Driving on I95 South in Daytona Beach, Florida during crowded weekend event traffic, the lane assist malfunctioned, would not turn on and then immediately experienced power steering failure. Both warning and failure lights illuminated on the dashboard. The power steering is electric and turning the wheel was near impossible. I had 4 occupants in the vehicle and almost caused a very severe accident crossing lanes of traffic to attempt to reach the shoulder. It is near impossible to turn the wheel and although the car is driveable, its not steerable. Found out that the NHSTA campaign # 14V286000 describes the same issue as I have. Ford recall #14S06 is that recall but the issue I now have is my vehicle was built 1 day after the recall parameters. The car is sitting unable to be safely operated, and I'm asking for NHSTA to extend the dates of original recall from February to March to include this vehicle in the existing recall for the necessary repairs.
2013 Ford Explorer steering complaints
Page 9 of 29: complaints 221 to 250 of 837, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The 2013 Ford Explorer power steering stopped working at 89,100 miles. The mechanic we took it to said this should be a recall. Mechanic provided me with recall 14S06, which describes my problem. I called ford and the vin didn’t come up as in this recall. I think it needs to be added to the recall, Mechanic says steering rack needs to be replaced. Lots of people have same problem it’s not safe and too expensive. We bought this car brand new and it can’t even steer after less than 90k miles. I hope others complain
The contact's wife owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was pulling into the driveway, the steering wheel locked inadvertently. A message indicating a power steering system failure was displayed. The contact's wife parked and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure persisted upon starting the vehicle the next day. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
While driving home from work on the 95 (highway) I noticed that I could barely control the steering in my 2013 Ford Explorer. Fortunately I was able to make it home and my husband arranged to have it towed to a mechanic who inspected the vehicle and advised us that it had a rack and pinion failure. He mentioned that it would be very dangerous to attempt to drive the vehicle with this issue and that the total cost to repair would be over $4K. I recently replaced the engine on this vehicle which cost me over $2K. I do not have the $4K at this time to replace the rack and pinion. This is extremely upsetting. Is there any recall will this issue?
No incidents steering makes loud noise
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at a slow speed, the steering wheel failed to operate as needed with the Traction Control warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to reset the battery; however, the failure persisted. The contact notified the dealer and the manufacturer of the failure and was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact linked the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
[XXX] 13 recalls listed two of which are the electronic power steering and traction control. I bought this vehicle and less than five days later the power steering goes out. So I'm going to loose my job and I could have lost my life yet Ford is denying there are any recalls and refusing to fix them. I am also a veteran and this is the last bit of bad news I can bare. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Power steering control module causing power steering to stop and loss of control to car. I took to auto shop and had codes reset and happened again with in an hour.
Our Explorer has been riding extremely rough going down smooth highways and the slightest bump in the road make the car shake sideways as if it’s almost bending in half. Last week, We drove a couple miles down the road and stopped at Walmart. After loading groceries up I started the car to leave and the steering wheel was harder than normal to move. I thought we might have had a low tire and we weren’t that far from home, however as we’re driving home, the dash notification screen lights up and says power steering assist fault. So I then let off the gas pedal attempting to try to slow down and this causes the steering wheel to completely tighten up, almost causing us to wreck as I can no longer move the steering wheel more than an inch in either direction while going down the highway. The only way I was able to get us home safely was stopping and going no more than 15 mph until we pulled into our driveway. I will not let my family get in the car until I know we’re all completely safe and out of harms way. The Ford dealership in Ponchatoula said it will have to be towed there and the problem won’t go away until the faulty steering motor is fixed. We were told they’ve had plenty Explorers come in with the same problem as our year, make, model and engine. I’m 6’2 230lbs I should not have this much trouble trying to turn a steering wheel either driving or sitting still.
Steering Assembly Part E5BZ3504AM failed while driving down the interstate. Initially power steering was lost but as it was driven further on the interstate, there was more play in the steering wheel, to the point I was struggling to keep it steady in the lane. This put my entire family and those around me at risk. Vehicle is currently unsafe to drive. Explorer is at local dealer. The dealer states the part is on indefinite backorder with > 10,000 of the Steering Assembly parts on back order across the US. Our local dealer has a total of 3 2013 Ford Explorers awaiting this part. This sounds like a material defect that should be addressed by the manufacturer.
