2015 Ford Explorer Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING LOST POWER AND "STEERING FAULT ASSIST NEEDS SERVICE" APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VAUGHN FORD LINCOLN (318-335-0710, LOCATED AT 835 HIGHWAY 165 S, OAKDALE, LA 71463) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000.

I PULLED INTO A COFFEE DRIVE THROUGH AND GOT MY COFFEE ORDER. UPON DRIVING AWAY AFTER A SHORT STOP IN DRIVE GEAR WHILE AT THE DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW, MY POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. I DROVE OUT OF THE PARKING LOT WHILE FIGHTING THE WHEEL TO STEER. I PULLED OVER AND PARKED AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. AFTER RESTARTING, THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. I JUST PURCHASED THIS SUV WITH 72000 MILES ON IT FROM A DEALER.

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS, MY VEHICLE'S STEERING FAILED WITHOUT NOTICE. THANKFULLY I WAS DRIVING SLOWER DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER MY VEHICLE DOWN THE ROAD. THIS WAS THE STEERING GEAR THAT WENT CAUSING THE ISSUE. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD, I WAS TOLD IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY. NOT OUR PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY A 2015.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, A CLUNKING AND GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK MOMENTARILY WHILE TURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY ROAD APPROXIMATELY SPEED OF 60 MPH AND WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH CAME ON "STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" AND A COUPLE OTHERS. LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF STEERING WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AT FREMONT FORD OF FREMONT MICHIGAN SAID TO OF HAD A FAULTY STEERING RACK AS ITS ELECTRONIC WHEN IT FAILS IT FAILS. WELL 2100$ LATER ITS REPAIRED.

THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST (EPAS) WENT OUT WHILE WHILE MY WIFE WAS MANUEVERING THROUGH A PARKING LOT ONE TIME AND WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ANOTHER TIME. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT RESULTED FROM EITHER OCCURENCE.

I WAS LEAVING THE CRACKER BARREL IN LAKE CITY, TN. I COULDN'T STEER THE CAR. I MADE IT DOWN THE HILL AND TURNED INTO A CONVIENENT STORE PARKING LOT. MY HUSBAND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD TO SEE IF HE COULD SEE ANYTHING. ALL HE SAW WAS A VERY CORRODED BATTERY. WE HAD HAD THE CAR SERVICED ONE MONTH EARLIER AND THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE BATTERY. ANYWAY, I CALLED RAY VARNER FORD IN CLINTON, TN WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WOUL HAVE TO BE TOWED IN, SO I CALLED A TOW TRUCK.THE SERVICE MAN SAID THEY WOULD CHECK IT OVER AND CALL ME LATER WHICH HE DID. THE NEWS WAS DEVASTATING WHEN HE SAID IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING RACK THAT HAD GONE OUT AND IT WOULD COST $1,731 PLUS TAX. I ALMOST FAINTED. MY CAR HAD GONE OUT OF WARRENTEE ON APRIL 24TH AND AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, MY CAR ONLY HAD 25,896 MILES ON IT. I IS NOT MANY MILES FOR A CARE THAT IS 42 MONTHS OLD. THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS TWO MONTHS OF MY SOCIAL SECURITY. A LITTLE WHILE LATER HE CALLED AND SAID MY BATTERY WAS LEAKING ACID AND EVEN THOUGH THE DEALER CHARGES WAY MORE FOR A BATTERY THEN YOU CAN BUY SOMEWHERE ELSE, I TOLD HIM TO PUT A NEW ONE IN. WE STILL WONDERED WHY THE GUYS WHO SERVICED MY CAR DIDN'T NOTICE THE CORROSION, UNLESS IT STARTED AFTER THEY SERVICED IT. THE TOTAL BILL CAME TO $2,166.79 AND THEN I WAS REALLY UPSET. I WAS HOPING THEY WOULD GIVE ME A BREAK SINCE I HAD SUCH LOW MILES ON MY CAR, EVEN THOUGH THE 36 MONTH WARRANTEE HAD ALREADY EXPIRED. I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR POWER STEERING WITH THEIR 2015 EXPLORERS, BUT THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL. THE 2011-214 EXPLORERS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME THING, SO HOW COME NOT THE 2015. MY HUSBAND SAID THE 2015 PROBABLY HAS THE SAME POWER SEETING RACK AS THE ONES THAT WERE RECALLED. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR NOW AND IT HAS CAUSED ME A LOT OF STRESS.

