2011 FORD EXPLORER Steering Problems

COMING TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN, WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED - POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE AND ADVANCE TRAC CONTROL FAULT. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING ASSIST. WITH MUCH EFFORT (EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER!), I PULLED THE VEHICLE TO A PARKING SPACE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING MESSAGE STAYED ON. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL 'OFF" LIGHT ALSO STAYED ILLUMINATED. I TURNED THE EXPLORER OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING MESSAGE WENT OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALER (ALAN VIGIL FORD) THE NEXT MORNING. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW STEERING RACK. PARTS WILL NOT BE IN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEY TOLD ME I COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE PARTS ARRIVE. I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THEM THEN. *TR

I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH WHEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CAR TO MY RIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO MUSCLE THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ONTO A SIDE STREET. THE DASH BOARD WAS FLASHING POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT, THEN SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT AND THE MESSAGE CLEARED. I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SHOWED THEM THE PICTURES, THE DEALER DID A EPAS DIAGNOSIS, IT SAID CODE C200D:49, AND AN INTERACTIVE DIAGNOSIS PINPOINT TEST, IT SAID INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE, THEY REPLACED THE EPAS RACK AND PINION. I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK TODAY AND IT APPEARS AND FEELS LIKE IT'S TURNING FINE. *TR

WHILE ENTERING A ROADWAY OUR EXPLORER SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE SHOWED A POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT ALSO A SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC CODE FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF TERRAIN MANAGEMENT NOTICE ALSO AT THIS TIME THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT OPERATE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR DEALERSHIP . THEY RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME AFTER REPROGRAMMING ABS MODULE PER TSB12-08-09. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN SUNDAY JULY14 CALLED DEALERSHIP THEY WILL CALL ME BACK WITH THEIR FINDINGS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING QUITE, WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD BUT WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. NOW FORD WANT $2119.00, TO REPAIR A MANUFACTURED PART THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE VEHICLES WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE IS OWNED BY THE DISABLED VETERANS OF AMERICA AND USED TO TRANSPORT VETERANS IN OPERATED BY THE RANDOLPH COUNTY VETERAN'S OFFICE WINCHESTER, IN. I HAVE TAKEN CARE THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SERVICED ON TIME AND THIS IS A BLOW TO THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF THE VETERANS OF RANDOLPH COUNTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS A GEAR IN STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

MY POWER STEERING FAILED. THE DASHBOARD LITE UP AND SAID SOMETHING ABOUT POWER STEERING TRAC IN RED. COULDN'T READ IT AS I WAS TO BUSY TRYING TO CONTROL CAR IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. I TURNED CAR OFF AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT, ALL WAS FINE. I CALLED MY FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING CAR TO,SERVICE ON WEDNESDAY TO REPAIR NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR THE THIRD TIME AND NOW THEY WILL HAVE TO CHECK THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING EAST ON ROUTE 422 FROM ROYERSFORD TO KING OF PRUSSIA AT 55 MPH AUDIBLE WARNING ALARM WENT OFF WITH TWO LIGHTS ON DASH. LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL. TOO UNSAFE TO PULL OFF ON SHOULDER IN DARK, STRUGGLED WITH STEERING FOR ABOUT 2 MILES TO NEXT OFF RAMP. RESTARTED VEHICLE ON OFF RAMP AND POWER STEERING RETURNED. I WILL CALL DEALER TOMORROW AS WARRANTY IS NEARLY UP. CAR MANUAL EXPLAINS THIS EXACT SITUATION AS IF ITS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. JUST REBOOT YOUR CAR (IF YOU SURVIVED THE CRASH!) I HAVE NEVER HAD A POWER STEERING FAILURE IN 25 YEARS. IF THIS HAPPENS TO FRAIL PERSON IN A TURN, THEY WILL NOT PULL OUT OF TURN AND WILL HIT THE CLOSEST OBJECT IN THE PATH OF THEIR TURN. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE GOING DOWN SAM RAYBURN TOLLWAY IN MCKINNEY TX. STEERING ASSIST CUT OUT AND WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON DASH. WIFE HAD TO TRY AND PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD. THERE WAS A SLIGHT BEND AND SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FAIRLY STRAIGHT ONTO THE SHOULDER. FORTUNATELY THERE WEREN'T ANY OTHER CARS AROUND HER. SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED THE DAY BEFORE GOING UNDER 10 MPH ON A SIDE STREET/DRIVEWAY. SHUTTING CAR DOWN AND RESTARTING IT FIXED THE ISSUE BUT IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW. TRYING TO CONTACT DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM (LEFT MESSAGE). *TR

LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A TURN OR CORNER. *TR

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE TAKING A CURB AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED. COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE, AND HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURN IT OFF.A WARNING CAME ON THE SCREEN ABOUT STEERING FAILURE, AND AFTER TURNING CAR BACK ON, IT WORKED FINE. DEALERSHIP SERVICE TECH WAS RUDE AND UNCOOPERATIVE ON THE PHONE, TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. MY CAR I STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE SERVICE TECH TOLD ME I WOULD BE CHARGED FOR A RENTAL. RIDICULOUS. *TR

THE POWER STEERING ON OUR 2011 FORD EXPLORER HAS FAILED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING, CAUSING UNSAFE CONDITIONS, FORCING US TO PULL OVER. IT DID NOT SELF-CORRECT WHEN RESTARTING. THERE WERE 2 MESSAGE LIGHTS: SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC AND POWER STEERING ASSIST. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WERE GIVEN A REPAIR PRICE TAG EXCEEDING $2,000 AND TOLD THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR. WE THEN CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENCY AND WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL IN PLACE AND THAT WE WERE OVER THE 36,000 MILE GENERAL WARRANTY. ALSO, THAT THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY OF 60,000 MILES WOULD NOT COVER THE POWER STEERING. *TR

ON JUNE 9 2013. I WAS DRIVING ONTO A HIGHWAY ON-RAMP AND SUDDENLY THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. THE ALARM SOUNDED AND THE WARNING DISPLAY INDICATE A POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE AS WELL AS TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE AND TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FAILURE. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT TO CATCH A FLIGHT, SO I PROCEEDED APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES TO THE AIRPORT AND PARKED. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, ESPECIALLY AT SLOW SPEEDS. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAITED A WHILE TO RESTART, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL PRESENT. UPON RETURNING FROM MY TRIP (JUNE 12), THE POWER STEERING FAULT HAD CLEARED, BUT TERRAIN MGMT AND TRACTION CONTROL WERE STILL PRESENT (APPARENTLY THE FUNCTIONS WERE DISABLED AT THAT POINT). THE NEXT DAY, I DROVE TO WORK AND POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALER THAT MORNING JUNE13. THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO...

WHILE DRIVE DOWN HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH, AUDIBLE WARNING ALARM WENT OFF WITH TWO LIGHTS ON DASH. LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL. SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING. WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER BUT AFTER SHUTTING VEHICLE DOWN AND RESTARTING POWER STEERING WAS BACK. I WILL TAKE IT TO DEALER TOMORROW AS WARRANTY IS NEARLY UP AND SCARED TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS FROM MONTH 3 OF PURCHASE. COOLING FANS BLEW, SUNROOF RATTLES, BUT THE WORST WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND HEARD A POP. THE STEERING WHEEL BOLT HAD BROKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD IT FOR 2 DAYS TO FIX IT. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CORPORATE AND NEVER RECEIVED CALL OR EMAIL BACK FROM THEM. THEN I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER SEEMED STRAIGHT. IT ALWAYS TURNED TO THE LEFT. IT WENT BACK IN THE SHOP ON 06/12/2013 TO BE FIXED. THEY STATED IT NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT BUT FACT IS IT WAS NEVER FIXED CORRECTLY AS THEY NEVER SAW THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. THEN ON 06/15/2013 DRIVNG VEHICLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND ALL THE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE. I MANAGED TO GET IT PULLED OVER AFTER BEING IN A TOTAL...

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED I RECEIVED AUDIBLE ALARMS AND DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS TO SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC AND TERRAIN MANAGEMENT. AT THAT TIME THE STEERING BECOME VERY DIFFICULT. THE CAR WAS MANUVERABLE THOUGH QUITE DIFFICULT SO I PROCEEDED 10 MILES TO MY DESTINATION AT REDUCED SPEED. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY THE PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT OVERNIGHT AND UPON RESTARTING THE PROBLEM HAD GONE AWAY. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALER AND THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $2,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING FAILED AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PERFORM AS IF THE TIRES WERE ALSO FAILING; HOWEVER, THE TRACTION AND STEERING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST HAD FAILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE ADVANCED TRACK AND POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. A LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE SYSTEM MADE A SOUND TO LET ME KNOW THERE WAS A MESSAGE. IT LET ME KNOW THAT I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY POWER STEERING. I WAS TURNING INTO AN ISLE, AND HAD TO PUT MY BODY INTO TURNING THE SUV. I PULLED INTO A WIDE OPEN PARKING SPACE, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. THE ISSUE RESOLVED ITSELF. TWO DAYS LATER I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK DOING ABOUT 30MPH AND THE SAME MESSAGE CAME ON AND THE POWER WENT OUT. I HAD TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET MY CAR IN THE NEXT AVAILABLE TIME, WHICH WAS FOUR DAYS LATER. THAT EVENING I WAS TAKING A CAR LOAD OF LITTLE BOYS TO A...

