noticed that my steering wheel would "stick". I went a short distance further down the road and it seemed to stop sticking. When I went around a curve towards the left, my steering stuck again and it was harder to get it to "unstick". I returned it back to my home and parked it back in the garage. I see that there is a recall for the steering on the 2013 models, but my VIN is not included in this recall. This is a huge safety hazard and could put me out of work, as I care for and transport autistic individuals. This vehicle and my job are my livelihood and this needs to be corrected/recall issued on all of the 2013 models since they all seem to be having similar steering issues. Vehicle has not yet been inspected. Vehicle is available for inspection on request.

When driving, the steering wheel became less responsive. The next day, we drove a few hundred miles and got gas. After turning the car back on, the steering became even less responsive, resulting in a lot of force being needed to be used in order to turn the vehicle. In addition to this, the car was extremely difficult to keep straight, making driving on a single-lane road extremely dangerous. We have dropped the car off at the dealership and are waiting until Monday or Tuesday for a diagnosis and repair.

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Bought my vehicle from a dealership advertised as Ford gold certified. Immediately after taking delivery of the car, the steering had an issue. Above ~30 mph the steering wheel does not reliably return to center on it's own. Forcing the driver to manually re-center the wheel. Meaning that if I take my hands off the wheel while turning, the car continues turning in that directly. Brought to the dealership immediately for servicing to fix the issue. They replaced several major components including the steering rack only to find that the issue persists. Despite all of the failed repair attempts, Ford is now refusing to continue attempting to repair as they claim it's normal driving characteristics. It is not. I've driven other similar models that do not do this.

See all problems of the 2025 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The horn on my vehicle activates (blows) when I turn the steering wheel to certain positions. I believe this to be a road hazard. Especially since I had to remove the horn relay to prevent the horn from blowing in traffic until I can get it repaired. Several other Ford vehicles have been recalled for this exact problem. Just to diagnose this problem at the Ford dealer is $170. 00. Help!.

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When putting the car in reverse and moving backwards start to feel the vehicle look drive power and knock sounds. Sounds likes and feels like gear teeth or not aligned. When putting the car into drive the vehicle jumps a little and you hear a lout pop noise.

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My Ford Explorer has less than 97,000 miles on it and im experiencing popping noises and slight play in steering. Upon inspecting the tie-rod I found that the rack and pinion had play in it. The vehicle hasn't been wrecked so there's no reason I should be losing my steering rack under 100k miles.

Vehicle is very hard to steer, will not reset when restarting the vehicle. Two dash messages; advance track warning and power assist failure. I have not attempted to drive on road due to difficulty of steering the wheel. I am afraid the vehicle is uncontrollable at this point and needs to be towed to a repair facility. Not sure if this incident is linked to the recall under 14s06 for Ford recalls.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Explorer 🔎.

While sitting at a stop light, waiting to turn, the steering wheel went stiff, then I was forced to make the turn without the power steering. It started working again but made a very loud grindy noise. The noise has not gone away. I took it to a shop, and they assesed everything, and stated the power steering rack has a fault code, and that the inner tie rods are loose, along with they can hear the power steering rack motor making a lot of noise. While going down the road the steering wheel shakes, and when making turns the steering wheel sticks and I have to yank the wheel back to unstick it. The vehicle is available to be inspected, at any time. I was almost in an accident multiple times due to the steering sticking and the wild vibration in the wheel. Please help.