The check charging system light came on and the power steering locked up, once it locks it stays mostly down. I was going around a curb at about 55mph when this happened with my two children. If that is not a safety issue I do not know what is. I could have wrecked and we could have been seriously injured or worse. Now my check brake system light is also on, check engine light, and it has a leak in the driver's side third row seatbelt. Now I know that it's said to have the battery and alternator tested and that has been done. I feel like I wasted a lot of money that I honestly did not have to buy a decent vehicle for me and my kids. This part is not under recall for my vehicle, however I have done my research and there are numerous recalls, investigations, and complaints. I need this issue fixed.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the steering wheel failed to turn as needed and was inoperable. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The power steering assist message was displayed. The contact notified the local dealer of the failure but the vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The steering assist doesn't work All the time. We have to shut the vehicle off and then restart it. It is really hard to steer. The warning light comes on letting us know that there is a failure. It is available for inspection. This is not a good feeling when this happens. This happens roughly twice a week.
Steering wheel would turn but the SUV would not turn in the direction the steering wheel direction. Could have been a major accident from the SUV not able to turn directions.
On more than one occasion (starting at about 90,000 mi) experienced steering wheel lockup while starting vehicle with message alerting to steering assist failure. On those occasions, turning off and restarting vehicle reset the problem. But just the other day while driving, the steering wheel locked up and the message alert was displayed. Luckily vehicle was in right hand lane and was able to drift to the side of the road. Internet search reveals this as a frequent complaint and there is a factory recall for my vehicle year (Ford 14S06), but for a build on or before Feb 2012, mine is in Nov 2012. With a personal OBDII reader, was able to obtain DTC codes U3000-42 and U3000-72 which point to steering/rack n pinion problem. Repair of this problem is an urgent and essential safety issuse and lives are at stake if not fixed. These electrical steering mechanism is less effective than vacuum power assist and in manual mode even harder than old cars without power assist.
My 2013 Ford Explorer Sport lost control while driving. My wife ran off the road while driving going around a curve because the power steering went out without warning. Luckily, she was not in a place where she did not hit anyone but had a near miss with a pedestrian walking on the side of the road. I noticed in the past that the power steering fault indicator came on a few times when starting the vehicle. After turning the SUV off and back on, everything worked fine. I notified them at the dealership the last time I was getting serviced and they said it was a common problem but for some reason, there was no recall for my VIN. After reading the complaints online for this issue, I find it disturbing that this is not a safety recall. I can only imagine how this could have turned tragic while driving down the mountain last weekend if this happened while on a downward descent, my family could have been killed. This is scary to think about and I am surprised that more people have not been seriously hurt or killed due to this electrical malfunction. I also don't understand how the same year models have recalls on the same part but because of the factory location that this is not covered on some VIN numbers. This should defiantly be a recall that is reconsidered. Thank God that she was able to vear enough to miss the pedestrian walking.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH while depressing the brake pedal to make a left turn, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving to her residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering), however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist would fail to operate as the power steering assist fault warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where she paid to have the vehicle's computer reset. Despite the reset, the failure recently returned. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed her that her vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Steering Rack Motor Failure recall #14S06 did not include this vin and needs to be added to this vin as the dealership Timberline Ford in Libby Mt has investigated the failure and deemed the issue should be part of this recall and that due to the fact that this was a fleet vehicle (Police Interceptor) this could be why it was not listed in this individual recall. There were no prior instances or notifications before failure. Failure was immediate and the Drive Assist lamp did light up immediately. Traveling down Yaak Pass Hwy 2 Montana the failure occurred causing malfunction in steering capability and adverse and unsafe handling of the vehicle almost causing collision with guard rail, and oncoming traffic. Very winding road way made it difficult to maneuver to a safe location for tow. Putting my passenger and dog (Family) at risk of accident. Below is information obtained from one of many sources on the internet involving this recall: Vehicles Affected: About 177,500 model-year 2011-13 Ford Explorer SUVs The Problem: A potential electrical issue in the steering gear may result in the loss of electric power steering assist while driving. This could cause the steering system to default to manual mode, making the vehicle more difficult to steer, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash. According to the Detroit News, Ford said drivers will hear a chime and see a message in the instrument cluster if electric power steering assist is lost. The Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will either update software for the power steering control module or replace the steering gear for free. Why is my electronic power steering not working? Today's electronic power steering systems may fail due to issues with the mounted electric motor. In particular, excessive heat on the motor is likely to cause the failure modes.
