2011 Ford Explorer problems & reliability
1,195 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Ford Explorer, alongside 6 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (15 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2011 Ford Explorer vehicles were involved in 45 fatal crashes with 13 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 740 | 62% |
| Unknown OR Other | 112 | 9% |
| Structure | 110 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 95 | 8% |
| Engine | 83 | 7% |
| Power Train | 64 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 44 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 35 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 28 | 2% |
| Suspension | 24 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 71,000 miles (middle 50% between 35,000 and 120,000 miles), based on 859 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“On Friday 7/24/2026, I was driving and all the sudden my steering went out. Dash flashed No Power Steering Assist / AdvanTrac System Fail. I pulled over immediately to turn around & get home with zero power steering. The amount of strength to steer/control was extreme. To turn was almost impossible. I took my car to…”
Steering · filed Jul 31, 2026
“The power steering has fully stopped working , the car cannot be steered, this started to happen on the road, I had to steer the entire weight of the car myself, at fast speed it was difficult but not impossible, at slow speed and zero speed or while the vehicle is stationary it was impossible or unmovable to steer…”
Electrical System · filed Jul 31, 2026
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred after starting the vehicle, and the steering wheel locked up. The dealer was…”
Steering · filed Jul 20, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Windshield trim molding Item detachment
Preliminary Evaluation PE23001 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Feb 8, 2024 · led to recall 24V031
- Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab
Engineering Analysis EA17002 · opened Jul 27, 2017 · closed Jan 17, 2023
- Ford Explorer Exhaust Odor
Preliminary Evaluation PE16008 · opened Jul 1, 2016 · closed Sep 12, 2017
- Electric power steering failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE12017 · opened Jun 19, 2012 · closed Jun 12, 2014 · led to recall 14V286000
Technical service bulletins
78 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2011 Ford Explorer. The 10 most recent:
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated…
SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the…
SSM 52476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2024
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle…
SSM 51536 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2023
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Program Terms: added 21R01 and 21R02 REASON FOR PROVIDING A NO-COST, ONE-TIME REPAIR: added 21R01 and 21R02 OWNER…
22N01 S1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2023
Certain 2011 - 2013 Model Year Explorer Vehicles with Rear Wheel Knuckles that have been Replaced Rear Toe Link Inspection/Replacement Under Safety Recall 21S43, some of the affected vehicles that have had one (or both)…
21R02 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2022
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Toe Link Replacement Under Safety Recall 21S32, some of the affected vehicles exposed to a highly corrosive environment where road salt is used extensively during…
21R01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2022
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement Ref 21S32 Submitting Owner Letter
22N01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 31, 2022
This program provides a no-cost, one-time repair (if needed) to the rear wheel knuckles for six (6) months from the Repair Order (RO) opening date for field service actions 21S32 or 21S43 provided that the RO opening…
22N01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 18, 2022
Some 2011-2022 Explorer and 2020-2022 Aviator vehicles may experience an inoperative roof opening panel motor. If diagnostics lead to a motor replacement, visually inspect the original motor for signs of water…
SSM 50379 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 7, 2022
Some 2009-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbochargers may exhibit an oil leak from the turbocharger oil supply or return tubes, O-rings or 6.7L pedestal gasket. Although oil may collect on the…
SSM 49210 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 25, 2020
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2011 Ford Explorer has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2011 Ford Explorer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 71,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.