2012 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

My power steering has locked up now for the 3rd time. It is crazy dangerous and puts my life and others in danger. I had it repaired at ford and it happened again. So it was towed back to ford and fixed again. Both visits at this ford location were awful experiences. And I refuse to go back. And now my car is having the same issue yet again. And I dont want to be told again that I have to pay for a diagnostic test or anything like that. Ridiculous! It's the same thing again. Exact same thing. I'm not an idiot. And I dont want to end up dead driving an unsafe vehicle. What's wrong with ford that they are ignoring so many people having the same issue with the same car? Why? I don't understand it? My family has always been loyal ford owners. However this has us very concerned.

Driving my daughters home from cheer practice and there was all of a sudden a lot of alerting from the vehicle. My steering the vehicle became very hard, even just managing around corners I was having a hard time not going into the oncoming traffic lane. At a stop sign, I needed to turn towards home, I could barely turn the steering wheel and ended up driving on someone's property before I could complete the turn. I made a hard five point turn in the middle of traffic after turning on my emergency flashers. I did this also turning into my road and driveway. It was nerve racking as I felt, not only my life, but my children's were at risk. It was out of the blue because the vehicle was handling great, and when the "Service power steering now" and "Service AdvanceTrac" indicators came on most steering control was all of a sudden lost. A dealer or Service has not looked at the vehicle yet. We have an appointment with a Ford dealer in three weeks, it is not driveable.

We were driving along when all of a sudden power steering completely went out and then warning lights came on for first time. There was no warning until already happened. We were in middle of traffic and almost impossible to get to side of road. Almost got slammed by other vehicle trying to get to side of road.Had to tow car to shop and found out electric power steering component failed and have to replace rack and pinion for thousands of dollars. There was a recall for this problem but we were never notified.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel seized and failed to turn as intended. The power steering warning light illuminated. The contact veered over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 143,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the power steering suddenly failed, and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was later driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the Electronic Power Steering Module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering control module (PSCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

My power steering assists quit working, and My stabilizer control. and my traction control, and my TPMS light came on, but all of my tires are at the recommended air pressure. Ford tells me that my ford is not covered in the recall for this problem. I lost control of my vehicle and almost crashed into the ditch.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was initially made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact also stated that a mechanic from the dealer went to the contact's workplace and inspected the vehicle. The mechanic determined that the trim clips needed to be replaced; however, parts were on backorder. The contact stated that the passenger’s side A-pillar trim clip had blown off while driving at highway speeds. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 207,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed the deterioration of the front windshield trim. The contact stated that the front windshield trim was fractured and severely damaged. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact stated that a written document was mailed to the manufacturer regarding the incomplete recall repair and the condition of the vehicle. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel was firm, making it difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The contact stated that the power steering assist failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 168,000.

My wife is driving to work when the dash beep twice saying power steering fault then she lost power steering and nearly crashed the vehicle , this is a known problem from Ford that was not repaired by them and now they're telling me that they won't repair it This was what I found online by just doing a quick search after my wife nearly crashed! By Matt Schmitz May 29, 2014 Vehicles Affected: About 177,500 model-year 2011-13 Ford Explorer SUVs share 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. What Owners Should Do: Ford has not yet issued an owner notification schedule. Owners can call Ford at 800-392-3673 for more info. Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.

The hazard lights have never worked in my vehicle and after spending months at the dealership they were not able to fix this. Also my window pillar flew off hitting another car while I was doing 75mph and the window cowl did the same thing. I've been working with a Ford dealership in Evansville, Indiana on Walnut Street and the window cowls need recalled and I was told that it will take 6 weeks to fix the pillars but the window cowl is so loose it's going to fly off in due time plus most of the vehicles the hazard lights do not work at all. Also I was able to turn the My Key feature on and I can't get it to turn off and my dealership can't figure it out. My electrical power steering unit, the steering gear box and steering knuckle also went out. And the rear end fractured on me while driving I lost steering 4 times while driving and almost hit a semi.

Power Steering and Advancetrac

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the steering wheel seized. Additionally, the power steering warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic arrived at the residence to diagnose the vehicle. The contact was informed that the electric power steering had failed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Power steering fails while in motion with no warning until it happens making it very difficult to get control of the vehicle. When it happens a power steering failing light comes on but there is no warning before the steering locks up on you. Dealer has not been contacted as every time I call they don't answer. Was inspected by an independent garage who states it is the rack.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving 45 MPH, she became aware that the electric power steering was not functioning properly with the "Service Power Steering” message displayed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was diagnosed and determined that the rear suspension toe link needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V435000 (Structure) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.

