2011 Ford Explorer Power Train Problems
- 49
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 49 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 1 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- power steering · 20 records
- lost power · 8 records
- warning light · 6 records
- transfer case · 5 records
- light came · 5 records
- steering assist · 5 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 1–30k mi | 15 |
| 30–60k mi | 15 |
| 60–100k mi | 13 |
| 100–150k mi | 3 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Power Train · Steering
Traveling at low speed coming to a stop, felt like a lost in power and advance trac system failure, power steering failure warnings go off. I turn the vehicle off, i thought the vehicle shut down. I started driving again and same thing happen at low speed at next stop sign. I drove a little further and turn car off. Upon returning all systems were working fine. On 6/19/15 same thing happen at low speed, advance trac…
ODI 10726304
Power Train · Vehicle Speed Control
Referencing previous complaint for same issue see tcn jen28-49151 traveling to dinner at 7:00pm again powertrain warning light came on, engine ran rough and speed dropped to approx. 1 mph. Pulled off side of road, turned off car. Restarted and continued on my way. Same thing occurred again this morning 11/14/14 at approx. 7:[redacted] to work. This time thankfully i was not on the causeway where traffic moves at app…
ODI 10654910
Power Train · Unknown Or Other
I was driving my 2011 ford explorer on the causeway- heavy traffic moving at about 50 - 55 mph. Approaching first bridge incline, speed dropped to approx 1 mph creeping along, accelerator pressed to floorboard. Orange wrench icon appeared on instrument panel. Put on hazards to notify traffic. Cars pulling around trying to avoid hitting my vehicle. Not enough room on emergency lane of bridge to pull completely out of…
ODI 10651229
Electrical System · Power Train
While driving to work, my vehicle experience an issue with throttle response. A wrench warning light appeared and the check engine light came on. At that point, the vehicle began shuddering and the internal systems slowed the vehicle to approximately 5mph. After stopping on the shoulder of the interstate, i shut the car off, pulled the key, reinserted the key and restarted the vehicle. It started up normally, but…
ODI 10633662
Power Train
My daughter and i were driving about 55 mph on a highway, and all of a sudden the truck lost power. All of a sudden an orange wrench symbol appeared on my instrument panel, but i had no idea what it meant. Very scared, i put on my hazard lights and had to move to the right in 3 lanes of traffic!! I was so terrified a car or truck was going to smash into the back of our vehicle. The truck was only able to go about 5…
ODI 10615737
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford explorer. While driving various speeds, the vehicle would jerk violently. In addition, the vehicle would decelerate on its own and failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The dealer re-installed the software, transmission sensor, and shift control cable, but the failures recurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 20,652.
ODI 10617010
Power Train
The vehicle when shifted into park would not shut off, with the vehicle not seeing the shifter in park. On inspection in september 2014, it was determined that the shift lever was failing, which can cause the vehicle to slip out of park and move unexpectedly. Ford indicated there was not a recall on this at this time and would not cover any repair work for this serious safety issue. *tr
ODI 10631922
Power Train · Steering · Traction Control System
I was driving on a major street during heavy afternoon traffic. The steering became extremely difficult and i could barely turn the wheel. The warning lights for advanced traction failure and power steering assist fault came on. I also noticed the terrain management control was no longer illuminated. I tried to turn off the road into the driveway but it was extremely difficult. I am a reasonably strong adult woman…
ODI 10575449
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford explorer. After parking the vehicle, the shift to park warning indicator illuminated. The dealer stated that the shift to park sensor failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The vin was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.