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE TWO LIGHT WARNINGS FLASHED. ONE SAID ADVANCED TRAC SYSTEM AUTO (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT). MY STEERING WHEEL THEN LOCKED AND I GOT SCARED AND PULLED OVER. I COULD NOT MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL TO DRIVE PROPERLY SO I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND WAITED OVER 2 HOURS FOR A TOW. I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN TRUCK. IT GOT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY JUST CALLED AND SAID IT WAS THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL MODULE. THANKFULLY IT IS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT IS A HUGE INCONVENIENCE. NOT TO MENTION , MY WARRANTY IS ENDING IN ONLY 3000 MORE MILES . GUESS I NEED TO EXTEND IT JUST IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR

ON ENGINE START UP, THE DASH SCREEN READ "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN USING THE STEERING WHEEL MANUALLY. I CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE. THERE WAS THE SUGGESTION TO TURN OFF AND RESTART THE CAR WHICH DID SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEN THE DASH READS ANOTHER WARNING "TERRAIN MANAGEMENT FAULT." I CALLED THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT THIS WEEK, BUT I NO LONGER TRUST THIS CAR, WHICH WE USE TO TRANSPORT OUR TODDLER GRANDCHILDREN AND WE WILL NOT USE IT AGAIN UNTIL WE GET SATISFACTION. I SAW THAT SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS NOTED A RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE SAME PROBLEM, MAJOR PART REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING MECHANISMS AND DELAYS IN REPAIRS. THAT SAYS TO ME THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD DEMAND A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAD INDEPENDENTLY DEACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILURE LIGHT AS WELL AS VEHICLE TRACTION LIGHT CAME IN. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY TIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND NO VEHICLES WERE AROUND. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT FIXES THE PROBLEM. IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY GOING THAT SPEED TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING LIGHT COME ON. *TR

ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS BEGINNING IN 2012 I WAS MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT AND TRACTION ASSIST LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF. I WAS ONLY A GOING A FEW MILES PER HOUR. ON THE FIFTH OCCASION IN MAY 2013 I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH A SECURED GREEN LIGHT MAKING A LEFT TURN, PROBABLY GOING ABOUT 25 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION ASSIST LIGHTS CAME ON. THE STEERING IMMEDIATELY LOCKED UP AND THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF, ONLY THIS TIME I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND ALMOST GOT REAR-ENDED BY A CAR THAT WAS FOLLOWING ME THROUGH THE LIGHT. IT WAS THE SCARIEST THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED AS A DRIVER AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WAS RAINING? I WOULD HAVE SURELY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT...

WAS DRIVING AND RECEIVED AN ALARM ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STATING THAT THE POWER STEERING UNIT FAILED - AND LOST COMPLETE POWER STEERING SO HAD TO MANUALLY STEER THE CAR WHICH WAS DIFFICULT - REFERRED TO MANUAL AND IT SAID TO STOP CAR AND TURN OFF AND SHOULD RESET PROBLEM.. DID THAT AND IT WORKED FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES THEN CAME BACK ON - TOOK TO DEALER THIS MORNING AND THEY SAID THE STEERING RACK FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.. MY CAR IS IN SHOP FOR TWO DAYS.. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 FORD EXPLORER THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE GAVE ME A WARNING, BUT ONLY AFTER THE STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. MY ONLY OPTION WAS TO TRY AND GET OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR. TURNING THE CAR OFF, THEN BACK ON APPEARS TO RESET THE ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A ROAD. BECAUSE THE CHANGE WAS SO UNEXPECTED THE CAR COULDN'T BE TURNED IN TIME TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. I HAD TO TURN OFF MY CAR, THEN TURN IT BACK ON WHILE BLOCKING TWO LANES OF FRONTAGE ROAD BECAUSE IT BECAME NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING. TWO INCIDENTS. THE FIRST OCCURRED AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY ONTO A FRONTAGE ROAD (05/03/13). THE SECOND WAS DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD...

