2013 FORD EXPLORER Steering Problems

After dropping off my son at school, I turned the steering and suddenly it became very difficult to turn. I was stuck in school traffic and was nearly involved in an accident. Shortly after , the power steering assist warning light came on. I brought the vehicle to my mechanic, who ran a diagnostic and informed me there is a known recall related to the steering system on 2013 Ford Explorers. Based on this, the vehicle was towed by AAA to the nearest Ford Dealership. At the dealership, I was told that my specific Vehicle ( VIN#) is not listed under the recall. Given the seriousness of the steering failure and the safety risk involved, I am requesting further review and guidance on how to proceed.

Hi, my power steering went out. It's tough to turn. I see there was a safety recall, 14S06, that mentions the power steering control module. According to the NHTSA website my car has a safety recall. MAY 29, 2014 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V286000 Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist it will require extra steering effort at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

I was leaving the store pulled out on a main road in town about to head on the highway. My steering wheel locked and would hardly move with all my strength and the help of my significant other we pulled back into the store parking lot rarely missing hitting several vehicles in the process. I had my children with me at the time in this vehicle as well. The power steering assist fault message popped up. I had the vehicle towed to Ford Groves and after a diagnostic test was ran I was told it was my steering gear and the entire steering column needed to be replaced. The second opinion I got said it was the rack and pinion needing to be replaced. After doing research I found other reports of other 2013 ford explorer owners having wrecks due to this some with the same edition as myself (limited)....

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...

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.

The electric power steering failed on my vehicle in 2022 while 12 hours from home. Had to drive 12 hours with no power steering. Some year models from the 2013 have been included in the recall but my Vin # was not so I had to pay out of pocket to have mine fixed. It went out again in 2023 and was fixed by a Ford dealer once again out of my pocket. The backup camera will constantly go out and reveal a contact dealer message. I have backed in to a pull behind trailer and edge of me barn before because the camera went out while backing up.

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 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH and coming to a stop at a red traffic light, the messages "Power Steering Failure" and "Service Advancetrac" were displayed. The contact was able to drive to the residence; however, the steering wheel was jerking slightly from left to right while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. Additionally, the contact stated that the rearview camera was intermittently inoperable while reversing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Power steering went out, could barely steer the vehicle

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The messages "Service Power Steering Now" and "Service Advancetrac" were displayed. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an unknown communication error, and the mechanic determined that an unknown sensor needed to be reset. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another mechanic, where it was diagnosed with the same failure. An unknown local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, 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 70,000.

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.

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.

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...

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...

I was driving the vehicle when all of a sudden I lost powersteering and the steering became impossible to control almost causing an accident.I then took the vehicle to the shop and was informed my rack and pinion had to be replaced. I replaced it eventhough there is a recall for this issue in the 2013 ford explorer but it does NOTcover my Vin which is frustrating. So then I'm leaving the mechanic shop and I'm almost home and I get a powersteering fault light and the powersteering goes stiff again.almost causing me to wreck again these are the same symptoms are in recall 14V286000 And i cannot figure out why my vehicle isnt part of the recall for the dangers that this issues causes.

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 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...

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.

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.

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.

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 3 MPH and turning the steering wheel, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the power steering function failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

As I drive mostly during low speeds the steering wheel locks in a turned position for a split second. This happens as I am navigating through neighborhoods and can’t turn the wheel too drastically. I could easily run into something or someone into me if I can’t control the vehicle direction. Not sure if the mechanic noticed as the problem persists at random times. No warnings have been shown on the dash board for this problem yet. The problems started around the beginning of April 2025.

2013 Ford explorer lost steering while driving. Determined to be steering link. Incidentally also issue with toe link on rear. This were both recall issues in past

Steering rack, vehicle VIN is not listed under the 2013 Ford explorer recalls although vehicle is now having the issues related to the recall.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the steering wheel had became difficult to turn to the left or to the right, and there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the steering wheel, underneath the front end of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the struts and bushings had failed. The struts and bushings were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the vehicle was included in recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) and referred the contact to the dealer. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. No further information was available. The...

I have an electric power steering pump, it’s not working at all. It’s showing it’s part of a recall but mine is just shy of the date. But I have spoken with many ford dealers and they have told me to report this to here, cause it should be a part of it as well. It’s a very hefty expense to repair this. But no one should be driving one with power steering assist fault and traction control fault on dash. And cannot even turn the wheel. This is an accident waiting to happen.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering assist malfunctioned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was contacted, and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 140,000.

Steering suddenly became hard to turn the wheel. Felt kind of jumpy.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the power steering failed to operate as needed. The contact used an excessive amount of force to turn the steering wheel. The power steering and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the power steering had failed, and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering); and was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became stiff and difficult to turn in either direction. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local service center, where the vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The parts for the repair were ordered, and the repair was pending at the owner's expense. Upon further investigation, 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 96,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle because the steering wheel was stiff. The contact, who is mechanically inclined, inspected the vehicle and discovered that the failure was caused by a defect with the rack and pinion. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) was linked to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,800.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while attempting to parallel park, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove back to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and case was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 179,663.

