CarComplaints.com Notes: The NHTSA's complaint data shows potentially scary power steering problems with the 2011 Ford Explorer.
The steering complaints are pretty serious - owners report the power steering cuts out while driving. The NHTSA opened an investigation into the power steering problems in June 2012, which lead to a recall in 2014. However years later, many 2011 Explorer owners report this defect is still occurring.
It's too bad because the 2009 & 2010 Ford Explorer are solid, trouble-free model years.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
64,844 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
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.
My husband bought my car from a used Ford dealership 2 years ago. In the two years we have had to replace the molding around the front windshield 3 ones. The passenger side flew off while driving down a road and we replaced it. The driver side flew of 2 times after being replaced. We went to the Ford dealership and they said I'm sorry there is nothing we can do. He even told us that 4 other people came in wth the same problem.
I was traveling with my family down a busy highway. The windshield moulding on the driver side flew off. I was going about 70 mph with flow of traffic. No abnormal wind, just wind from speed. Was no reason it should have flew off. I have talked to numerous other Explorer owners and this is a common issue. Some have even had to be replaced more than once. Thank you for your time and I hope there is a solution found to this.
I have, on several occasions, have gotten very very tired while driveing my 2011 Ford Explorer to the point where I have almost fallen asleep behind the wheel driving and have fallen asleep while idiling in the driveway. Not to mention the excruciating headaches ive suffered from recently along with nausea, not to mention the smell of exhaust in the cabin.
When accelerating up inclines or hills or when entering the highway from the acceleration lane or accelerating to pass a strong odor of exhaust gas can be detected in the passenger cabin. The smell is so strong the windows have to be let down to evacuate the cabin of the exhaust gas.
Regards from the first year I purchased I have entered the exhaust area of the cabin. From the first year, service, people who attended me in the Ford dealer, told me I could not find a cause or that was part of the design of the unit. I got to take it to 2 different dealers whenever I'm driving and presented me having to climb down or up a hill, it is where the problem arises. I may happen in the express or normal roads. The one last visit for a recall, returned to discuss the problem and now tells me it costs me $ 600 for the repair memo I get how to work with the problem. I have trouble because they spent 36,000 miles. My comment is that from the first year've been reporting the problem and did not have any kind of solution. The smell is now very often and truly bothers to guide and must represent a health problem.
I was driving down I64 East when I started hearing this loud buzzing like noise. Next thing I knew it sounded like something hit my driving side window bounced alone my car and flew behind me causing the driver behind me to Dodge it....I pulled off the interstate to find that the trim was gone alone the driver side windshield. It had hit the drivers side on my car in multiple places and caused long black marks on my side mirror, and rear side panel. Got back on the interstate and not even ten minutes later it happened to the left side. Same exact thing! right passenger side trim flew off hitting my wife's window, scratched the car and caused person behind us to Dodge it. I also had my four children in the car, so everyone was very upset and scared considering that it could have caused us to wreck going 70 mph down the interstate in heavy traffic.I called the dealership (greenbrier Ford) where we bought it and the service manager told me that is too bad, come in and get and estimate, so you can pay to fix your repairs. This is definitely a malfunction with this exterior of the car which I shouldn't be liable for especially considering that it could have caused a major accident and harmed my family. I guess Ford needs someone to die before they recall or fix the problem. Thanks Ford for caring...not.. what has happened to integrity??
The hood paint is bubbling up and shows corrosion along the front. The rubber around the windshield is dry rotted and crumbling all around the windshield. The dealer refuses to do anything about either problem. There is a Ford tsb issued on the paint issue.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that rear passenger and the front driver side door handles failed to operate intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 15V171000 (structure) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated the failure mileage was 70,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V171000 (structure); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign id number: 15V171000 (structure) however, the part needed to perform the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the quarter panel and hood were showing signs of corrosion. The contact stated that the corrosion continued to expand. The vehicle was taken the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the paint bubbled and chipped on the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on two different occasions for the same issue. The technician diagnosed that the hood had to be replaced because it was made out of aluminum and started to corrode. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was previously painted as a remedy for the corrosion. The manufacturer made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 20,000.
Corrosion has formed on the leading edge of the hood assembly and shows no signs of impacts or scratches that would suggest that this was influenced from an outside source.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that over 3 inches of rain leaked into the vehicle through the luggage racks on top of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the seam in between the metal roof and the roof luggage racks had worn out and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. While driving in inclement weather at an unknown speed, water leaked down the rear driver and rear passenger seat belts. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 22,000.
I was driving down the street at around 20 mph when there were cars that suddenly stopped. When I was braking I felt as if the steering was allowing me to turn and it happened so fast I felt as if I lost braking power. Then I hit the car in front of me hard.
My vehicle was parked in the driveway, where it had been since the previous day. I opened the front drivers side door and got into the car. I put the keys into the ignition switch and started the vehicle. At this point I closed the drivers side door. At this moment I heard a loud "pop" sound. I looked into the rear view mirror and saw a large hole in the glass of the upper center portion of the rear window. Upon further inspection the remaining glass was shattered and spider webbed. There was glass on the ground outside the vehicle as well as in the rear compartment of the car.
The chrome on the vehicle (back panel, wheels, door handles, grill and side bumpers) are all corroding. Ford is denying any responsibility saying it is "environmental" even though the vehicle is less than 8 months old. The vehicle will inevitably rust compromising the value and safety.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Pasadena, TX, USA