2016 Ford Explorer, VIN [xxx]. Filing against planet Ford dallas regarding incomplete regional program 21r01 (rear toe link replacement), tied to federal safety recall 21v537. May 11, 2026: vehicle presented for 21r01 service. May returned with recall marked complete in Ford's system. 21r01 mandates replacement of both rear toe links, alignment check, and rear toe adjustment. None of these steps were correctly completed. Dealer has since acknowledged to me that the toe link was not replaced correctly, but instead with the incorrect part and that rear suspension hardware was left loose upon vehicle release. The vehicle was driven approximately one month in this condition. Progressive symptoms followed: steering pull, steering wheel offset, tire screeching, and vehicle instability. Rear toe was subsequently found approximately 3 degrees out of specification — consistent with loose hardware shifting during normal driving. Dealer is attributing front suspension wear to natural causes while providing no investigation demonstrating the incomplete recall did not contribute to or accelerate that damage. Ford motor company head office has confirmed 21r01 as applicable (corporate case [xxx]). Dealer has declined to accept responsibility. The recall was marked complete in Ford's system despite mandatory work not being performed. I am requesting NHTSA investigate dealer compliance with 21r01/21v537 and whether a reimbursement claim was submitted to Ford for work not performed. This matter may also be referred to the texas ag consumer protection division and ftc. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The failed power steering warning light illuminated. In addition, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, however the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description, however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,063.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the power steering feature was intermittently inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. A technician attempted to diagnose the vehicle, but no diagnostic trouble codes were retrieved. The contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure had progressively worsened, causing the power steering to become inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

Power steering assist fault while driving with total loss of power steering. Caused difficult steering, particularly at low speed and made for a dangerous driving situation with what seemed like complete loss of steering ability. Power steering fault and lane keeping assist failure warnings lit on display at the same time. Vehicle was towed to dealership and problem was isolated to steering module/gear failure after paying for battery replacement to verify that it was not a voltage related issue. 2013 Ford Explorers manufactured through the end of February 2012 at the chicago plant have a recall for the same issue, but this vehicle was manufactured in June 2012 and I was told it is not covered. Repair was quoted at $4500.

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The message that the "vehicle needed attention" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to back to the residence. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 270,000.

Hi! I brought my car in to the Ford dealership in lexington, SC to get a recalled a frame pillar repaired. They took the part off and didn’t repair it because they didn’t have the parts in. When I called corporate to check on the status of that part, I found out they had marked the recall as “complete” which was not the case. Corporate opened the case again for me, so it should’ve read incomplete in their system. (therefore, maybe they would call me to let me know the part was in stock. That didn’t happen. ) when I called back 2 months later, they had apparently marked it as complete a second time. Which again, was false. 12 months later, they’re finally agreeing to replace the part. I also found out from corporate in that same phone call that I had a recall to a power steering component. When I called the shop, they said that had been marked as complete too so I was not eligible for a second replacement. I have a hard time trusting that the original was actually replaced now. And the steering feels like a major safety concern! point is, I’m worried that location may be doctoring their documentation, marking recalls as repaired when repairs have clearly not been made. I’d hate for it to cause a major accident or something. Bringing this up in case it warrants an audit. I’m sure I’m not the only person they’ve done this to. I’ve opened a case with Ford’s automatice safety office as well and they are investigating but I thought it prudent to mention to an outside source. Like I said, I’d hate for someone to get in accident because they thought a repair had been made when it actually never was.

The steering on my Explorer has seized up making it very dangerous to drive because you can not hardly get the steering wheel to turn.

Brakes, rotors, tires and now steering column and starting gear is needing replaced after recall of rear toe link in 2019 Ford Explorer.

Power steering message popped up on dash in a flash and disappeared while I was driving. Same message popped up a couple miles down (I pulled into a parking lot to check message. ) steering wheel locked and left me stranded in need of a tow truck to move car to mechanic and get home. Message pops up and disappears quickly not leaving much time to read or react.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel failed to turn left or right. The message "power steering assist fault" was displayed. The contact stopped, turned off, and restarted the vehicle several times to reset the power steering assist feature; however, the steering wheel was still difficult to turn. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.

My car gave a “power steering fault” message on the dash while my son was driving on I-95 on April 12. The steering wheel locked up making turning impossible and could have been fatal. He had pull over and have the vehicle towed home.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. While driving at slow speeds, the contact stated that while turning the steering wheel there was a lack of resistance, and there was a pulsating sensation in the steering wheel. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 168,000.

