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moderate 355 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Of the 355 steering complaints filed for the 2012 Ford Explorer, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
Steering accounts for 43% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 12 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 355 steering complaints against 1 active recall — roughly 355 complaints per campaign.
The inability to steer the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Buyer takeaway: The 2012 Ford Explorer has a widespread steering system defect affecting the electric power steering gear, with recurring failures even after recall repairs and high repair costs beyond recall coverage limits. Multiple owners report sudden, dangerous loss of steering control, parts back-orders lasting 30+ days, and Ford's refusal to honor extended warranty coverage even when vehicles fall only slightly over mileage limits or when identical failures recur post-repair.
Owners of 2012 Ford Explorers describe sudden, intermittent loss of power steering assist while driving—sometimes at highway speeds—triggered by an electrical fault in the steering gear motor position sensor. A "Power Steering Assist Fault" dashboard warning precedes the loss, and the steering wheel becomes impossibly stiff to turn. Some owners report the fault clears itself after engine restart; others find complete loss of steering that persists even after multiple restart attempts. The failure is documented under Recall 14S06 (NHTSA 14V286000) and extended Customer Satisfaction Program 15N01, but owner complaints cluster around Ford's application of coverage limits.
The core frustration: Ford covered the defect with a software reprogram (PSCM update) if no sensor codes were detected at recall time, or steering gear replacement if codes were present. However, once that single repair was performed or the recall was marked closed, Ford denies any subsequent failures as out of warranty. Owners report being just 500–4,000 miles over the 150,000-mile extended coverage cutoff and receiving flat refusals. Replacement steering gears cost $1,500–$3,000 and frequently sit on national back-order for 30+ days. Some owners report the same steering gear failing again within 4–6 months or years of the original repair, with Ford again refusing coverage. One owner's toe-link recall repair was improperly torqued, leading to cascading brake and suspension damage; Ford refused to cover the cascade damage despite the dealer acknowledging the cause.
Same Ford Explorer steering reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015
Complete or near-complete loss of power steering assist, rendering manual steering extremely difficult or impossible. Occurs intermittently or suddenly while driving or at startup. Often accompanied by 'Power Steering Assist Fault' warning light and related dash warnings (Service AdvanceTrac, Terrain Management System Fault, etc.).
When: Reported across all mileages from ~20k to 250k+ miles; many failures occur well beyond the 150k-mile / 10-year coverage window of the extended warranty program 15N01.
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power steering assist; steering wheel becomes extremely hard to turn; Intermittent power steering loss followed by restoration after restart; Steering wheel locks up or becomes stuck in position; Warning lights on dashboard ('Power Steering Assist Fault,' 'Service Power Steering Now,' 'Service AdvanceTrac,' 'Terrain Management System Fault'); Chime or beep alerts accompanying failure; Turn signals may stop working during event; Shuddering or difficulty controlling vehicle, especially at higher speeds or on curves
Codes mentioned: U2011-49, C200B2F-2F, Power Steering Assist Fault DTC, Loss of motor position sensor signal
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers typically diagnose need for steering gear (rack and pinion) replacement. Repair costs reported at $1,500–$3,000+, depending on dealership and any additional component failures. Parts frequently on national back-order with long wait times (30+ days reported). Some owners report multiple replacements of the same component within 4–6 years of original repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 14S06 (NHTSA 14V286000, issued May 29, 2014) and Customer Satisfaction Program 15N01 (extended coverage). Initial remedy was Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software update. If loss of motor position sensor signal detected, steering gear replacement covered under extended program for 10 years / 150,000 miles from original purchase date. Many owners report Ford denying coverage for vehicles slightly over 150k miles or 10-year mark, even when same failure mode occurs. Ford has also allegedly closed extended coverage programs prematurely and denied subsequent claims on already-repaired vehicles. Some owners report dealerships or Ford marking recalls as 'complete' when only software update was done, not gear replacement.
Steering gear assembly fails again months or years after being replaced under the original recall repair (14S06 / 15N01). Vehicle exhibits identical symptoms to the original defect despite prior repair.
When: Reported 4–6 months to 4 years after original recall repair; mileages vary widely.
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of power steering assist identical to pre-repair failure; Steering wheel locks up; Warning lights illuminate; Manual steering required
Codes mentioned: Power Steering Assist Fault DTC
Repairs/costs cited: Steering gear replacement required again. Costs $1,700–$3,000+. Some owners report Ford refusing to cover second failure, claiming 'only one recall repair per safety issue' or stating vehicle is out of extended warranty.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 14S06 / 15N01 limited to single repair per vehicle. Ford refuses to cover second failure on repaired vehicles, stating warranty extension expired or vehicle is over mileage limit. Some owners told 'that recall is now closed' and referred to class-action lawsuit handling. No retroactive extension observed in narratives.
Some owners report steering failures (loss of power assist, stiffness, locking) in vehicles not covered under the VIN-specific recall triggers or in vehicles manufactured at different plants, yet exhibiting identical symptoms to recalled units.
When: Various mileages; some owners report failures early in ownership.
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering loss or extreme stiffness; Steering wheel lock-up; Warning messages
Codes mentioned: Not specified in most narratives; dealer notes 'unable to replicate' or 'no diagnostic codes found'
Repairs/costs cited: Owners out of pocket; costs $1,500–$2,000+ for steering gear or rack-and-pinion replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford denies coverage, citing vehicle not included in recall VIN range or manufacture location. Some owners told 'this is not a safety recall' despite matching symptomatology.
Toe-link recall repair (front suspension alignment) performed incorrectly by dealer (hand-torqued instead of properly torqued per specification), leading to bolt loosening and loss of vehicle control. Subsequently, damage propagated to knuckles, brakes, rotors, and tires.
When: Reported within 3 months of recall repair; first incident ~1 month post-repair, subsequent incidents 2+ months later.
Symptoms owners cite: Grinding noise while driving (especially on descents); Sensation of loss of control; Vehicle hops a lane during heavy braking; Difficulty maintaining lane position
Repairs/costs cited: Bolt replacement, vehicle alignment, brake rotors, rear tires, front brake pads, knuckle replacement. Total damage estimated over $3,000. Dealer acknowledged mechanic hand-torqued bolts and stated they would need to contact other customers to re-torque their toe-links as well.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall warranty initially honored for first correction (re-torque and alignment). Ford recall manufacturer later refused to cover cascade damage (brakes, rotors, knuckle, tires), despite dealer acknowledging all damage was related to the improperly installed recall repair.
Synthesized from 355 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
After a recall free fixed, the car its showing the samething problem, but the dealershi say now I should to pay because 4 years ago was fix it....
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle per the owner's manual; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering gearbox needed to be replaced. The contact…
The power steering on the vehicle stopped working while driving. The vehicle is currently at Ken Groody Ford in Redlands, CA (Formerly Redlands Ford). The vehicle gave a yellow Service Power Steering Soon indication and the steering became sluggish. Shortly after, within minutes, the indicator came on in red and the vehicle was unable to be effectively steered. This is the second time this has…
We seen multiple online post about our make model and year Ford having a recall. When our steering wheel locked and we lost complete control of our car more than once with kids and a baby in the car we brought it to Ford to be fixed. They told us as long as the computer matched up with that issue it would be covered under an existing campaign. They then said ford denied it because it just missed…
In 2014 there was a recall for my vehicle. It was not fixed because when checked my car did not show any problem. Now I cannot drive my car due to power steering assist fault. I called the dealership and was informed they cannot fix my car based on warranty because it previously checked out fine. This car is not safe to drive and quite expensive to fix. Why can't the recall still apply to my car.…
The vehicle power steering and power brakes shut off while driving making pulling over and stopping very difficult for a mature male driver. I find it difficult I can only imagine how difficult and dangerous this could be for my wife or any smaller or less experienced driver. This happened multiple times during regular driving on fairly smooth surface normal conditions. *tr
Failure of electronic power assist steering system. Without power steering, maneuverability becomes difficult as effort required for steering the vehicle drastically increases, putting the driver and those around them at risk. The dealer has reproduced and confirmed the issue. It has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. No warning lamps appear until failure is…
Our SUV lost power steering while driving and unable to steer vehicle without excessive force. Warnings that came on dash include: service power steering now, advancetrac warning, and all terrain warning. The turn signals also will not operate properly.
2012 Ford explorer has a recall 14s06 which my vehicle allegedly isnt apart of , but for some reason im having this issue. Which is extremely dangerous
Vehicle in motion. Steering became more difficult. No sensor light came on. I pulled over to stop and sensor said power steering and intelligent 4 wheel drive need service. Called mechanic . Tried to drive and steering was completely locked .
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 355 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Across the 255 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 37,000 and 140,000 miles, with the median around 95,657. A quarter of owners report trouble before 37,000; a quarter make it past 140,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering 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.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover steering issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.