Service advancetrac light came on while driving. Lost all propulsion and power steering. Almost went off road around a curve due to no power steering. Ford dealership diagnosed it as faulty steering sensor. Had that replaced about 18 months ago, now this near accident just happened. Service trac light traction control light are both on with no propulsion or power steering. I’ve been doing research on this and this seems to happen to a lot of ford owners as ford is the only manufacturer to produce vehicles with advancetrac system. How has this not been a recall yet?

The POWER STEERING has failed. The steering is tight, cumbersome, difficult to manage. The vehicle had a recall for REAR TOW LINK for which it is in service center currently. Ford issued a recall for THE STEERING issue as well. However, allegedly, my car does not qualify for the recall. Please advise. The steering issue is dangerous. I have read that over 600,000 vehicles have been recalled for this issue. I live in Ohio which has the “highly corrosive SALT factor”, which is a noted issue for this recall item.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the electric power steering assist became functional. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the failure was related to the electric power steering, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The electric power steering assist and the lane assist warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the power steering control module was reprogrammed. Additionally, the dealer recommended the replacement of the power steering unit. The electronic power steering unit was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was...

Steering rack problem don't work Steering is lock and the cluster say is the Steering problem now is on the dealer ford coggin deland fl

With the vehicle on, will sometimes get simultaneous warnings for "Hill Descent Control Fault" and "Service AdvanceTrac" along with 3 warnings/flags (ABS, Service AdvanceTrac, and Service AdvanceTrac OFF). Additionally, the instrument cluster/display will occasionally (less often) reset while the vehicle is still on and driving.

Was at a restaurant and when Vehicle was started to leave, power steering was out along with "Power steering assist fault" message on dash. Vehicle was able to be driven back to residence, but unsafe to drive. Vehicle is now parked until repairs can be made.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated 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 dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). A case was opened, and the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

While driving in a straight line the steering wheel seems momentarily disconnected from the wheels. The car feels like it is "fishtailing" and veers violently to one directing before returning to it's previous direction of travel. This action is random with no identifiable cause. The occurrences seem to be increasing in frequency. The last incident started with the vehicle traveling approximately 60mph on a straight, flat road. The vehicle suddenly, with no driver input, violently crossed the centerline, struck the shoulder on the opposite roadside before veering back across the highway. The brakes were applied as soon as the vehicle veered left and the ABS was working. The vehicle is currently parked at a service garage and not being driven as it is a safely hazard to others and the driver/occupants.

Our steering wheel locked when we were about to leave our destination and drive back an hour to go home.

The steering wheel locked at a 45degree angle while I was driving. It locked and I was unable to turn the wheels in any direction. (Diagnosed by dealership as power steering failure steering wheel locked) My safety was absolutely compromised. Imagine losing the ability to turn the steering wheel or steer in any direction while going around a corner, without any warning. Luckily I wasn't on the freeway when the steering wheel locked without warning. Yes, this problem has been reproduced by the dealership at Elk Grove Ford CA, and reported to the Ford Motor corporate office, who refused to look into the safety issue or pay for the repair. The vehicle or component has been inspected by the Ford dealership. There were not any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and the problem appeared on 11/10/24.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm and excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. The message "Steering Assist Fault" was displayed on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where the contact was informed that the rack and pinion assembly needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering); which was linked to the failure. The vehicle was not 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 218,000.

While driving vehicle started pulling in curves. When we pulled into a gas station steering became locked up. Apparently due to a failure in the EPAS system on the car. We were fortunate that it did not occur while driving as the wheel will not turn left or right at all. Ford dealership advised that since it was 1 year and 24000 miles over they could repair at cost of $3227.02. FMC advised it was not a safety issue which concerns me as if that had occured while driving it could have been catastrophic.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the steering wheel was turned left, however, the steering failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the steering proceeded to go forward. In addition, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle slid onto the grass and crashed into a barrier. The air bags deployed. The engine seized. The vehicle started, and the vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The contact stated that this was an extremely terrifying situation. The contact was the only occupant in the vehicle. The contact sustained a skinned left shoulder and a stiff neck, however, no medical attention was required. No Police report was filed. The vehicle was damaged to the passenger's side front grill. The contact stated that due to his fear, the vehicle had not been driven...

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced a death wobble. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the vehicle while driving or while idling. The failure became more persistent and more pronounced over time. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, a final diagnostic result was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000. The VIN was not available.

My vehicle a 2013 ford explorer has a power steering assist fault rendering my vehicle un usable which i just bought through carvana this last summer has had a multitude of issues including a piller trim flying off the same day I bought it and the warranty carvana gave me provided no where close to me to have repaired plus my backup camera stopped working within 2 months of buying it and now the power steering assist fault has ultimately stopped me from being able to drive the car and I see that ford stopped allowing the recal of this issue to be fixed since 177,000 vehicles are affected by this problem I just think this wrong

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving in reverse, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. After which, a warning message displayed reading "Service advanced track." After restarting 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 notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 177,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated 6 months after installing new tires on the vehicle, the front tires were damaged. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was inspected, and the mechanic determined that the shocks, the control arms, and rack and pinion failures had caused damages to the tires. The mechanic informed the contact that the front tires, the shocks, the control arms, and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in an unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.