Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that occasionally after starting the vehicle, the power steering functionality would be inoperable. The contact stated that after the vehicle warmed up, the power steering functionality would return. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that on one occasion while his wife was driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel lost power steering functionality and started drifting to the right unintendedly. The contact stated that the driver's side of the vehicle crashed into the guard rails. There was no injury sustained. There was no further information provided. The contact stated that the steering wheel regained power steering assist and his wife was able to drive to the residence. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed around a curb, the power steering had failed and the steering wheel had become difficult to steer. In addition, the contact had crashed under a bridge and the front passenger side tire had blown. The "power steering service now", "terrain management system fault", and "service advanced trac" warning lights were illuminated. During the crash, there was a 4-year-old seated in the rear of the seat. No injuries were sustained. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residents where the tire was replaced. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to an unidentified recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the steering wheel seized and was not functioning properly. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a crash into a gate where it came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. No warning light was illuminated. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, she noticed that the vehicle had lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then became aware that the power steering was electric and not dependent on power steering fluid. The contact waited until the power steering operation returned as needed; however, the failure reoccurred on several occasions. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on the highway. The contact stated while veering to the side of the road, the power steering operated as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Default" was displayed, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle several times until the power steering became functional. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was informed that the failure could not be duplicated since the message was no longer displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving at an undisclosed speed. The contact was able to drive to a second dealer, Pruitt Ford (912 Sheppard Rd, Burkburnett, TX 76354) and was informed that the failure could not be duplicated because the message was no longer displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently lost power steering functionality. The blind spot sensors also displayed an error message on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the traction control and several other electrical systems failed intermittently. The contact stated that the message "Brake Failure" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with power steering braking sensor failure. The vehicle had been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The contact stated that after the software update, the steering seized and was no longer operable. …
The contact 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the recall repair did not need to be performed because the vehicle was not experiencing the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked, and the contact became aware that the vehicle had lost power steering functionality. No further information was provided. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the power steering became functional. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently upon starting the vehicle. Several unknown dealers were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could only be diagnosed after the failure occurred. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced a loss of power steering functionality intermittently. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as needed; however, the failure progressively worsened. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH with her child in the rear seat, the vehicle made an abnormal beeping sound, the messages "Power Steering Failed" and "Service Advancetrac" were displayed, and the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact called an independent mechanic who instructed the contact to temporarily disconnect the battery. The contact followed the instructions; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where it remained. …
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the steering wheel became firm while making lane changes. The contact stated that power steering assist fault warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over, turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained normal functionality. The contact stated that the failure had been intermittent but gradually became a recurring failure. The contact stated that after the most recent failure, the vehicle was turned off and restarted however, the steering functionality had not return. The contact stated that the failure had become a constant failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering assist had failed and needed to be replaced. …
The contact's husband owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH at night, the power steering became inoperable. A message indicating a power steering Assist Fault and the message Service Advancetrac were displayed. The steering wheel became significantly difficult to steer. The contact was able to veer in the middle turn lane but could not veer to the side of the roadway as the steering wheel was significantly difficult to steer. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle several times within 30 minutes; however, the failure persisted. The contact's husband met her on the road and was able to drive the vehicle by using physical strength to steer vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering module had failed. …
Related recalls
Steering › Electric power assist system
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 17, 2010, through February 28, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting in a shut down…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of motor position sensor signal when the vehicle is brought in…
NHTSA investigations
Electric power steering failure
On May 27, 2014 and amended June 2, 2014, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect that may result in a sudden loss of power steering assist in approximately 179,027 model year (MY) 2011 through 2013 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with electric power assisted steering (EPAS), including 82,328 MY 2011 Explorersthat are the subject of PE12-017.Ford has…
Steering complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2011 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 742 complaints about the steering of the 2011 Ford Explorer, 62% of the model year's 1,197 complaints. The component named most often is electric power assist system (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Ford Explorer steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 14V-286 (electric power assist system, May 29, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Ford Explorer steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 19 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.