I WAS DRIVING MY WIFE'S CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A COUPLE MONTHS, I WAS COMING TO A RED LIGHT AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. I COULDN'T MOVE THE WHEEL. TWO WARNING SYSTEM LIGHTS CAME ON, POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND TERRAIN MANAGEMENT FAULT. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE CAR OFF TO RESTART. EVERYTHING WORKED AFTER. IT'S A GOOD THING IT HAPPENED TO ME AND NOT HER. *TR

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL AND TWO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. THE TWO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON WERE ADVANCED TRACK SYSTEM AND POWER STEERING ASSIST. *TR

I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN AT A T-INTERSECTION, ATTEMPTING A LEFT-HAND TURN WHEN THE CAR WARNING LIGHT SOUNDED. AT THE VERY SAME TIME, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED. I WAS SOMEHOW ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP JUST AS I COMPLETED THE TURN. I AM VERY THANKFUL I WASN'T GOING FASTER OR HAD TO DEAL WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THIS OCCURRED. TWO WARNING MESSAGES ALSO FLASHED ON THE INFO DASH WHILE THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED: (1) SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC AND (2) POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. ONCE THE CAR WAS IN PARK, I TURN IT OFF, OPENED THE DOOR AND THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE. AT THAT TIME, ALL WARNING LIGHTS AND SYSTEM WARNINGS WERE GONE AND THE STEERING FUNCTIONED NORMALLY ONCE MORE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, I HEARD A DING AND TWO WARNINGS CAME UP ON MY INFORMATION PANEL STATING "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC" AND "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT". I WAS COMING INTO A CURVE AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THESE WARNINGS CAME ON, I LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND BARELY AVOIDED A CRASH. I STOPPED MY VEHICLE, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND MADE A PHONE CALL TO MY HUSBAND AND THEN RESTARTED MY CAR AND THE WARNINGS WERE GONE AND MY POWER STEERING WAS WORKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF 8 TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND IS GETTING HARDER TO GET THE POWER STEERING TO WORK AFTER RESTARTING THE LAST FEW TIMES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ARE TELLING ME IT IS A STEERING GEAR AND THEY HAVE ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT PART, BUT WITH MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, IT WILL COST ME A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. I'VE SINCE...

I WAS DRIVING THE 2011 FORD EXPLORER FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND AS I GOT ABOUT 2 MILES FROM MY DESTINATION THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC MESSAGES BOTH BEGAN BLINKING ON THE DASH. THEN THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENS AND I CAN TELL THAT ITS LOCKING. I WAS ABLE TO TURN RIGHT WITH A LOT OF FORCE AND GET INTO THE PARKING LOT. THEN I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND WE BOTH BEGAN TO GOOGLE THE PROBLEM AND SAW OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I WAITED ABOUT AN HOUR AND CUT THE VEHICLE ON AND THE WHEEL WAS UNLOCKED AND MESSAGES CLEARED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME WITH NO OTHER ISSUES BUT I WILL BE AT THE DEALERSHIP MONDAY. WE HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES PRIOR TO TODAY. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT WAITING TO TURN LEFT. THE GREEN ARROW APPEARED SO I STARTED TO MAKE MY LEFT HAND TURN AND LOST POWER STEERING CAPABILITY. SEVERAL "DINGS" SOUNDED AND INDICATORS ON MY DASHBOARD LIT UP. I WAS ABLE TO GET AROUND THE CORNER WITH A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE ON THE WHEEL AND GET INTO A PARKING LOT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RE-STARTING, THE POWER STEERING CAPABILITY WAS RETURNED, BUT THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE STILL ACTIVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN ON A FLAT-BED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT IS STILL THERE BEING ASSESSED. *TR

ATTEMPTED TO START CAR IN PARKING LOT, POWER STEERING FAILURE LIGHT FLASHED ON AND WHEEL BECAME TOTALLY LOCKED. CERTAINLY THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY THAT I COULD TURN IT. TURNED CAR OFF TO CALL DEALERSHIP, AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES I RE-STARTED THE CAR. POWER STEERING RESPONDED AND I DROVE TO DEALERSHIP, THEN HOME. IF I HAD BEEN IN MOVING TRAFFIC WHEN THE STEERING FAILED, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE RESULTED. I NOW DISCOVER THAT FORD HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS OVER POWER STEERING OF THE 2011 FORD EXPLORER, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN EVER MADE. *TR

