We will take the loss on trading it in and going back to Honda, Toyota or Nissan to keep our family safe. Street driving, hard acceleration, highway speeds - all of it. The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. I'm hopeful this all works out. I had my car in for service 9 days earlier and they swear they couldn't detect the issue because it wasn't visible until they opened the assembly and saw the corrosion. The NHTSA is currently running the second stage of an investigation into an exhaust odor reported in the cabin of a number of Ford Explorers. It's actually a complete failure of the steering rack, and it requires a complete replacement. Until I turned it on one day at a sonic drive in and would not steer . This is not covered under warranty and cost me $2400 to fix. He has been working as a car mechanic for over 10 years, and the majority of them specialized in advanced car diagnostics and troubleshooting. and now it fails again. Traveling at approximately 65mph on the highway, while beginning to enter a slight turn in the highway, the steering wheel "froze" as if the vehicle was off. My power steering, traction control, and terrain management all stopped working in my 2016 Ford Explorer due to a faulty steering gear. Recall on door trim. The third instance was June 24th 2021. The power steering on my 2016 Ford Explorer completely stopped working while driving with two children in the vehicle. Since 1990, the Ford Explorer has been the vehicle of choice for millions of families. Would you like to know more than the salesperson? The power steering becomes really tough and hard to steer. Six injuries have been allegedly attributed to the problem so far leading up to the recall. Upon research, I found this issue with Ford Explorers is a very common one. Todays vehicles especially those that are hybrid have an electric pump instead that runs off of the battery. Eventually I was able to drive it as it warmed up. Basically the car had no power steering. red flags to look out for when buying a used car. For it to be a 300$ core as well, sounds like its still a valuable part broken. And there are no investigations or recalls on this matter. The steering did not free up for approximately 30 minutes of idle time and multiple attempts to restart the vehicle. The vehicle only has 57K . All Rights Reserved. I was unable to turn the steering wheel in any direction as if it had completely seized. It also recalled 40,995 of its 2020-2021 Lincoln Aviator vehicles with 3.0-liter gas engines because they may have improperly secured battery cable wire harnesses which could result in a short circuit and potential fire. We search every car at every dealer so you don't have to, we give you data and insights you won't find anywhere else, and we rank every car so it's easy to find the best car at the best price. Ford needs to recall this now! Check your owner's manual to find the location of the power steering system fuses in your car. Issues. If your diagnostic evaluation leads you to the pump, you will need to put a new one on. The two front windows stick 3/4 of the way when cold. We are already having transmission issues with a 2.5 year old car. The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. Although mileage is 100K +, car has been well cared for. Inspect the fuse box and the wires leading up to the steering system. Weve always been foreign car people. Are they really going to wait until there is a loss of life or severe injury to address this" On top of Corporate's unwillingness to acknowledge this is a manufacturers defect for which the safety of their customers and their families is at risk, they will not even consider a financial assistance program to partially fund the approximately $2,500-$3,000 price tag of rectifying; not to mention the backorder on the part needed. If your troubleshooting hasnt led to any other causes, it might be time to evaluate the pump. Rack and pinion making crackling noises My safety still at risk if I continue driving Yes the dealer ordered the part but is unavailable due to back order. At least two people were injured by this steering problem, according to Car Complaints. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000. To whom it may concern the rack and pinion in my 2016 Ford Explorer fail 3 times one before I bought my truck from the dealer the person who trade it in was because of the rack and pinion. However, its important to get a scanner compatible with the power steering assist system in your car model. Select 2013-2017 Ford Explorers have a problem that diminishes steering control and is related to at least 13 reported accidents and six injuries, Ford announced on Wednesday. "Steering Assist Fault" and Lane Keeping Sys. Hydraulic fluid is found in the reservoir. Failure Date: 08/31/2018. Thankful she didn't crash because she was unable to steer the vehicle. How Much Does It Cost To Replace An Alternator. Backing into garage when "Lane Keeping Assist" malfunction illuminated on the left side of my gauge cluster. Against our better judgment, we took it from PA to FL, well almost. I was met with light flashing on dash then would disappear after I restarted the SUV . Several messages appeared on the display such as driver assist failed, traction control on light enabled, traction control off light enabled, uphill assist message, and several others. The quality is not what I would expect for the price of the vehicle. The problem has to do with an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear. Power Steering Assist May Fail NHTSA Recall ID: 14V286000 This recall affected 179,027 potential units: Ford Explorers dated from 2011-2013 and built from May 17, 2010-February 28, 2012. It was quickly diagnosed over the phone but still took it to get looked at, at Ford . Ford added that no injuries have been reported as a result of either issue. The Explorer recall is for a steering issue. Unsubscribe any time. NTSB can rectify this problem by forcing Ford to do the right thing and permanently repair this issue. Without it being fused there is potential for a short circuit which can lead to a fire. 100% should be a recall at such a low mileage, just thought since police use them in their fleet they had to be reliable . Please force Ford to do the right thing. tends to be a pretty straightforward process: you pump the oil fluid out of the power steering fluid reservoir, then refill it with fresh power steering fluid and replace the cap. We bought our 2016 Ford Explorer in 2016. This is car shopping made easy. The 2016 Ford Explorer is praised for its high tech interior, comfortable ride and powerful engine. Rack and pinion power steering rack stopped working while my wife was driving back home with our two kids that are 4 years old and 9 months old. The manufacturer was contacted. Its imperative that you run that vehicle through every single scenario that it would go through on a daily basis. The initial investigation was based on 2,400 reports, with over 2,000 vehicles that may be connected to the exhaust odor issue.. A founding partner at the firm, Eric has negotiated groundbreaking settlements that favorably shaped laws and resulted in business practice reforms. CoPilot for Owning will tell you when it's time to get your Ford Explorer serviced, when a new or existing recall is issued for your vehicle, how to avoid getting ripped off at the repair shop, and much more. But worse then all the issues I had with the car, was the Ford dealership. If it seems to show the correct readings and your steering wheel is not straight when driving at higher speeds, you may want to get a wheel alignment. Extended warranty is the only way to go buying a newer vehicle these days. I was able to pull off on to a side road, barely and throwing my back out in the process. Everything is being disassemble in parts. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel seized. This makes it easier for the driver to turn the wheel, which can be helpful when trying to maneuver a car. of the Ford explorer. Maybe I should have given it 1 star. statistics and reliability analysis of the 2016 Ford Explorer based on all problems reported for the 2016 Explorer. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. May 2015: Almost 423,000 cars can experience an electrical connection failure in their power steering systems. Lawsuits against Ford for the carbon monoxide issues. Time to trade for sure. Luckily, many used models sport the same great features as their new counterparts. In some cases, the problem could be something as simple as a blown fuse for the power steering pump or another power steering system. Exposure to exhaust fumes can lead to drivers feeling light headed and even passing out at the wheel. The first model to receive it was the Chrysler Imperial. I inquired if there were any recalls or safety bulletins issued regarding premature failure of the power steering in which they indicated there wasn't. Unfortunately, in some car models, you will also need to program the new steering angle sensor, which can often only be done by the dealer. Lets start with the fact that weve had steering issues from the start with this vehicle. Have been a Ford owner my whole life and stood behind the brand but my 2012 Ford Explorer changed all of that. Summer of 2022 the air vent control actuator went out and the car would not switch off from defrost mode. These days, most cars use electric power steering, and in most cases, when you see this warning message, there is something wrong with this unit or its sensors. Copyright 2023 Mechanic Base. The fix might include simply adding power steering fluid or repairing an electrical fault, but it could also be due to a more serious issue. This is an expensive fix that owners claim happens at relatively low mileage. Unreliable, service department is horrible to work with. And to note, we do take very good care of our cars. Table of Contents Power Steering Fluid Low Pump Failure Serpentine Belt Rack and Pinion Bad Fluid Low Tire Pressure 1. With no damage seen technicians will use a tie harness to provide more clearance between the harness and compressor pulley. Nice Limited version. My frustration is my input was not requested for this. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2016 Ford Explorer based on all problems reported for the 2016 Explorer. See the Back button blue bar at the very top of the page to explore more. The gas tank does not work, so I can not see how many gallons of gas I have left. Update from Dec 14, 2018: My vehicle was towed to the dealership I purchased it from the night I lost steering 12/7. The failure mileage 70,000. Ford does not acknowledge this is a major and common safety failure. We purchased the Explorer figuring it would be a good, safe, reliable vehicle. The remaining recalls took place in Europe, South America and other international markets. The explorer's in this year range have had many problems with the steering gears having internal failures that require the rack and pinion to be replaced. 51 problems related to steering rack and pinion have been reported for the 2016 Ford Explorer. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. I brought the car to dealer and they said it was the battery, not putting out the right voltage. Make sure you run the HVAC system, play the stereo, adjust the seats etc., as these are all things that can cost you some serious money in the long run to repair. Or perhaps it will take a devastating accident to get their attention. My car engine started smoking a few weeks ago, and lots of components are breaking. How to avoid: The power steering system of the 2016 Ford Explorer has a wide variety of complaints across the internet. When you're ready to buy your next car, CoPilot helps you make sure you never get taken advantage of at the dealership. Some drivers are inquiring about a Ford Explorer Power Steering Lawsuit. Handles horrible on water or ice. 2013 Ford Explorer overheats because the radiator is cracked and needs to be replaced. Anything could go wrong after many years of use. While there are a number of honest vendors out there, plenty of sellers are looking to pocket more of your money with unnecessary fees. I said, let me get this straight I need to be broke down somewhere, in the winter, with the chance of my toddler being with me, for you to address this issue. Cold weather really makes it act up. Ford just kept it for almost three months because they couldn't determine what was wrong with it and now my 3 y' old car has a new engine. How do I know if my power assisted steering is working? Love the car. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed her that the vehicle was not under recall or warranty. Like everyone else on this list, I had steering failure on my 2016 Ford Explorer. My son just started driving too, and this is the car available to him. While driving down the highway the power steering suddenly went out, showing errors "steering assist fault, service required" , "hill start assist not available" , and "service advancetrac". This appears to be a known problem to the vehicle manufacture but no recalls have been put out. If my wife or daughter had been driving the truck, they wouldn't have been able to steer the truck over to the breakdown lane. Last, the raised roof racks are flush as opposed to prior years where there is space between the rack and the roof. My tire pressure was 10lbs light due to the changes in temperature and it was around 10 deg. This is a known design flaw, which has impacted several hundreds 2016 - 2018 Ford Explorer owner/operators. I have significant bruising from the seat belt impacting my right side hip, my mirror dislodged and hit me in the head, seat airbag bruised my left shoulder, and my neck is about as sore as it can get. As I was driving my electronic power steering system went out causing me to be unable to steer my vehicle. Most 2017 Explorers no longer carry a valid Ford-backed warranty. We paid $700 to fix or bandaid the problem last month. But there is data to suggest that carbon monoxide was elevated in certain driving scenarios.. Took my Explorer to local dealer for service due to a noisy steering column. Our 2016 Ford Explorer starting becoming difficult to steer was a grinding noise when turning the steering wheel. This time the errors showed up upon startup, and did not resolve upon restarting the vehicle. Explorer. The dealership got Ford to reduce the cost of the part from 1300 to 1000 and Ford agreed to $400 of assistance. We have earned over $1 billion for our clients and have achieved some of the largest auto defect settlements on record. Recall for carbon monoxide in the cabin of the vehicle. It has generated far fewer complaints and recalls than the 2017 model. In 2014, Ford recalled certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorers, saying these vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting a shut down of the power steering assist. According to Ford, this issue may increase the risk of a accident., In 2015, Ford recalled certain model year Ford Fusion, Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. Already had to get new tires have work on transmission. Shop and buy your next car with confidence. They indicated 2 - 3 weeks but that was a guess. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Maybe they have it sort then. This article explains what a power steering assist fault means and some fixes to get you back on the road again. Also, the front seats are abnormally short with regards to their depth and the driver and passenger side windows are uncomfortably high and further away so its impossible to rest an arm. December 22, 2022 as I pulled into the driveway I heard a popping sound coming from the front end as i turned into the driveway. Even once repaired, I don't have any faith in this vehicle after reading the same thing happening to dozens of other Explorer owners. Two weeks later it happened again in my driveway, unable to turn the wheel at all. No warning light or safety message was displayed by the vehicle when the issue occurred. Shipping isn't a huge expense but finding the part may take time. Typically, when the fluid is low, you will have to work harder to turn your vehicle. A loose battery cable can contact the air conditioner compressor pulley. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the steering wheel seized. This was my 2nd and last time I buy Ford. The Explorer recall is for a steering issue. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. It covers over 36,000 models in North America. The failure tends to happen around the 50,000-mile mark and requires the replacement of the power steering rack or assembly, costing owners an average of $2,100 for the fix. (Heres What Causes it). They could never figure out what was wrong with it. Over looking all other complaints, looks like Im not the only one with the 2500$ bill . The vehicle was not repaired. When I restarted the car, I had no power steering and a new indicator; "Steering Loss Stop Safely". 2016 Ford Explorer, around 40,000 miles my complained about a noise coming from the steering and I never heard. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the steering rack when steering left. Symptoms prior to failure - I bought the car used from a dealership. You can expect to pay between $0 and $1000 to fix the power steering assist fault, but there is no fixed cost. It has been in & out of my local ford service center 6 times for steering issues. 1 Steering Is Tight problem Failure Date: 02/13/2021 This is absolutely insane and I plan on fighting it. Ecoboost base 76k miles had a steering rack failure . Looking for your perfect car? Dylan concentrates his practice on investigating and prosecuting fraud matters on behalf of whistleblowers, consumers, and employees. I don't have another 1300 dollars to purchase. Please recall this dangerous defect! Ford recalled 34,939 of its 2020-2021 F-350 Super Duty trucks with a 6.7-liter engine and single rear wheel axle due to a weld issue. Connected Navigation: Older systems have a belt that connects to the engine to draw energy. The most recently reported issues are listed below. The rate of incidence for the steering issues is remarkably high, and the exhaust odor problem is potentially quite dangerous. 920-918-6266. It was the steering that didn't feel right, so I drove directly home. Door keeps falling apart. Please also check out the Hard electronic power steering/Electronic failure module/motor Kilmar salmeron 266 subscribers Subscribe 413 134K views 3 years ago Hard power steering. The initial investigation launched in 2016, and was closed in 2017, a couple months after the current investigation was launched the same year. Gibbs Law Group is opening a class action lawsuit in this matter so clearly there are red flags that are being ignored. The auto defect attorneys at Gibbs Law Group are investigating reports of power steering problems in 2016-2018 Ford Explorers. The SUV is my input was not requested for this there is potential for a circuit... With two children in the electric power steering, traction control, and is! To receive it was the battery it on one day at a sonic drive in and not... Absolutely insane and I never heard summer of 2022 the air vent control actuator went out causing me to a. 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