2011 Ford EXPLORER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Ford EXPLORER has 1494 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 18.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (50% of all complaints), specifically: power steering failure while driving. turning vehicle off and on then causes power steering to work again. has happened multiple times. dealer did not find an issue at first visit. scheduled for second dealer visit. we fear significant loss of control while driving. *tr. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 33 crash reports 20 injuries

1494

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

18.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

742 complaints

50%

• POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND ON THEN CAUSES POWER STEERING TO WORK AGAIN. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. DEALER DID NOT FIND AN ISSUE AT FIRST VISIT. SCHEDULED FOR SECOND DEALER VISIT. WE FEAR SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. *TR
• 2011 FORD EXPLORER 4WD IS PROGRAMMED TO SEND 100% POWER TO THE FRONT WHEELS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. UPON SUDDEN ACCELERATION ESPECIALLY GOING UPHILL THE SUBSEQUENT TORQUE STEER IS OVERWHELMING TO THE DRIVER. CAN BE SO SEVERE IT CAN RIP THE WHEEL FROM THE HANDS OF THE DRIVER. THIS NEEDS TO ADDRESSED W
• POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND TURNING A CORNER. MANUAL STEERING IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 19 crashes

“POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND ON THEN CAUSES POWER STEERING TO WORK AGAIN. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. DEALER DID NOT FIND AN ISSUE AT FIRST VISIT. SCHEDULED FOR SECOND DEALER VISIT. WE FEAR SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

126 complaints

• TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TRIED TO PRESSED THE BRAKE HIS FOOT REST ON A BAR THATS NEXT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE PAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGN AND THEY COULD NOT ALTER IT. T
• WE HAVE PURCHASED A 2011 EXPLORER, WITH THE BLUETOOTH ACTIVATED, THE PERSON DRIVING CANNOT BE HEARD BECAUSE OF BACKGROUND NOISE. FROM MY INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE ROOF AREA ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD SEEMS TO NOT HAVE ANY INSULATION, THE WIND NOISE IS BEING PICKED UP BY THE SPEAKER ABOVE THE DRIVER
• I AGREE ABOUT THE MICROPHONE ON THE MY TOUCH SYSTEM. IT PICKS UP WIND NOISE, AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING FAN NOISE & WHEN IT RAINS, DRIVER CAN NOT BE HEARD. IT SEEMS THAT THE ROOF DOES NOT HAVE INSULATION TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO SPEAK TO THE MICROPHONE WITHOUT SHOUTING. I DID MENTION THIS TO THE FORD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TRIED TO PRESSED THE BRAKE HIS FOOT REST ON A BAR THATS NEXT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE PAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGN AND THEY COULD NOT ALTER IT. T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

111 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH DIRT OR WATER, PARTICLES WOULD SEEP INTO THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE M
• 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. *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED MESSAGE CAME ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE ANY TURNS OR MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER POWERING OF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH DIRT OR WATER, PARTICLES WOULD SEEP INTO THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE M”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

104 complaints

• COOLING FANS FAILED, ENGINE OVERHEATED RAN ROUGH AND THEN STOPPED RUNNING. 3/4 GALLONS OF ANTI-FREEZE BOILED OUT OF OVERFLOW AND ON TO ENGINE. *TR
• WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP SIGN, THE CAR ACCELERATED UP A HILL REACHING A SPEED OF CLOSE TO 90 MPH WITHIN A SHORT DISTANCE. THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND ALMOST COLLIDED WITH AN ONCOMING CAR. ONLY BY PUTTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL WAS IT POSSIBLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN AND PULL OFF T
• POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. TRACTION ASSIST CONTROL ALSO FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING BROUGHT THE POWER STEERING BACK BUT NOT THE TRACTION CONTROL. THE TRACTION CONTROL BEGAN FUNCTIONING AGAIN AFTER THE TRUCK SAT FOR ABOUT 8 HOURS. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“COOLING FANS FAILED, ENGINE OVERHEATED RAN ROUGH AND THEN STOPPED RUNNING. 3/4 GALLONS OF ANTI-FREEZE BOILED OUT OF OVERFLOW AND ON TO ENGINE. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

94 complaints

• MORE LIKE ADAPTIVE 'CURSE' CONTROL. MY 2011 EXPLORER LIMITED 4X4 WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE ALWAYS CATCHES THE REAR OF SEMI TRUCKS IN OTHER LANES, CAUSING IT TO APPLY FULL BRAKES AND PEOPLE BEHIND ME ALMOST CRASH INTO ME. MY 2011 LIMITED IS TOTALLY FACTORY ORIGINAL, NO TOW BARS. HERE IN CALIFORNIA
• THE FORD SYNC SYSTEM DECIDED TO DO AN UPGRADE AND DISABLED ALL RELATED FEATURES FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. THIS INCLUDED AUDIO, CELL PHONE LINK, RADIO, HEATER AND THE REAR VIEW CAMERA! IT HAS OCCURRED AGAIN AND APPEARS TO ALWAYS HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE CAR, WHICH IS WHEN THE REAR VIEW CAM
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN DEPRESSED. THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ALSO STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“MORE LIKE ADAPTIVE 'CURSE' CONTROL. MY 2011 EXPLORER LIMITED 4X4 WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE ALWAYS CATCHES THE REAR OF SEMI TRUCKS IN OTHER LANES, CAUSING IT TO APPLY FULL BRAKES AND PEOPLE BEHIND ME ALMOST CRASH INTO ME. MY 2011 LIMITED IS TOTALLY FACTORY ORIGINAL, NO TOW BARS. HERE IN CALIFORNIA ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1494 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND ON THEN CAUSES POWER STEERING TO WORK AGAIN. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. DEALER DID NOT FIND AN ISSUE AT FIRST VISIT. SCHEDULED FOR SECOND DEALER VISIT. WE FEAR SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TRIED TO PRESSED THE BRAKE HIS FOOT REST ON A BAR THATS NEXT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE PAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGN AND THEY COULD NOT ALTER IT. T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH DIRT OR WATER, PARTICLES WOULD SEEP INTO THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE M
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: COOLING FANS FAILED, ENGINE OVERHEATED RAN ROUGH AND THEN STOPPED RUNNING. 3/4 GALLONS OF ANTI-FREEZE BOILED OUT OF OVERFLOW AND ON TO ENGINE. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)