ODI 10637329
Power Train · Steering
This is the fourth time that it has happened to me. I have been driving down the street, when the car completely loses all power, cannot turn the wheel, cannot accelerate at all and you are completely unable to move the car. I have taken the car in every time to be serviced, they say that the computer shows that nothing is wrong, no codes show up. This past time i was 1 foot over train tracks when the car died. An…
ODI 10579522
Power Train · Steering
Lost steering assist during turn into driveway. It was extremely difficult to manually steer the vehicle, which i was able to stop due to the low speed. The next morning it was again very difficult to steer the vehicle when i backed out of the garage, however, after stopping and starting the vehicle 2-3 times the power steering begin working again allowing me to drive the vehicle to the ford dealership. While…
ODI 10567295
Engine · Power Train
While driving the car dies and the yellow wrench light appears. This occurred twice in one day. The first time it occurred i was just beginning to accelerate. I was able to pull over and restart the car. The second incident occurred while driving down the highway. I was able to pull over and restart the car. I immediately brought it to a ford dealer who has had the car for three days and cannot find out what is…
ODI 10538201
Power Train · Steering
This is the second time this issue has occurred. The first time i was able to restart the vehicle and it corrected itself. Currently i cannot physically steer the vehicle and will have to have it towed. We were in the mountains last weekend so this is a very serious issue. I happen to be a male with the capability and capacity to handle extreme situations and i doubt that i could avoid an accident if this were to…
ODI 10525964
Power Train · Steering · Suspension
Please reference previous complaint confirmation number 10475098, september 11, 2012. The problem is a complete loss of power steering assist that occurs instantaneously, without warning. This problem was supposedly repaired by my ford dealer last fall (september, 2012) by reprogramming a control unit. The problem has now been recurring again, almost weekly (three times in four weeks). I feel this is a very serious…
ODI 10533476
Power Train
I was in a parking lot when my steering wheel locked up and a service power steering light came on. I turned the car off and it fixed itself however i was driving on the 12th on the highway and it happened again. *tr
ODI 10524725
Engine · Power Train
Engine overheats when idle, or in slow stop and go traffic. I had this addressed once by ford due to a bulletin, but it seems to be doing it again. *tr
ODI 10514160
Power Train
I was taking my kids to school and was accelerating after a stop. The power steering went out and i lost all power. The powertrain malfunction light came on with the wrench symbol. I was able to get into a driveway and turn the car off. When i restarted it everything was back to normal. Five days later i was again driving with kids. This time i was going about 35 mph on a road with no shoulder. The car lost power. I…
ODI 10475935
Electrical System · Fuel System, Gasoline · Power Train
Upon medium to heavy acceleration, such as accelerating onto a freeway, the vehicle cabin is filled with exhaust fumes from the engine. This injures the respiratory system of the passengers. They are working on a fix (after my family has been breathing polluted air for almost two and a half years). Ford has finally admitted that there is a problem, and send me a letter that said. [xxx] ford customer service division…
1 injury
ODI 10596480
Power Train · Steering
After stopping at a stop sign, i began to accelerate through an intersection. Approximately half way through the intersection, the power steering was lost and a chime sounded with a message stating"power assist failure" and then another message of "service advancetrac" were shown in the dashboard display. I was able to continue through the intersection and pull over to the side of the road. I turned the vehicle off…
ODI 10472624
Power Train · Steering
I was pulling out of my garage and only got about 6 feet out of the garage and i immediately lost power steering - there was a message showing on the dash "power steering module fault". 2 days before this happened there was a very hard shaking in the front end. You could see the front passenger seat shake. The ford dealer said that was caused by a problem with the drive shaft. And also said that ford is aware of…
ODI 10472108
Power Train
While i was driving my 11 year old son and his friend, i lost all power steering. Which made it very difficult to keep control of the vehicle. I managed to get to the shoulder thru traffic. This could of caused a serious accident and harmed alot of people not just the people in my car! I got the explorer to the dealer ship and it has been there ever since, this is now 7 weeks and counting. Ford states the part is on…
ODI 10470863
Electrical System · Power Train · Steering
The steering failed while driving the vehicle on 4 occasions in my brand new xlt. The first three times it happened i returned it to the dealer to check it out and fix the problem. Each time (three total) the ford dealer service department returned it to me and told me it was fixed. While driving the vehicle in normal driving conditions the steering would suddenly stop working, warning chimes and lights on the…
ODI 10469329
Power Train · Steering
2011 ford explorer was parked. Started car and power steering failure light came on alarms sounding and steering wheel was locked, yet car would back up ...straight. Prior to this incident when car was stopped at a light it seemed to have a transmission slip or jump. After waiting for an hour for tow truck the explorer started fine and steering seemed to work. Too nervous to drive. Car was towed to ford dealer. *tr
ODI 10455226
Engine · Power Train · Power Window Devices And Controls · Tires
Purchased this vehicle for my wife a little over a year ago. At first everything was fine but then at about four months we started having issues with the window not rolling up. The dealer took care of that issue with no problems. Then we take it in for the scheduled maintenance (oil change/tire rotation) & our tires had inside cupping in which the dealer does nothing about & still have not. At around 22k miles my…
ODI 10476898