Steering Problems of Ford Explorer - part 1

My daughter was driving our 2017 Ford Explorer when the steering wheel locked up without warning, putting her life at risk. It mirrors the exact steering rack failure already recalled for 2011–2013 Explorers (recall #14s06 / NHTSA 14v286000). We were told by a certified mechanic that the steering rack and gear failed, and that this is a common issue in these models. Ford has opened case #xxx-xxx, but refuses to take responsibility or escalate the matter. They acknowledge several other recalls on this vehicle, but not the steering system — even though multiple 2016–2017 Explorer owners report similar failures. This is a serious safety hazard that could result in death. I am requesting an immediate NHTSA investigation into expanding the current steering rack recall to include 2017 model Explorers. Please escalate this complaint and notify me of any developments. I am collecting evidence and testimony from other Explorer owners with the same issue.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Explorer 🔎.

Power steering stopped working while driving.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Explorer 🔎.

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.

On Saturday 10/18/2025 the rear drivers side tow link of my 2018 Ford Explorer XLT snapped while driving 70 mph under normal driving conditions on a 4-lane section of I-75 in detroit, mi. This caused a loss of steering, and my family and almost hit the median concrete wall when it sharply veered to the left completely unexpectedly. There were no warning sounds or symptoms and happened at random on a straight away. We then spun out doing multiple 360 spins on 2 wheels, almost flipping completely, and landing in the middle 2 lanes. We had a semi truck and another vehicle narrowly miss us. I was able to then move fast enough to the side of the road and avoid being hit by more oncoming traffic. We called 911 and aaa for towing to suburban Ford of troy who did an inspection and found the drivers side rear tow link has snapped due to a seized knuckle. There is a recall for the exact same known issue in the 2011-2017 Ford Explorers. My wife’s 2017 Explorer has the same parts as my 2018 and has the recall for the tow links and ball joint due to this known issue, yet Ford is refusing to acknowledge the issue is still affecting later model years. My Explorer only had 74,000 miles on it and never any accidents or abnormal driving conditions/hard driving. My family and I are extremely lucky to be alive after such a catastrophic failure. This type of issue should never happen on any vehicle and is a totally unacceptable engineering failure. Ford needs to inspect this issue on the later models beyond 2017 as this will cost lives. This will kill people and we are actually in shock that we lived through this. Ford should take responsibility and pay for this repair, as well as the other side the same as they do the years the recalled.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford Explorer 🔎.

Steering wheel locked up when I tried to restart car.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or to the right. The contact stopped and turned the vehicle off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice and during the second failure the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

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While driving, my 2012 Ford Explorer displayed a “service power steering now” warning message, and the steering wheel completely locked, making the vehicle impossible to steer safely. This happened without warning and rendered the car undrivable, creating an immediate safety hazard. This issue matches the conditions described in Ford safety recall 14s06 (NHTSA campaign 14v286000) and customer satisfaction program 15n01, both addressing electric power steering (epas) system failures in 2011–2013 Explorers. Ford’s defect information report to NHTSA (pe12-017) states that intermittent electrical connections in the steering gear’s motor position sensor can cause a total loss of power steering assist exactly what occurred in my vehicle. Despite this, Ford and the dealership (tommie vaughn Ford, houston TX) have stated that my VIN is “expired” for program 15n01 and refused assistance. However, the failure mode and symptoms are identical to those covered by these safety campaigns. My Explorer was manufactured in December 2011, which falls directly in the affected build range. The carfax report for my vehicle even lists program 15n01 epas steering efforts as an associated service campaign. This is a critical safety issue, and Ford’s refusal to assist due to expired coverage should not override the need to correct a known steering defect. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether Ford’s current handling of epas steering failures is sufficient, and whether customer satisfaction program 15n01 should be reopened or extended to cover affected vehicles like mine that are experiencing the same safety defect.

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Steering gear failure and faulty eps module. Second event. The full assembly and eps failed, and fatal crash was avoided.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Explorer 🔎.

