2011 Ford Explorer Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

724Steering complaints

60.7%Of all 1,192 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING724 · 60.7%

Unspecified / other112 · 9.4%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM90 · 7.6%

ENGINE83 · 7%

POWER TRAIN62 · 5.2%

Share of the 1,192 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“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…”NHTSA complaint 10472624 — filed 08/27/2012

“DRIVING ALONG AND THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED THREE TIMES. TURN CAR OFF AND RESTART AND IT WORKS AGAIN. TAKING TO FORD DEALER ON AUGUST…”NHTSA complaint 10472618 — filed 08/27/2012

“THE MANAGEMENT TERRAIN AND POWER ASSIST WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THEN I HAD NO POWER STEERING. IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND CONTROL CAR…”NHTSA complaint 10472602 — filed 08/27/2012

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Ford Explorer have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2011 Ford Explorer: 724 of 1,192 complaints on file (60.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Ford Explorer have in total?

1,192 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 30 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 15 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.