Steering locks

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound, and the steering column was inoperable, and the vehicle was immovable. The contact stated that he was able to shift into reverse and safely drove the vehicle into a parking lot. The contact stated that when he inspected the vehicle, he noticed that the tie rod was fractured. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had recently been serviced for two safety recalls and a front-end alignment prior to the tie rod failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,137.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel became firm. The contact stated that the "Check Power Steering" message was displayed with an unknown red warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. Additionally, the contact was informed that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 159,658.

Steering wheel locked up, while driving.

We recently purchased this vehicle and after getting is home and researching the vehicle, we discovered that there is an open recall involving the rear toe link with the potential to diminish steering control and potentially increasing the risk of a crash. Our local Ford dealer does not see the seriousness of this recall and refuses to look at the vehicle in a timely manner.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at slow speeds, the steering wheel was firm while turning. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that Customer Satisfaction Program: 15N01 (EPAS Steering Efforts) had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Power steering failure as laid out in NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 14V286000. The car does not qualify for recall and we would like Ford to be notified and have our VIN qualify for recall.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 20-30 MPH, the steering wheel became significantly difficult to steer. The contact was able to continue driving by using his physical strength to steer the steering wheel. There was no further information provided. The contact stated that as he arrived to the residence, the steering wheel locked. The vehicle was towed to the used car dealer it was purchased from, and it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The Ford dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered under Ford Campaign Number: 15N01, as the campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V435000 (Suspension). The manufacturer were contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 183,000.

The part that is needed for the suv to work called the body module chip is not made by Ford anymore and I am still paying on this vehicle

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the trim around the windshield suddenly detached from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who confirmed that it was a known failure. The contact was informed that the trim needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

When backing up the the dash board (camera) screen is crossed. Items that appear on the right shows on the left on the screen. And things that appear on the left show up on the right. Some how the camera is flipped

Our Power Steering Assist went out and the truck couldn't steer then this code came up and we looked up the Recalls and found this very problem. 2012 FORD EXPLORER RECALL NHTSA 14V286000 SPONSORED Release Date: May 29, 2014 Applicable Country: USA NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company Component(s): •STEERING oELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 17, 2010, through February 28, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting in a shut down of the power steering assist. Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of motor position sensor signal when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, its steering rack assembly will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2014.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving at approximately 25 MPH, his wife attempted to make a turn however, the vehicle lost power steering assist functionality. The contact then stated that he pushed the vehicle into his driveway. The contact’s son retrieved the error codes: U300049-48, U300072-48 and U300096-C8 for the power steering module. The son's friend, an independent mechanic, determined that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that Customer Satisfaction Program: 15N01 (EPAS Steering Efforts) had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 86,974.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the passenger's side windshield trim panel separated and flew off the vehicle. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact was able to continue driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the steering wheel was seized. Additionally, the service advancetrac warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 168,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 97,563.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the service power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated he parked the vehicle and while restarting the vehicle, the service power steering now, the anti-lock braking system (ABS), the traction control, and the Advancetrac warning lights were illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer; Lebanon Ford (425 Miracle Mile, West Lebanon, NH 03784: (603) 448-3363), where it was diagnosed with needing the power steering rack unit to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the previous owner of the vehicle had NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) repaired at the local dealer: Portsmouth Ford (400 Spaulding Turnpike, NH-16, Portsmouth, NH 03801: (603) 433-1221). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,422.

While driving my daughter to school, the steering wheel locked up and was very difficult to turn. Warning light for power steering assist and traction control were illuminated. This could cause an accident. Research on the internet shows that this is a known safety problem. I called ford and was told that the car would not be covered due to the mileage and age. I never received any notification about this safety issue from ford. Safer bulletin is only good for 10 years, 150,000 miles. Ford needs to be held accountable for this safety issue

Engine mounds wearing out and Ford says they are in backorder for almost a year now. If there's such a demand. Then why isn't there recall that so many people are requesting them but Ford can't supply them.

