Steering Problems of Ford Explorer - part 2

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while stopped at a light, and accelerating, he observed a loud popping noise. The contact stated that the vehicle did not steer as intended as the vehicle slid all over while attempting to steer. Additionally, the tms warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure . The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

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My power steering went out within 5 minutes of the "service power steering now" and the "lane keeping system malfunction service required" lights came on while I was driving on the interstate at 75 mph. When I turned off the Explorer and turned it back on the power steering was completely gone. I checked on Ford's recall website and they show that there is a "customer service program" for the epas steering efforts and for "rear toe link inspection replacement", nothing stating that these "customer service programs" were restricted at 10 years or 150,000 miles anywhere online. When I call Ford to let them know that my VIN is showing that the electric power steering should be covered and asking about what can be done to get my broken down Explorer to them and then I get told that my Explorer doesn't qualify anymore. When I typed in my VIN it said my Explorer qualifies, why would it show that if the program ended at 10 years which would have been 2023. This makes the owners of these Ford's believe that Ford will take care of their vehicles when there is a know safety issue but then that is not the case. I could've wrecked going 75 mph if I wouldn't have gotten off the interstate. This known issue for the 2013 Ford Explorers should be taken care of if they are still coming up under recalls on Ford's website when the VIN is entered.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while in reverse (r) the vehicle would not turn left or right as the steering wheel became stiff. The contact stated that when the vehicle was put in drive (d) and pulled into a parking spot, the steering wheel was stiff as well. The contact did not recall any warning lights at that time. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and restarted and the failure did not reoccur. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to have maintenance on the brakes, where it was diagnosed that steering rack assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,500.

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I’ve been experiencing a buzzing sound whenever I turn the steering wheel, and the more I drive the vehicle, the louder the noise becomes. I took it to a local shop, and they advised me that the power steering rack is going bad — a very common issue in 2017–2019 Ford Explorers, especially around the 100,000-mile mark. They provided a quote of $2,652. 86 to have it replaced. I was also warned that if it’s not replaced soon, the steering could lock up while driving, preventing me from turning the wheel, which poses a serious safety risk. No warning lights or dashboard messages have appeared, which makes the issue even more concerning.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the steering became difficult to turn. The message “power steering assist fault" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that an unknown part had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

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The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle went into limp mode and stalled. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off, and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the steering gear 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. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 183,340.

The contact, who owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact reported an issue with the power steering becoming inoperable. The incident occurred when the owner's husband stopped for fuel, and upon returning, the steering wheel locked up. The maintenance engine warning light was also illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion and steering needed replacement. However, the vehicle was not repaired at the dealership. Subsequently, an independent mechanic confirmed the need for steering and rack and pinion replacement, but the parts were backordered. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The owner was referred to the NHTSA hotline. The failure occurred at approximately 102,000 miles.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Explorer 🔎.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel felt stiff. The messages "service power steering now" and "service advance track" appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a local independent service shop, where it was diagnosed with an unknown communication error and in need of a sensor reset. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another local independent service shop for a second opinion, where it was diagnosed with the same failure experienced prior. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 15v340000 (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 70,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The message "power steering assist fault" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality became operable. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle the following day, the failure recurred, and the steering wheel locked up. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. The messages "power steering assist fault" and "service power steering" were displayed, and the traction control warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 93,572.

I was driving to az from a CO vacation with my two kids in the car when the steering in my 2013 Ford Explorer locked up. I had exited the freeway and was on a 2 lane country blacktop. I approached some curves in the road and at that point noticed I had absolutely no steering whatsoever. I noticed warning lights came on around that same time. I started slowing down, as the road continued to curve I entered the oncoming traffic lane, went onto the shoulder, back into oncoming traffic lane, back into my lane and onto my shoulder before coming to a complete stop. I'm not sure how or why we are all ok/still alive. I had zero control or steering ability in my moving vehicle. We could have so easily been in an accident or killed. I myself, as a driver, am traumatized. The car was towed to the closest Ford dealer where I'm not getting much help. I've been told many 2013 Ford Explorers were recalled for steering issues, but unfortunately mine isn't included. They have also had the car for several weeks and have yet to completely figure out/repair the problem. When I called Ford customer service, they suggested I report it to you.