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2011 EXPLORER HAS LOCKED MANY TIMES BUT I WAS NEVER IN A POSITION TO HAVE TIME TO SNAP A PICTURE OR REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT THE CODE SAID WHEN IT CAME UP, BUT I HAD BEEN TELLING MY DEALER THAT IT WAS OCCURRING OFTEN. THIS PAST TIME IT DID IT I WAS TURNING RIGHT ON A ROAD AND IT LOCKED UP SO MY SPEED WAS SLOW SO I COULD MANAGE TO COME TO A STOP AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN TO GET IT TO CLEAR. I SNAPPED A PICTURE SO I COULD SHOW THEM WHEN I DROPPED THE CAR OFF. MY DEALER HAS TOLD ME EVERYTIME I COMPLAIN THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANYONE ELSE COMPLAIN WITH THIS PROBLEM. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THIS TIME WHEN I TOOK IT IN THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE...

ON WEDNESDAY 2/5/13 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT A CONSTANT SPEED OF 55 MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN I SEE A WARNING POP UP THAT SAYS POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. EVEN TO MAKE SLIGHT CURVES IN THE ROAD WHERE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I BARELY HAD TIME TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN TRAFFIC BEFORE GETTING HIT. ALSO, MY TURN SIGNALS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THE WARNINGS WENT AWAY. HOWEVER AS I STARTED MY ROUTE TO GET HOME THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKING SYSTEM SEIZED AND WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING AND BRAKING SYSTEMS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE STEERING UNIT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE12017 (STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

I OWN A 2011 FORD EXPLORER, I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS ALONG AT ABOUT 65 MPH AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING "TRACTION CONTROL" "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURES" . STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE AND STEER CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED 1/2 DOZEN TIMES, EACH TIME I SLOWLY STEER THE CAR TO A SAFE STOP TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART THE CAR AND ERROR CLEARS OUT. THIS LAST TIME IT OCCURRED AS I WAS TURNING LEFT FROM A LEFT TURN LANE WHEN SUDDENLY IN THE M IDLE OF THE TURN MY POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. FORTUNATELY I WAS TRAVELING AT VERY LOW SPEED, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER CAR AND WENT ONTO ONCOMING LANE AGAIN I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HIT ANYONE. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THE PROBLEM DID...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE STEERING GEAR SHIFT WAS REPLACED. THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO DAYS LATER. THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE STEERING GEAR SHIFT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECURRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,500. ..UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF 02/01/2013 *JS

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FUNCTION TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STEER. THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS ALSO DISABLED AT THE SAME TIME. THE OCCURRED FIRST IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THEN THE NEXT DAY IN A PARKING LOT AT A LOCAL BUSINESS. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING THE ISSUE WAS CLEARED FROM THE COMPUTER AND THE STEERING RESUMED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR REPAIR AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT. THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE AND MAKE THE REPAIRS. *TR

PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT OFF OF A HIGHWAY POWER STEERING FROZE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO MOVE. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND ON AGAIN BUT STILL HAD SAME ISSUE AND COULD NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL. TURNED POWER OFF, TOOK KEY OUT OF IGNITION AND GOT OUT OF VEHICLE. WENT BACK IN AND RESTARTED VEHICLE AND STEERING SEEMED TO BE NORMAL AGAIN. DROPPED OFF AT DEALER THE NEXT DAY. IT HAS BEEN 10 WEEKS AND IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED, PART ON BACKORDER AND FEARFUL OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER IT IS FIXED. DEALER AND FORD REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER [XXX] TELLS ME THERE IS NATIONAL BACK ORDER ON PART. IF THIS IS THE CASE THIS MUST BE A BIG PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 25TH, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2011 FORD EXPLORER AWD LIMITED TO WORK AND THE EPAS POWER STEERING SHUT OFF. SHE WAS LUCKILY CLOSE TO WORK AND NOT DRIVING IN ANY CURVY TERRAIN, AND WAS ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE WITH GREAT EXERTION. I CAME OUT AND SWITCHED CARS SO THAT I COULD DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER. THE EPAS WAS WORKING AGAIN WHEN I TURNED ON THE CAR. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY SAW THE FAULT WHEN THEY HOOKED THE CAR TO THEIR SYSTEM. AS OF TODAY, 11/14/12, FORD STILL HAS POSSESSION OF OUR VEHICLE, WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER WAITING ABOUT 20 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED BACK ON. THE WARNING LIGHTS REAPPEARED AND THE POWER STEERING STILL DID NOT WORK. ONCE THE CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE, THE WARNING LIGHTS TURNED OFF AND THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. *TR