POWER STEERING LOSS WHILE DRIVING. 2015 FORD EXPLORER XLT WITH 40,908 MILES ON IT. RECEIVED ALERTS ABOUT THE STEERING LOSS AFTER STEERING HAD GONE OUT. NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE STEERING LOSS. ALERTS INCLUDED "STEERING LOSS STOP SAFELY", "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" AND "TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FAULT" IMMEDIATELY HAD THE EXPLORER TOWED TO CLOSEST FORD DEALER.

HAVE NOTICED THE POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT. NOTICED SOMETIMES AN OIL LEAK BY THIS SIDE 1 YEAR BEFORE. THIS LEAK WAS NOTIFIED TO THE DEALER IN EVERY SCHEDULED MAINTAINANCE APPOINTMENT. NEVER WAS CORRECTED. NOW THEY TOLD ME I HAVE TO CHANGE THE RACK AND PINION AND WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS UNCOREECTED LEAK COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RACK AND PINION PROBLEM I HAVE NOW.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A GRAVEL ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A MESSAGE ADVISING THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAD FAILED AND A SERVICE ADVANCETRAC WAS SHOWING. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME, BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. LUCKILY, MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY OR IN A CURVE AS THAT WOULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A BAD ACCIDENT. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP ADVISED THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY IS BAD.

POWER STEERING LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. IT HAPPENED ABOUT A WEEK AGO, WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE NEXT DAY IT WAS OK. IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS LAST FRIDAY JULY 6, 2018 ON A CITY STREET WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME. IT IS PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY NOW, I WON'T DRIVE THE CAR ITS DANGEROUS.

OPERATING VEHICLE IN MOTION. WARNING LIGHTS AND ERRORS SHOWED ON DASH WITHOUT ANY WARNING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. POWER STEERING INSTANTLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING ON CITY STREET. VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. PULLED OVER AND SHUT VEHICLE OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE STEERING COLUMN SEIZED AND THE SERVICE STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COWLES FORD (13779 NOBLEWOOD PLAZA, WOODBRIDGE, VA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,000.

WHILE DRIVING W ON M-81 HIGHWAY 5 MILES WEST OUTSIDE CASS CITY, NI. SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST ENTERING CURVE.. VEHICLE DEPARTED ONTO GRAVEL WHILE TRYING TO CRANK WHEEL CCW TO GET BACK IN LANE.. THEN WHILE TRYING TO CORRECT WHEEL CW TO STAY IN WESTBOUND LANE, VEHICLE CROSSED INTO EASTBOUND LANE BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL AND REDUCING SPEED - POWER STEERING REMAINED IN MANUAL MODE UNTIL REACHING HOME - NO PRE-WARNING, POWER ASSIST DISENGAGED UPON DISPLAY WARNING FOR "STEERING FAULT", "TERRAIN MANAGEMENT", AND "ADVTRACTION". WOULD HAVE BEEN MANAGEABLE IF FAULT OCCURED ON STRAIGHT ROAD, BUT AT ENTRANCE TO CURVE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WAS UNABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MUSCLE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. BAD SITUATION IF WIFE OR DAUGHTER HAD BEEN DRIVING. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TODAY, STARTED UP WITH POWER ASSIST FUNCTIONAL ONCE AGAIN, STILL SHOWS FAULTS FOR TERRAIN AND TRACTION CONTROL. POWER STEERING SHOULD NOT DISENGAGE IF A FAULT IS DETECTED IN TERRAIN MANAGEMENT OR TRACTION CONTROL. NO INJURIES, BUT SOME WRIST STRAIN IN MANEUVERING THE STEERING WHEEL UNDER MANUAL CONTROL. NO MEDICAL TREATMENT SOUGHT.

US SERVICE MEMBER OVERSEAS (WHICH COMPLICATES THE SOLUTION). PURCHASED VEHICLE IN US IN AUGUST 2015. CURRENTLY ABOUT 45,000 MILES ON A 2015 FORD EXPLORER SPORT AND LOUD POP FROM STEERING COLUMN AT LOW SPEEDS. LOCAL MECHANIC SAYS ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS REPLACED AND OVER 2600 EURO ($3000). SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AT LOW MILES. OTHERS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES ACROSS MODEL YEARS.

