Problems with 2011 Ford F-150 STEERING

Steering sticks, slight turn to the left or right, let go of the wheel, and the wheel does not return to straight. very hard to steer. problem comes and goes but has become worse lately. i have to really concentrate when the condition is at it's worst. it's an unsafe steering situation. condition occurs at all speeds, on paved and on dirt roads.

Primarily while turning left power steering goes hard. usually recovers after turning to right. intermittent total power steering failure. as yet, unable to determine reproducible sequence of events to demonstrate issue to dealer.

At various speeds on the highway or in a parking lot, the steering wheel locks up when you turn to the left and you have to manually bring it back. a real surprise! it has never happened turning to the right.

While in motion went to turn left the steering locked up made a squalling sound, traction light displayed and also, power steering assist displayed and, service advance track displayed and turn signals were not staying on,(had to hold them manually.took truck to dealership and told the problem was an epas failure. laymen terminology is the steering gear has failed. mileage on vehicle is 39,882, and will cost approximately $1450.00 to fix this problem. i do have a repair invoice but have no way to scan. be happy to mail a copy and any thing else needed.

Steering froze and i could not turn left. we were driving into town from the lake, pulling our boat. began to notice the truck was not allowing me the adjust left and about 5 minutes later we could not turn left. i pulled as a hard as i could and could only move the wheel about 1 inch left. next day the radio display screen said something about power steering system. i took the truck to mckie ford in rapid city sd by driving only where i could turn right. ford dealer replaced the steering gear and charged me $1500. and no guarantee the "new" epas gear box won't fail. very frightening to be driving and not be able to move or turn left! and i see ford has started recalling some of there vehicles with this same system. how can they recall some not all? in hindsight, there was a symptom for about 2 years: when driving through a left curve the truck would "buckle" or kick ever so slightly to the right as if the tie rod was loose. i took it to the ford dealership a couple times and they were unable to tell me why it was doing that. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving approximately 25 mph, the steering made an abnormal noise. in addition, the vehicle became difficult to steer and the service traction control warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering system needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 86,000. the vin was unavailable.

I purchased my vehicle used. when turning to the left steering wheel locks up. happens at highway speeds and at very slow speeds. very dangerous especially if someone is driving it that isn't aware of the issue.

Without warning i came started by vehicle and the power steering was no longer working. the onboard computer advised of a power steering fault. this issue could have easily happened while driving on roads with sharp curves and/or while these vehicles were pulling a trailer ending in a potentially fatal collision.

2011 ford f150 xlt supercab 4x4 with 50,000 miles has problem with the electric power assist steering (epas) and ford has been notified but refused to replace or assist with replacement and wants approximately $1600 to repair. steering often becomes catchy and causes driver to jerk steering wheel to stay in lane while driving. *tr

Driving 70 mph on interstate 44 out of joplin, mo when i was driving around a slight curve. the steering locked up. i could not steer at all. i slammed on the brakes to avoid crashing into oncoming cars. if there was another vehicle close to me it would have been an accident of really bad consequences. i was lucky. i took the truck to the local ford dealer and they said the steering gear was crushed. i called ford for an explanation and was literally told there is nothing they have to do. i want others to know that this happened with no warning whatsoever. the dealership is charging me 1500.00 plus change to fix this. i can't see how i will ever trust that steering again.

During highway driving the power steering seems to shut off momentarily especially on movements to the left this can be scary and unsafe when driving at high speeds

During operation with vehicle in motion on a street, power steering shut off, directional signals would not stay on when used. diagnosed at a ford dealership as an epas failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving 3 mph and backing out of a driveway, the steering wheel became very difficult to turn when shifted into drive. the contact had to turn the steering wheel aggressively. once the vehicle was driven under normal conditions, the steering became stiff once again and difficult to control. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 28,900. updated 09/20/16*lj when the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, no codes displayed on the computer. updated 10/18/16.*jb

Power steering works sporadically when cold and at very low speeds, such as close turns into drives etc. steering resembles old manual steering. has been occurring since first of this year.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving approximately 65 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise and the vehicle lost steering ability. the failure occurred without warning. upon inspection, it was discovered that a steering component fell to the ground. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Power steering assist default this message comes up and power steering is gone. the local repair shop gets a code the says "steering angle sensor" the vehicle is drivable at speeds of 45 mph but is very difficult to control at low speeds. the steering is jerky and hard to turn. steering makes a lot of racket especially on sharp turns. after sharp turns like when parking this message comes up - "service advance track" then the turn signals have to be manually held on. the turn signal switch has already been replaced.