DRIVING ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD, WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED - POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE AND ADVANCE TRAC CONTROL FAULT. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING ASSIST. WITH MUCH EFFORT (EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER!), I PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT IT OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING MESSAGE WENT OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALER (BENSON FORD EASLEY SC). THEY FOUND PROBLEM CODES AND PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT FORD TOLD THEM WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ONE MONTH LATER, ON 6/18/2012, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST AGAIN FAILED. THIS TIME IN MY DRIVEWAY. AGAIN THE STEERING ASSIST RETURNED AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR. TOOK THE VEHICLE AGAIN TO BENSON FORD. TROUBLE CODES WERE FOUND AND THIS TIME THE FIX WAS A NEW STEERING GEAR AND RACK ASSEMBLY. AVAILABILITY OF THE PART WAS INITIALLY A PROBLEM BUT THE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING FAIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT RESUMED NORMAL FUNTION. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THAT THE CONTACT NEEDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE PART BECAME AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

BRAKES MAKE A GRUNTING/GRINDING SOUND WHEN BRAKING SHORTLY AFTER BEING STATIONARY. WHEN THIS PHENOMENON HAPPENS ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE, DRIVE GETS THE FEELING THAT BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS IS REDUCED GREATLY. OWNER HAS BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE NOISE ONE TIME. *TR

DRIVING ON THE SIDE STREET WHEN STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY STIFF AFTER A VERY SLIGHT STEER TO THE RIGHT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. WARNING LIGHTS APPEAR ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. TURNED OFF ENGINE AND RE-STARTING ENABLE STEERING AGAIN. SAME INCIDENT HAPPEN AGAIN WITHIN A WEEK, LUCKILY I AM DRIVING ON SIDE STREET AND SAME INCIDENT HAPPEN AGAIN. NEVER DROVE CAR ON FREEWAYS FOR FEAR OF LOSING STEERING CONTROL. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. DEALER SAID FIX COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER DEALER SAID THEY FIX IT, SAME INCIDENT HAPPEN WITH MY WIFE DRIVING. THIS TIME STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT MOVE EVEN AFTER STOP/RE-START OF ENGINE. DEALER TOW CAR TO THEIR SHOP. *TR

DRIVING AROUND A FAIRLY SHARP CURVE OF 2-LANE COUNTRY HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER AND DEEP DITCHES AT ABOUT 60 MPH WHEN CAR SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT. FELT LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE PULLING ME OFF THE ROAD. LOOKED AT INSTRUMENT PANEL AND SAW LIGHTS INDICATING POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND LOSS OF TRACTION CONTROL. VERY HARD TO KEEP VEHICLE ON ROADWAY, BUT LUCKILY WITH NO ONE BEHIND ME, I LET MY SPEED REDUCE AS I ASSESSED THE SITUATION. GOT VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND STARTED READING OWNER'S MANUAL. AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES, I RESTARTED IT TO FIND THE DASHBOARD WARNINGS WERE CLEARED. CONFIRMATION FROM THE MANUAL SAID THAT STEERING MAY RESET AFTER A RESTART. POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. A CALL TO THE DEALERSHIP RESULTED IN THEM TELLING ME IT WAS PROBABLY JUST A FLUKE INCIDENT AND TO CONTINUE ON MY TRIP, BUT...

(MY WIFE AS ON HER WAY TO OUR DAUGHTER'S ONE MONTH DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT. SHE HAD JUST BEGAN MOVING FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN A BUNCH OF LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER (FOUND TO BE STABILI-TRAC ERRORS AND FAULTY ELECTRIC POWER STEERING). SHE MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT HARM. AFTER READING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, SHE FOUND THAT WITH THIS ISSUE, TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN BACK ON MAY "CLEAR" THE ISSUE. IT DID TAKE CARE OF THE STEERING ISSUE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DOCTORS. FORD LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND HAS ORDERED ANOTHER STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE SAME FAULT HAS HAPPENED AN ADDITIONAL FOUR TIMES SINCE THE FIRST DAY. THAT IS A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS ONLY BEEN ABLE TO TELL...

WHILE DRIVING A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON STATING I LOST POWER STEERING. I COULD NOT STEER MY CAR. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. I SHUT OFF MY CAR AND RESTARTED IT AND POWER STEERING CAME BACK. *TR