Power steering assist fault and service advance trac alerts came on in the dashboard when car was cranked up to drive. I was unable to turn the steering wheel easily and the vehicle was difficult to steer. My safety and the safety of others would be put at risk when attempting to drive the vehicle because the steering wheel locked up and was very difficult to turn. I happened to be at a firestone service center at the time that this event took place. The technician was testing the battery and the alternator for me after a new battery was inserted into the vehicle. When the technician pulled the vehicle around for me to leave, I was unable to drive away due to the steering issues that had occurred. The vehicle has not been inspected by the others at this time. The warning lights came on just as I was about to drive away from the firestone service center on 09/27/25. The technician notified me that firestone was unable to repair those types of issues on my vehicle and the vehicle would need to be taken to a Ford dealership or mechanic of choice for further repairs.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Explorer 🔎.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the electronic steering gear failed causing the steering to "stick" at certain points of steering, and causing a loud rubbing noise. The steering is also more "loose" and feels insecure. Yes it is available for inspection. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the failure of the electronic steering gear can cause unexpected failure of steering ability while operating the vehicle. This could cause a severe accident going any speed, but especially if I were on the highway. A crash due to loss of steering ability could kill me, my family, and others on the road. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, my local Ford dealership has confirmed the issue and stated that they won't repair it because it isn't part of any open recall, even though there was a major recall (14s06/NHTSA 14v-286) opened for the prior model year of my vehicle. Ford should have included 2014 in that recall since the issues persists in 2014 models and is evident by the other 200+ technical service bulletins posted by Ford. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? it's been inspected by my local Ford dealership. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no warning lamps or messages. I noticed the issue after picking the vehicle up from the Ford dealership. They didn't notice the issue until I reported it to them, meaning they missed it during their maintenance inspections and check-up. I noticed the issue on September 21, 2025.

I was going to the pharmacist. When I started my vehicle there was an alert for ""steering assist fault service required". I tried to turn the steering wheel and it would not turn. I could not use my vehicle.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Explorer 🔎.

Power steering service required message power steering instantly failed at 55 mph warning messages for advancetrac and terrain assist blinkers only work if held after all this every other motorist in the road at the time (this morning) was put at risk as the vehicle was nearly impossible for my wife to steer. Multiple dealers claimed there is no recall for this. After online investigation, it appears there are quite a lot of instances of this happening. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. It has not been inspected by any dealer, police, insurance or any others.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver, and the steering wheel failed to return to center after making a turn. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 220,000.

Loss of power steering occasionally, getting a power steering fault, but as of now, starts working again.

Electric power steering system does not work.

I was in a parking lot when the electric power steering went out. Couldn’t turn wheel at all.

Lose of controlled of the steering will driving.

The system that warns the driver that you do not have both hands on the steering wheel. It turns on while I have both hands on the wheel and sometimes I can not get it to acknowledge that and the car begins to stop on the interstate, in traffic and in a dark tunnel wiht no shoulder. The dealer can not reproduce the proble,. I have had it to them now for the third time. It has been inspected by the dealer and they have only reinstalled the software and can not fix the problem nore can they disable the system. This has been occuring with this care since I purchased it and have had it into the dealer but no fix. During a recent trip it acted very dangerously and I began to slo in a dark tunnel and even after banging ther steering wheel in frustration it continued to activeae and slow the car from 70 mph to 30 mpg. I tryed to take a video of the problem but that became to dangerous. I stopped during my trip and installed a zip tie on the steering wheel and that seemed to help a bit with but even with both hands on the steering wheel and the zip tie it still activated several times. This has occurred several times over the past two years.

See all problems of the 2023 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and accelerating, the steering wheel inadvertently veered to the left, and the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 159,200.

Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding my 2016 Ford Explorer (VIN: [xxx] . ) build date: (08/15. ), mileage (115,262. ). My vehicle has experienced a steering rack failure, which poses a serious risk of loss of steering control. I am aware of multiple recalls (such as 20v-675 / Ford 20s62 and 21v-537 / Ford 21s32) addressing rear suspension toe link fractures in 2016 Ford Explorers. These recalls cover vehicles built in the same timeframe as mine, but my VIN is not included. This exclusion is concerning, as both the steering rack and suspension defect involve loss of steering control and directly impact driver and passenger safety. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate: 1. Why certain VIN's, including mine, were excluded despite being manufactured in the recall window. 2. Whether steering rack failures in the 2016 Ford Explorer should also be subject to an official safety recall. Thank you for your attention to this urgent safety matter. I look forward to hearing from somebody. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Power steering went out, could barely steer the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 50-55 mph, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "power steering failure -service immediately" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side road. The contact was able to drive to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed and determined that steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 139,160.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the steering wheel became stiff and did not drive as intended. The contact stated that the next morning, she observed a sound emanating from the steering wheel column. The check engine warning light was illuminated before the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact believed that the failure was associated with NHTSA campaign number: 20v675000 (suspension). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 156,580.