My vehicle experienced sudden intermittent connection to the electric power steering gear, which caused a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting in a shut down of the power steering assist. I struggled to safely steer the vehicle to the side of the road to avoid an accident and running over several people. Luckily I was able to stop in time and avoid any serious injury. There is a known recall for this issue #14S06 for the same year, make, and model of my vehicle but my VIN is not part of the recall. I contacted Ford Customer Care to discuss my incident and they refused to help. My vehicle is currently at a local dealership awaiting repair and I was quoted $3,500 for the cost. This is half the value of the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering. The "Service Power Steering Now" and "Shift to Park" warning messages were illuminated. The vehicle was inoperable and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 191,000.

My rear backup camera isn't working all the time. I feel this is a huge safety issue and needs to be recalled.

Airbag light suddenly comes on for the last few weeks. I did some research and found that when the airbag light is on that it is disabled. If the vehicle was to be involved in an accident the airbag would not deploy. I am concern that this vehicle is a family vehicle. I have taken the vehicle to two Ford Dealership and was told they are so backed up that it would take at least two weeks before I can get an appointment. One of the service tech even joke about making sure to wear my seatbelt because the airbag is not working. I tried looking for a recall but have not found one. I also learned this is a very common problem with most Ford vehicle and there is not permanent fix.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving out a gas station, the steering wheel became firm, with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 165,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the front windshield trim detached from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the front windshield trim to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Water Pump on the vehicle (That is inside the engine) start leaking without driver notice it. If you're driving in a busy Highway the engine can lose presure and stop in the middle of the highway puting driver and passengers in a risky position. This is a design mistake from FORD that they should address.

February 2023 I was driving on interstate approximately 75 mph. This was not a particularly windy day. The passenger side windshield trim molding ripped off the vehicle. This is a piece approximately 2.5 feet long. Just a few weeks later the same thing happened on the driver side molding while driving on a state highway approximately 60 mph. After the first incident I have noticed multiple other Ford Explorers with this same cosmetic issue. I ordered a new set for both sides via Amazon and installed them in April 2023 but approximately 6 weeks later the passenger side tore off again while driving. The new driver side molding is hanging on but I hear it rumbling and cracking when on the highway. It is a matter of time before it will also fly off. I pray that no one is hurt when this happens. Aside from the cosmetic appearance issue this is a very dangerous problem as these pieces of the vehicle are flying off at high rates of speed & can damage other cars or cause a collision. I have talked to other owners with the issue and all complain of the problem on 2012-2015 Ford Explorer models.

Window trim pieces have fallen off 3x. We have had them replaced multiple times. Once, the trim piece came off on the highway and caused the vehicle behind to swerve. No accidents. Currently, the drivers side trim piece is loose again, and I'm considering having it replaced, again.

While traveling at highway speeds, the windshield trim panel on the passenger side of my Explorer, suddenly flew off my car, and caused the car behind me to swerve side to side. Fortunately, they did not have an accident, but it looked like they would for a moment. We weren't sure what happened until we pulled off an exit and examined my car. Unfortunately, traffic was heavy and I wasn't able to go back and pick up the trim piece. I have priced out the repair, and I understand the should be done by the dealer, or a glass shop, as it's now suggested the trim pieces be applied with some form of adhesive, in addition to the clips which normally hold it in place. My explorer has only 140,000 miles on it, and it's in excellent condition inside and out. I believe both trim pieces should be replaced by the dealer, performing the additional necessary steps to insure the trim pieces are bonded into place properly.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undetermined speed, the warning indicator lights illuminated. The service power steering, traction control, anti-lock brakes became inoperable. The turn signal handle failed to remain down. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who cleared the codes. The contact called the local dealer who referred her to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted who informed her she failed to meet the requirements for the customer satisfaction program and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000 The consumer stated the local mechanic completed the job and the power steering, traction control, anti lock brakes, and turn signal have been working properly ever since..

Power Steering Assit is intermittent and Steering Efforts increase to an unsafe level.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact used excessive force to drive the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a steering gear failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering) which he linked to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The contact called the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall or under warranty. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while reversing, the "Electronic Power Steering Assist" message displayed, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. After turning off and restarting the vehicle, the failure had self-corrected, and the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was later driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering gear was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The contact was concerned that the same failure had occurred after the recall repair had been performed. The failure mileage was 80,639.

Front left windshield assembly came off while I was driving down the highway.