The power steering assist in my vehicle is becoming progressively worse, I would welcome an inspection. Basically, the power steering assist will vary throughout the sweep of the steering wheel. During a turn or lane change the power steering may feel normal, be non-existent, or alternate between the 2 conditions, often requiring significant force to steer the vehicle (vehicle speed seems to make no difference. ) this condition is an obvious safety risk for vehicle occupants or any other vehicles, pedestrians, or property in the vicinity. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or service center - I have gathered from researching various message boards that Ford will disavow the issue and tell me that I will need a new steering rack at a charge of approximately $3,000. No inspection has been done as of yet. No warning lamps or messages have presented as of yet and there are no unusual sounds accompanying the problem. The problem has been going on for approximately 3 weeks.

When driving and going to make a turn or change lanes . The steering wheel will stick and have a little jerk . Had it looked at but could not find anything. It’s been happening since July . I’m afraid it might not turn when I want it to . My husband did notice it when I drove him to airport . Wondering if recall on this .

I own a 2015 Ford and the power steering system just stopped working with abs and traction being lost as well. My husband owns a 2016 Ford f150 and has the same thing going on with his truck. I am seeing this is being reported as a common problem with Fords electric power steering.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact heard a grinding sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering module and 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 notified of the failure, and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 155,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The power steering unit failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed electronic power steering rack. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed electronic power steering rack. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 40 mph, there was a clanking sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that the steering wheel shifted to the left and the contact immediately corrected the steering wheel; however, in the process the vehicle became airborne. The contact stated that upon landing, the front driver’s, the front passenger’s, and rear driver’s side tires were deflated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that the control arms, wheel axles, wheel bearings, rims, and tires were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

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.

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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 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with electronic power steering control module failure. The contact was informed that that the independent mechanic found that the eps control module was water damaged. 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 but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 135,000.

Clunking noise coming from rear possible tow link, clicking noise coming from steering even when vehicle not moving.

See all problems of the 2012 Ford Explorer 🔎.

When turn left or right the steering did not want to turn right away, and when it did it was sudden release.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel seized. The message "check power steering" was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 191,000.

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 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. 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, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 127,000.

Experiencing issues with power steering after battery replacement. Taken to two Ford dealerships (fayetteville, GA & morrow, GA) . One unable to diagnose (fayetteville) and the other reset battery settings (morrow). Issue still persistent with intermittent power steering failure while driving. Very dangerous and scary! errors that appear: service advance trac, steering assist fault service required & pre-collision assist not available.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Explorer 🔎.

Electronic steering box is intermittent and sticking when turning left. Diagnosed with steering gear replacement which has been recalled on other 2011-2013 Ford Explorers.

Steering assist not working, could not steer the vehicle.

Front axle boot defective and leaks grease causing steering instability and possible powertrain failure. Dealer charged $475 to fix/replace the part. Upon further research on-line, it is apparent that thousands of 2020 Ford Explorers exhibit the same problem and the manufacturer should be fixing this problem free of charge.

Steering gets really hard and jerks acts like the steering isn't working.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his mother was driving and stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated an unknown message was displayed on the instrument panel before the steering wheel seized. After several attempts, the vehicle was restarted, and the vehicle returned to normal functionality. The vehicle was taken to jamie tires; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while her sister was driving the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired for the most recent failure. The contact became aware of NHTSA campaign number: 14v286000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

Steering wheel when turned to right or left makes a loud screeching sound. It was brought to dealership and diagnosed that the steering wheel computer is failing and only way to fix is to replace the entire steering wheel rack. 5k to replace. Vehicle was inspected in April ‘25. Same issue has been happening constantly since. 80k miles also, rear back up camera goes blank intermittently.

Ford dealership loganville GA serviced recall 14s06 on this vehicle on Aug. 2014 when no problems were detected. This closed the recall with no parts being replaced. Now June 2025 the steering module and steering gear failed leaving me not many options because of being just outside the warranty window. I asked Ford for a one time replacement of the steering gear since no parts where replaced at time of service but was denied. I think safety issues like this should be addressed on case by case situation. I have all documentation from my local dealership in fayetteville GA. I think another recall should be issued because of reoccurring problems with the steering system on this vehicle. Thanks.

I was at apple Ford of lynchburg, va when I grabbed the steering wheel to exit the vehicle when the steering wheel came loose and began to wobble up and down, making the car impossible to control safely. The service department and I came to the conclusion that this may represent an apparent safety issue that must be addressed.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, with the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 206,000.

Driving vehicle along highway, two alerts came on from the computer. Power steering warning, system advancetrac warning. Could hardly steer the vehicle appropriately. My vehicle does not fit in the may 17, 2010, and February 28, 2012, recall as it was manufactured in 08/12 so I cannot fix this issue. The vehicle is unsafe for travel and is just 6 months after the recall making me believe it is apart of the affected vehcile.