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.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 mph the power steering was disabled and the steering wheel became very difficult to steer, the following warning messages were displayed on the instrument panel "service advance track" and "steering loss, stop safely" and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer however the vehicle was not diagnosed as the contact was advised that the vehicles VIN was not included in any open recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 131,590.

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).

Electric power steering failure while driving.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to make a turn from a stop, while turning the power steering function became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 222,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle for regular service, he was made aware that the driver’s side cv axle was leaking. The contact was informed that the driver’s side cv axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 54,000.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Explorer 🔎.

An emission control alert appears when driving; seconds later, you have no control over the vehicle. The steering wheel locks up, and you can not turn while you are still driving. The risk is very high due to the car doesn't stop, and you can not move out of traffic due to no control over the vehicle. If this were to happen on the highway or during bad weather, this could cause death. This has happened a total of 3x and had to be towed 2x to the machines. July 28th 2025 and July 20th 2024 it was towed for this issue of no control of the vehical due to locked up.

While driving on [xxx] in atlanta, GA, my 2014 Ford Explorer suddenly lost all power steering without warning. The dash displayed: “steering assist fault – service required”, and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. I was in the vehicle with my wife and [xxx] daughter, and we were traveling at highway speed. We were extremely lucky to be in the right lane at the time — otherwise, I may not have been able to safely maneuver or exit traffic. This could have easily led to a catastrophic crash. I was barely able to keep control of the vehicle and managed to pull over onto the shoulder. A few days before this incident, I noticed a brief steering warning, but the system reset on its own. After the highway event, I had the vehicle scanned and received the following diagnostic codes: u2011:00-49 and u3000, indicating a power steering control module (pscm) failure. This is the same exact failure that led to recall 14s06 for 2011–2013 Ford Explorers, but my 2014 model is not currently included — despite having the same eps system and failure pattern. The component is still in the vehicle and available for inspection. I have not yet had it inspected by a Ford dealer or a certified mechanic but intend to do so. I am submitting this complaint to request an investigation and to express my deep concern for the safety of my family and others who may be driving 2014 Explorers with the same defective system. This is a dangerous, recurring problem that demands immediate attention. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. 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 not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.

I was driving the family and about to enter the highway when my steering started to feel like there may be a problem. The steering started to feel like it was sticking. I turned around and headed back home (about 4 miles) by the time I entered my street, steering failure warning lights started on the dashboard. I had to come to an abrupt stop because the steering wheel would not turn to pull in my driveway. We had to dolly the rear of the car over so I can pull straight into my driveway. I can not even imagine what would have happened if I did not turn around to head home. If this happend on the highway or on a ramp, I could have become devestating.

As I was parking my 2015 Ford Explorer sport, a warning appeared on the instrument panel stating “power steering assist fault,” and the steering suddenly became so difficult that I was unable to move the vehicle. Although this has only happened once, I’m very concerned about the possibility of it occurring again—especially while driving on the highway. Losing the ability to steer could put my family’s lives, and the lives of others, in serious danger. I have read numerous customer complaints about this exact issue on the NHTSA website. It’s time for the manufacturer to issue a recall for these vehicles and fix the problem before someone loses their life due to this defect.

The contact’s daughter owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving on the highway at 55 mph, the steering wheel seized, and the power steering assist was disabled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the power steering assist feature was still inoperable. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the rack and pinion was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, 2 years later the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 35 mph, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel became stiff. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The driver pulled over, restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle regained power steering functionality and the warning lights turned off; however, the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was not contacted and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 129,000.