I was driving at about 25 mph when the steering completely locked upon me going around a corner. There was no warning lamps or messages prior to it locking up. If another car would have been in the other lane I would have crashed. I would have been unable to avoid wrecking into anyone or anything that was in the way because I had zero control of my steering. There was nothing I could do to turn. It has not been inspected.

I am reporting a serious safety concern with my 2017 Ford Explorer. The vehicle currently has approximately 93,752 miles and has become increasingly unreliable and unsafe to operate. On April 9, 2026, while my wife was driving home from work, the vehicle overheated, creating a dangerous situation and risk of sudden breakdown. This is especially concerning as the vehicle is used to transport children. Recently, after taking the vehicle in for an oil change, I was informed of multiple additional problems (three separate issues) affecting the vehicle. In addition, the check engine light remains on continuously, even after attempted repairs, indicating unresolved underlying problems. I have also previously attempted to have a recall repair completed, but was told that the necessary part was unavailable and that I would be contacted when it became available. Months later, I have still not been contacted, and the recall issue remains unresolved. Based on my experience and publicly documented issues, this appears consistent with known defects associated with this model, including reported water pump failures leading to engine overheating, rear suspension issues affecting control, and concerns regarding exhaust fumes entering the cabin. This is not normal wear and tear, but a potential safety-related defect. It is a serious concern that known recalls and defects cannot be repaired due to lack of available parts, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe condition. I am also concerned about the risk of continuing to operate this vehicle and potentially causing an accident that could injure myself, my family, or others on the road. This risk is heightened by the lack of timely communication and resolution regarding known defects and recalls. I am requesting investigation into these issues to prevent harm to drivers and passengers.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The steering wheel got stiff and impossible to turn. I had to use extreme force to be able to make a left turn. It happened in a large intersection. No warning appeared.

Difficulty in steering around corners.

After replacing the newest recall for the rear toe link on my Explorer, I’ve noticed (along with a couple others on some forums) that the alignment does not stay set and will come undone. I finished driving 1000 miles after the swap and had sudden pressure loss in my rear tire. When I looked at it the entire outside of the tire on both driver and passenger side were completely eaten through and I’m not made of enough money to keep replacing tires and keep getting alignments done. I do have a video of my inside cam of when it happened if requested.

Steering is difficult and makes noises when turning.

Purchased new 26 Ford Explorer on [xxx] from franklin Ford in TN. During test drive noted the bluecruise hands free was canceling but was advised by dealer that it might need to download an update or sync my profile. Next day I confirmed the bluecruise and adaptive cruise was not working. The hands free bluecruise and adaptive system will cancel randomly with no warning even while in turn. This almost caused me to slam into the vehicle next to me several times but was able to catch the wheel just in time. This is an extreme danger and hazard. The issue seems to revolve around the lane centering feature but Ford has not confirmed this for me. I dropped the vehicle off with Ford of franklin on 3/24 who kept the vehicle for 4 days. At the end I was advised Ford engendering was working to push out an update to correct this issue. As of today (5/27), I have confirmed with Ford of franklin that there is currently no fix for this. I have had to disable Ford bluecruise and have as of today requested a buyback from Ford. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving a 2013 Ford Explorer, the vehicle experienced an electrical issue that caused the power steering system to malfunction. The power steering assist suddenly failed, making the steering wheel extremely difficult to turn. The failure occurred suddenly and at the time of the incident the vehicle was traveling 2 miles and I parked it immediately. This created a serious safety hazard, especially when attempting to turn or maneuver the vehicle. A warning message stating “power steering assist fault” did appear on the dashboard . Prior to the failure, there were no warning signs. Due to the sudden loss of power steering assist, the driver’s ability to safely control the vehicle was significantly reduced, increasing the risk of a crash. The issue has not yet been inspected. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

My pillar are coming off to the point when it rains water get inside my car. It’s messed up my system in my car. I can’t close my sun roof and water comes down from my lights that’s above my head where you put your sunny sunglasses in. I been calling around and still haven’t got no where.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that 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, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 201,226.