2011 Ford Explorer problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1197 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Explorer. The most-reported areas: Steering (743), Unknown Or Other (112), Structure (110).
Key takeaways
- 1197 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 30 involve a crash, 4 a fire, 15 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 743 | 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% |
| Service Brakes | 28 | 2% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 28 | 2% |
| Suspension | 24 | 2% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 21 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2011 Ford Explorer
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
- Headlight bulb
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Ford Explorer SUV AWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2011 Ford Explorer SUV FWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Steering - filed 2026-10-28
Estaba estacionado poniendo gas a mi exprorer y cuando la encendí el volante se puso muy duro y me marco el código P07AE-09 y también apareció falla en el sistema de dirección asistida.
Steering - filed 2026-09-06
Car has a history of showing a P07AE-09 code in the power steering control module. When the code logs in the computer the car loses power steering assist while driving causing the steering to be hard to turn. Upon researching the cars recall work we seen that the car had the power steering control module software updat...
Steering - filed 2026-08-29
I am reporting a serious safety concern involving my 2011 Ford Explorer, VIN [XXX]. After recently filling the vehicle with fuel, I went to drive it and received a “Power Steering Assist Fault” message on the dashboard. The vehicle then lost power steering assistance, making the steering extremely difficult and requir...
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More for the 2011 Ford Explorer
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.