WHILE DRIVING ON A SIDE STREET IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD MY STEERING LOCKED UP & A LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAID STEERING FAULT I COULD NOT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL I TURNED CAR OFF & LOOKED UNDER HOOD HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT CLOSED HOOD GOT BACK IN CAR STARTED UP DEFAULT LIGHT WAS OFF & CAR SEEMED FINE NEXT DAY DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD SAME THING HAPPENED TURNED CAR OFF AND ON AND CAR SEEMED FINE I DROVE STRAIGHT TO DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THEY TOLD ME IT'S A DEFECT IN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RACK ITS GONNA COST A LOT TO FIX BECAUSE I BOUGHT CAR IN MARCH 2015 IT'S NO LONGER COVERED BECAUSE WE ARE NOW IN AUGUST AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM & IT WAS A RECALL IN 2014 MODELS SAME EXACT PROBLEM THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE & SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED

WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT, THEN THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM SAID STEERING FAILURE PLEASE STOP, THE DRIVE SELECTOR FAILED AND THE BLINKERS FAILED ALL AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER STOPPING THE STEERING WAS UNTURNTABLE BY THE AVERAGE PERSON. HAD THIS FAILED AT FREEWAY SPEED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF NOT FATAL. AFTER TOWING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING WARRANTY WISE. THE VEHICLE HAS 37K MILES. THEY FAILURE WAS THE EPS AND THE RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED. 2K DOLLARS. I READ ON THE INTERNET OF OVER 65 INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING ON THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL, ALL WITH LOW MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND STEERING WHEEL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART AFTER THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING

I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME, AND WOULD NORMALLY BE RESOLVED BY TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE TO 'RESET' THE WARNING AND TURN BACK ON AND IT WOULD BE FINE. BUT TODAY, THE STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE SOON WARNING CAME ON AND DID NOT GO OFF. AND I HAVE NO POWER STEERING FUNCTION IN MY FORD EXPLORER AND THE ADVANCE TRAC SYSTEM FAULT WARNING ALSO INDICATED. IN THE PAST I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY AND LOOSING POWER STEERING FUNCTION AND HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN WHEN PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING FUNCTION AND WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS IN A TOWN AREA AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING FUNCTION. THERE IS A FORD RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM IN FORD EXPLORERS YEARS 2011-2013, BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING WITH MY 2015 FORD EXPLORER.

STEERING FAILED AT 65 MPH NOT ALLOWING ME TURN THE VEHICLE. HURT WRIST TRYING TO AVOID OTHERS CARS.

MY WIFE HAS FOR A WHILE HEARD SOME NOISES FROM THE STEERING AND WE BELIEVED THIS TO BE A MINOR ISSUE. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE A NUMBER OF TIMES AND TO OUR SURPRISE THEY HAVE NOT FOUND ISSUES. NOW THE MILEAGE OF THE CAR (38K+) AND AGE (3Y+) IS BEYOND WARRANTY AND AT OUR LAST VISIT TO THE FORD DEALER WE WERE INFORMED THAT IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE "RACK AND PINION" AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1800 ! WE HAVE COMPLAINED AND THE DEALER WILL CHECK WITH FORD TO SEE IF THEY WILL COVER THIS. I URGE ALL FORD OWNERS TO HAVE THE RACK AND PINION CHECKED SPECIFICALLY BEFORE THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. IN ADDITION, THE ADVANCE TRAC SERVICE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A CURB. THERE WERE NO DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DARCARS FORD LANHAM (9020 LANHAM SEVERN RD, LANHAM, MD 20706, (301) 459-1100) AND WAS WAITING TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

A KNOCKING/POPPING NOISE COULD BE HEARD WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. IT FIRST STARTED WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IN REVERSE WHEN THE SUV WAS IN MOTION. I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE (NO DAMAGE WAS VISIBLE). THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THE KNOCKING/POPPING NOISE HAPPENED WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED (LEFT OR RIGHT, FORWARD OR REVERSE, STATIONARY OR IN MOTION). THEN THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 25 MILES AN HOUR ON A SECONDARY ROAD. I WAS TURNING AROUND A BEND TO THE RIGHT AND LOST THE POWER STEERING. THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL. LUCKILY, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED AFTER A FEW SECONDS. I RETURNED HOME AND IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED SERVICE AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. IT TOOK THEM FIVE WEEKS TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX THE PROBLEM.THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE MY 2015 EXPLORER XLT ONLY HAD 29,000 MILES ON IT, THE MECHANIC TRIED TO GET FORD TO COVER THE ENTIRE COST (BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY). FORD AGREED TO COVER HALF, WHICH TELLS ME THAT THEY ADMIT THAT THE STEERING GEAR IS DEFECTIVE, AND SHOULDN'T FAIL AT 29,000 MILES. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND FORD NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED!

WHILE DRIVING "STEERING FAULT" DISPLAYED AND POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER.