2012 Ford Explorer Electrical Problems

Total loss of Electric power steering assistance while driving on the interstate.

NHTSA ID

11709483

Incident

Dec 6, 2025

Hello I’m a concerned citizen and I have a question about the Ford recall on the back up cameras, I have 2012 Explorer and my camera has been acting up for a while the same way that ford has mentioned, so I was wondering why isn’t the Explorer not included in this recall.

NHTSA ID

11687098

Incident

Nov 11, 2024

The contact's wife owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving, on at least three occasions, the steering wheel became very stiff. The contact's wife was not able to turn the steering wheel, so the vehicle was stopped and restarted each time. The contact stated that an unknown message was displayed, and the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where DTC: U3000 was retrieved, and the tech was asked to check for bad connections. The failure was not duplicated, and the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ground wire had corrosion around the grounding bolts and that the bolts needed to be cleaned a reinstalled. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,000.

NHTSA ID

11685900

Incident

Oct 12, 2022

Mileage

111,000 mi

My vehicles power steering alert came on suddenly while driving home. My cars steering wheel completely locked up while I had my children in my vehicle. It was very scary knowing we could have been in a wreck due to this issue. It’s. Not under recall but under the customer satisfaction program but I do not have funds to cover this. No dealership near me is able to tow and a tow would be a lot for me. I had a family friend tow us when my steering went out in town but was still charged an arm. I need this looked at because there’s been recalls for this before. My families lives were put at risk and that’s completely unacceptable.

NHTSA ID

11669422

Incident

Jun 25, 2025

Sometimes putting it in reverse the rear camera doesn’t come on. Have to wait sometimes a minute before camera will come on. It doesn’t happen all the time. I read that ford is having problems and has a recall on some vehicles but my year doesn’t show up.

NHTSA ID

11663875

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

Back-up camera will display images backward and poses a collision hazard as driver won’t know which direction cars or pedestrians are coming from.

NHTSA ID

11658351

Incident

Apr 14, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving 70 MPH in the passing lane, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated while the driver was decelerating, the vehicle started shuddering significantly. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and a message advising of a power steering failure and to service the vehicle immediately was displayed. The tail lights and the hazard lights became inoperable. The driver was able to pull to the side of the road. The driver was able to continue driving at a lower speed. The contact stated that his daughter and his [XXX] grandchild were passengers in the vehicle during the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was uncontrollable while driving at higher speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering gear motor and an unknown parts needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 15N01; however, the dealer informed the contact that the manufacturer declined to cover the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11639862

Incident

Jan 6, 2025

There is a recall on the trim. There are no replacement parts and now there is a tiny leak, The leak is hitting the center console. I have to have a plastic bag over it at all times. it at one point leaked into the hazards lights and I woke up multiple days in a row to find my hazards on and then I had to manually dry it and eventually they'd go back on . Other buttons on the display have stopped working. The fan for the heater will not turn off at all ever.

NHTSA ID

11631519

Incident

Dec 10, 2024

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ID

11607035

Incident

Jun 23, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after receiving a map update on the main control panel, the display screen immediately blacked out. The contact stated that when updating the ATI system map, the main control panel screen completely blacked out. The contact was unable to use any of the electrical systems including the Back Over Prevention camera. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and it was diagnosed that the ATI system had failed due to the map update. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11597241

Incident

Jun 6, 2024

Mileage

90,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11556479

Incident

Nov 20, 2023

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

NHTSA ID

11533777

Incident

Jul 1, 2023

While I was driving the service advance trac light came on as well I stopped the car turned the key off went to leave and another light popped up in red saying service power steering now. There was a csp called the epas efforts on my vehicle and Ford dealer said it had been fixed in 2014 but I didn’t own the car so I’m not sure if it was

NHTSA ID

11506339

Incident

Jan 1, 2023

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..

NHTSA ID

11506189

Incident

Jan 28, 2023

Mileage

151,000 mi

While driving down the middle of a busy interstate suddenly the power steering was lost and a power steering assist warning appeared. Vehicle was almost impossible to control with no steering. After making it off the roadway and into a local business and turning the car off, when I turned it back on the warning was gone and the steering worked normally. This is definitely a life threatening failure and it happens without warning.

NHTSA ID

11495227

Incident

Nov 28, 2022

The truck has been in shop 5 times or actually 5 different dealerships. The recall has yet to be fixed but I continually pay to have the problem INVESTIGATED. The dash flashes loss of fuel pressure, service advance track soon, Battery level and mechanic wrench . I have this on video as it is constant occurrence. Each time ford takes it in they can't make the issue happen or recreate it. As told several times happens sporadic and not under any certain conditions. Over and over paying diagnostic fee and what they say will repair the issue only it happens pulling off the lot at 5 star ford Dallas Texas took it in under default to Bob Tomas Mckinney where they scanned it and found 17 communication errors left it there nothing was done but more exploration of issues going down the list of com failures and paying for each 3 anyway and it did it again leaving me stranded 3 times to count eventually leaving at Don Davis Ford Arlington Texas where it was again said repaired and is currently at Planet Ford Dallas where historically I paid $2850 and NOTHING was done as it again left me stranded and towed there where it can sit until it's fixed meaning this loss of horsepower the electric flashes and the gears in transmission ACTUALLY FUNCTION AS PER REQUESTED EACH TIME IN SERVICE

NHTSA ID

11484467

Incident

Sep 14, 2022

Service AdvanceTrac Warning light illuminated, power steering fail...second time this happened around the same time last year. Also, right and left turn signals do not stay on while turning.

NHTSA ID

11467577

Incident

Jun 4, 2022

ABS Trac light came on while driving Car was taken to the dealership twice to fix the problem but Ford wasn't able to find the problem. I know there is a problem with the Ford Focus ABS Module due to recalls and I think on the Ford Explore but Ford isn't saying anything about this problem with the ABS module.

NHTSA ID

11422776

Incident

Jun 13, 2021

WATER IS LEAKING FROM THE ROOF THAT CAUSES ELECTRICAL ISSUES. BAD DESIGN BY FORD IN WHICH SEAL SEAMS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, WHICH CAUSE LEAKS INSIDE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11331943

Incident

Aug 7, 2019

MY TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES 🔥 AND BURN TO THE GROUND WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324350

Incident

Apr 27, 2020

Mileage

140,000 mi

WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED, THE AIRBAG LIGHTS GO OFF BUT COME BACK ON AND STAYS ON. THIS STARTED A MONTH AGO AND THE WARNING LIGHT STILL SWITCHES ON WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED

NHTSA ID

11298633

Incident

Dec 3, 2019

Mileage

500 mi

POWER STEERING DEFAULT ACTIVATES WHICH CAUSE YOU TO USE EXTREME FORCE TO NAVIGATE THE WHEEL AND THERE IS A POPPING NOISE IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. ALL WHILE DRIVING AND SITTING STILL.

NHTSA ID

11267378

Incident

Oct 9, 2019

Mileage

126,499 mi

LOST COMMUNICATION WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM. THE WINDOWS LOCK UP, AND THE CAR BLOWS CONSTANT HEAT THROUGH DEFROST. NO HAZARDS CAN BE USED AS THE ENTIRE CONTROL PANEL IS OUT. VERY UNSAFE WITHOUT HAZARDS, LET ALONE FULL BLOWN HEAT WHEN ITS ALREADY . 105 OUTSIDE WITH THE HEAT INDEX.

NHTSA ID

11234210

Incident

Jul 10, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE CONTROL PANEL THAT SHOWS THE REAR BACKING AND THEN SWITCHES TO CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE, RADIO, SEATS, ETC HAS FAILED. THERE IS NO BACKING ASSIST OR ANY CONTROLS FOR INTERIOR FUNCTIONS. THE FEATURE STOPPED WHEN IN MOTION AND HASN'T COME BACK ON SINCE.

NHTSA ID

11228990

Incident

Jan 13, 2018

Mileage

118,875 mi

THE CAR HAS WATER LEAKS, I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL FUNCTION AND FEAR OF FIRE OR CONTACT IN MY CAR .

NHTSA ID

11172760

Incident

Oct 1, 2017