SOME 2008-2017 FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SYNC MAY GENERATE A VHR THAT IDENTIFIES A CONCERN WITH THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION CATEGORY INDICATING SERVICE IS REQUIRED DUE TO A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP BEING ILLUMINATED. IF THE PARK BRAKE WAS APPLIED WHEN THE VHR WAS GATHERING DATA FROM THE MAJOR VEHICLE SYSTEMS, THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION MESSAGE WILL BE REPORTED AS THE VHR LOOKS FOR ANY WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. RERUN THE VHR WITH THE ENGINE ON AND VEHICLE IN PARK, AND ENSURE THE PARK BRAKE IS DISENGAGED. IF THE SYNC VHR IS STILL REPORTING A CONCERN TO THE CUSTOMERS SYNC OWNERS ACCOUNT, REFER TO THE APPROPRIATE WORKSHOP MANUAL SECTION FOR DIAGNOSIS BY
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2011 Ford Explorer brakes problems
severe Owners of the 2011 Ford Explorer have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the brakes, typically surfacing around 19,000 miles at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 Explorer | 11 |
| 2010 Explorer | 9 |
| 2011 Explorer (this page) | 12 |
| 2012 Explorer | 12 |
| 2013 Explorer | 27 |
| 2014 Explorer | 14 |
| 2015 Explorer | 16 |
2crashes
1fire
1injury
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SOME 2008-2017 FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SYNC MAY GENERATE A VHR THAT IDENTIFIES A CONCERN WITH THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION CATEGORY INDICATING SERVICE IS REQUIRED DUE TO A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP BEING ILLUMINATED. IF THE PARK BRAKE WAS APPLIED WHEN THE VHR WAS GATHERING DATA FROM THE MAJOR VEHICLE SYSTEMS, THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION MESSAGE WILL BE REPORTED AS THE VHR LOOKS FOR ANY WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. RERUN THE VHR WITH THE ENGINE ON AND VEHICLE IN PARK, AND ENSURE THE PARK BRAKE IS DISENGAGED. IF THE SYNC VHR IS STILL REPORTING A CONCERN TO THE CUSTOMERS SYNC OWNERS ACCOUNT, REFER TO THE APPROPRIATE WORKSHOP MANUAL SECTION FOR DIAGNOSIS BY
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗FORD: IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER (IPC) THERE IS A TERRAIN MANAGEMENT POP UP WARNING, WITHOUT DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) ACCOMPANYING IT, IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MODULE OR TERRAIN CONTROL MODULE. MODEL 2011-2014 EXPLORER.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗FORD/LINCOLN: DUE TO CORROSION BUILDUP BETWEEN BRAKE PAD AND ANCHOR BRACKET, VEHICLE EXPERIENCE A REAR BRAKE DRAG CONDITION AND NEED TO BE CHECKED FOR DEBRIS AND/OR CORROSION. MODEL 2011-2014 EXPLORER, FLEX, TAURUS, EDGE, MKX, MKT, MKS.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗FORD: IF THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT LACK OF POWER, SURGE, OR HESITATION WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WILL OVERRIDE ACCELERATION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2011 Ford Explorers report four distinct brake problems. Complete brake failure tops the list: pedal collapses to the floor with little stopping power, sometimes engaging only one wheel and pulling hard to that side. One owner struck a concrete column because only the right front brake engaged while braking into a driveway; another hit storefront glass after brake failure in a parking lot. These failures happen at low speeds and highway speeds alike, and dealerships cannot reproduce them.
Rear brake caliper seizure appears frequently, hitting owners at 40k–50k miles. The caliper locks up, creating extreme heat and smoke; one owner's wheel was too hot to touch. Multiple seizures on the same vehicle are common—one owner had the right rear caliper fail, then the left rear, then the right rear again within weeks at 42k–44k miles. Dealerships replace the part but the problem returns on the opposite side or same side later.
Some owners report constant brake squealing starting around 19k miles, and one describes ABS applying brakes without any pedal input at various speeds, torquing the steering wheel and creating a loss-of-control hazard. A computer replacement didn't fix it. Across all complaints, dealerships often deny warranty coverage, claiming inability to reproduce the fault during a short test drive.
Same Ford Explorer brakes reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Complete brake failure with unequal braking
Brake pedal goes soft or collapses to the floor with little to no stopping power. Only one wheel may engage, causing severe pulling and loss of directional control. Owners report the vehicle continues at normal speed despite hard pedal pressure and strikes obstacles (garage door, storefront, concrete column). Dealers cannot reproduce the failure and deny manufacturer defect.
When: Varies—low speeds in driveway, highway traffic, parking lot scenarios
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal sinks to floor without engagement; Soft brake pedal requiring multiple pumps to stop vehicle; Only one brake engages (typically right front); Severe pulling to one side during braking; Vehicle continues despite hard pedal pressure
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple brake replacements reported (pads, rotors, calipers, booster, master cylinder, ABS assembly) without resolving issue. One owner reports dealer demanded entire ABS control assembly replacement; another reports brakes became undrivable after dealership service.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford denied manufacturer defect after four-month investigation. Dealership cited inability to reproduce failure as reason to deny warranty repairs. Owner found similar complaints on 2005, 2007, and 2009 Explorers where Ford also found no defect.
Rear brake caliper seizure and excessive heat
Rear brake calipers seize during highway driving or normal operation, trapping friction material against the rotor. This creates extreme heat and smoke from the wheel area. Multiple calipers on the same vehicle fail repeatedly over time. Some calipers seize early (under 50k miles), others reoccur after replacement.
When: 50,000 miles and lower; recurrences at 42k, 44k, and beyond; primarily during highway travel in hot weather
Symptoms owners cite: Squealing noise from brake area; Smoke coming from wheel; Extreme heat at wheel (too hot to touch); Brake pads worn to metal before owner detects problem; Grinding noise from metal-on-metal contact; One brake wheel much hotter than others during same drive
Repairs/costs cited: Caliper replacement performed multiple times on the same vehicle. Dealership cleaned area and claimed caliper was OK without replacement on at least one repeat occurrence. One owner replaced left caliper at own expense outside warranty period after initial right caliper replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Rear passenger caliper replaced immediately under warranty on one vehicle at ~50k miles. On same vehicle, dealership refused warranty repair for driver-side rear seizure, citing inability to reproduce on short test drive and Ford policy against warranty work without reproduction. No recall or TSB mentioned.
Brake noise and wear without apparent cause
Constant squealing from brakes even during acceleration, starting at very low mileage. Brake components (calipers, rotors, pads) wear abnormally or squealing persists despite inspection. Dealerships often cannot diagnose root cause.
When: 19,000 miles on one vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Constant squealing even during acceleration; Premature wear of calipers, rotors, and pads
Repairs/costs cited: One dealership identified need for caliper, rotor, and brake pad replacement but vehicle was not repaired. Insufficient lubrication cited as cause of caliper and rotor failure on another vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but no specific response or repair mentioned.
Unintended ABS activation without driver input
ABS system activates and applies brakes unintentionally at various speeds regardless of road conditions. This causes sudden braking and steering wheel torque that can cause loss of control. Computer replacement has not resolved the issue.
When: At various speeds; issue persists even after computer replacement
Symptoms owners cite: ABS applies brakes without driver input; Applies one brake at a time rather than balanced braking; Creates steering wheel torque at all speeds; Loss of vehicle control; Occurs regardless of road conditions
Repairs/costs cited: Computer replaced once without resolution. Vehicle deemed unsafe to drive.
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had brakes trouble with your 2011 Ford Explorer?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2011 Ford Explorer?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most brakes failures cluster between 7,500 and 67,000 miles, with the median around 19,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 7,500; a quarter make it past 67,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Ford/Explorer.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.