Today is Thursday, August 11, 2022, while driving on the highway at a speed of 65 miles an hour my steering wheel just lost steering. Ford has a recall of this problem but for some reason my Vin number is not part of the recall. This has occurred about 5 to 6 times since I purchased the vehicle. I returned it to Ford at least about three times with this concern. The first time I was advised that my Vin number was not part of the recall but that it was under warranty and they updated the computer. Other times when I complain about this problem I was advised that there was no code for them to read. And nothing was done. As I stated at the beginning of this complaint it happened to me again. All I can say is thanks to God I was able to control the vehicle and not get into an accident. This is a problem that Ford knows and the highway safety division. This is a safety issue and it’s not new.
Steering loss on highway two times but came back and a squealing noise when trying to park some times found out there isn't a power steering pump so don't know where the squealing noise is coming from but it is in the steering had the ford dealer check it out and they said it needs replaced
The power steering failed on my 2013 Ford Explorer while driving which made steering extremely difficult, especially at slower speeds. I was very startled by the immediate loss of steering while traveling at a high rate of speed. I also had to be extremely cautious turning to ensure there was ample time to turn and not cause an accident. My turn signals also quite functioning properly. When turning on my turn signals they would only blink once unless I held down the turn signal which would then allow it to work which is difficult to do as it takes the strength of both hands to steer the wheel with the power steering not functioning. The vehicle is available for inspection and I have an appointment to take it to a Ford dealership next week. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or anyone else. It will be taken to a Ford dealership next week as that is the soonest they were able to see it. The two warning messages that went off at the time of power steering failure were Power Steering Failure and Service AdvanceTrac System.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized and the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics who diagnosed a failure with the power steering assist. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available. The contact pulled the steering wheel for it to operate correctly. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer who diagnosed a failure with the power steering assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
I was driving and my steering wheel got really hard to turn.
While backing out of my driveway, my power steering fault light came on and I lost power steering. The steering became unresponsive. Fortunately I was going slowly and could stop. We took the car to the Ford dealership to determine the problem. They determined the rack and pinion gear failed requiring the rack & pinion assembly to be replaced. A $3,000 repair. It is frustrating that Ford has recalled thousands of cars of the same model and year for this exact problem, but our particular vehicle was not included in the recall. Ford's response was sorry, your car is not included in the recall. Reading through other complaints on the website, it is clear that Ford knows that this component is defective and refuses to stand behind their vehicles.
The contact called on behalf of his wife who owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was attempting to reverse out of the driveway, the power steering assist was inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,669.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while reversing, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the Power Steering Assist and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced because the rack and pinion module was not communicating with the computer system. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
After picking up the vehicle from an oil change from the Ford dealer, the power steering functionality has changed. Upon entering the vehicle and attempting to reverse, the steering felt like it locked up. But with enough force the resistance can be overcome and the wheel will turn, but in jerking motions. It takes a strong effort, but will make an approx 60-90 degree advance/rotation of the steering wheel, then another effort to continue the turn, advancing about a quarter turn each time. Vehicle now feels unsafe to drive and am concerned it will sieze completely while driving due to a known recall that exists for this exact issue, the federal safety agency recall ID 14V286000, but the VIN falls just outside the recall range.
Multiple times throughout the last month, I turned the vehicle on and went to back out of our garage and the dash displayed a warning of "electric power steering assist failed". The steering wheel was extremely hard to turn, so I stopped and placed the vehicle in park, turned it off, waited about 15 seconds and restarted the vehicle with no steering problems. This last time after doing the same, the error did not go away and the issue remains. I contacted the dealer, and they say there is no recall on the 2013 model year explorer for a vehicle built in October 2013. Just before and after.... how does a known recall issue for the prior yearand following year not indicate a potential issue in this year? The repair estimates are crazy high, and I feel did should repair at their cost.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while reversing out of the driveway at 20 MPH, she heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from underneath the driver's side floorboard. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was repaired with remanufactured parts; however, while driving and turning all the way to the right, the steering rack was making abnormal grinding sounds. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where the rack and pinion were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who advised the contact to take the vehicle to an authorized Ford dealer since the parts to repair the vehicle were no longer available. The contact stated that the parts were on national back order. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000. The VIN was not available.
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