My steering has become tight and catches when turning to the left. it catches when at a stop or going around curves like i've lost the power steering and has caused me to almost hit other vehicles on several occasions. it doesn't matter if i'm driving 25 miles an hour or driving down the highway. it pulls to the left all the time.

During drives at approximately 50-55 mph, the steering wheel will seize while making a left handed slow curve turn. the failure has occurred several times in a day during drives on different turns on the highway or city streets. the manufacturer has been notified of the failure. the approximate mileage when failure began was 37,000 miles.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel seized while making a left turn. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 37,000. the vin was not available.

Power steering has begun working intermittently requiring extra effort when turning, usually when vehicle is cold. problem seems to decrease after having driven for 10 minutes or so.

Steering locked up while pulling out of the driveway .rack and pinion is bad .at same time it takes my turn singles out.

While driving at approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and the service power steering now warning light illuminated. in addition, the steering wheel seized. there needs to be a recall on this because i was making a slight turn on a country road when the steering wheel seized i had my little niece (18mont) in the truck to think that i could of lost her because of this issue tisk tisk ford you let me down. right now i haven't and i will not drive the truck in any way its been 3 weeks and my truck will sit in the drive way, im also making a video on youtube to see if it gets fords attention.

Vehicle steering it very jerky and locks up, particulary when turning left. makes vehicle difficult to drive in a straight line without 'wandering" in the lane. not safe. started about a year ago, getting progressively worse.

I have 63,000 miles on this vehicle. in the last week the steering has acted very weird. i have to overcompensate (oversteer or understeer) in order to accomplish the correct turn. i was traveling in town. i wouldn't drive it at highway speeds. i feel very uncomfortable driving this vehicle because i'm not sure i can depend on the steering. i went online to http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/f-150/2011/steering/steering-2.shtml and found 65 similar complaints. what's going on? its continuing not to steer correctly (last tuesday until now). the weather has been very mild for minnesota (20-40s). i checked for ice and damage but didn't see anything.

In 2016 i went to get recall repaired from franklin tn dealership i purchased the truck from, they refused, in 2019, they claim that the software was not available from ford, online in emails to another dealer, i have not been told when to bring truck in to get all recalls repaired. both dealerships are in tn. when in first gear, the truck will jerk back down and won't allow me to go to 2nd gear without pressing hard on gas, loud fan noise from the hood, breaks go to the floor and i have to pump to feel truck slowing down, air and heat continue to not work, air won't get cool and heat won't get hot, both dealerships have refused to repair or blamed ford for not giving them what they needed to fix the recalls. i am documenting so my family will be able to give this to attorney. the down shift happens when the truck is in drive moving on any and every street, parking lot, stop light/sign. the loud fan noise from the engine only happens when the truck is started, the brakes have been going to the floor for 8 years at different times of the day/night when driving.

When the electrical power steering fails, one is unable to turn the wheels any further. this can happen when the vehicle is moving or stationary, and happens at all speeds, doesn't matter city or highway driving. i feel this is a critical safety issue, since one would be unable to turn the wheels in order to avoid a hazard in the road, i.e. a child darting out onto the streets, or, if one what following a curve in the road, one would not be able to follow the curve, and could end up off the road, or, impacting an object on the side of the road, or, end up in a body of water, or, down an embankment.

Truck darts to left across center lane of road with out notice it feels as if though it is stuck there i must use a tug on steering wheel to pull it back it releases quickly causing over correction and almost causing running off right side of road i am afraid to drive this truck over 40 miles per hr. i purchased this truck new, i welcome the factory warrenty rept. to come drive it just a couple of miles to see just how unsafe it is to drive

While driving, the steering wheel gets stuck to the left with any slight movement. slight turn to the right and it gets stuck to the left when returning to the neutral position and when slightly turned to the left, it gets stuck when trying to return to the neutral position. it has happened at lower speeds on city roads and at high speed on the interstate and poses a very real safety risk!

While turning the power steering went out. i was not going fast but it straightened out the truck and luckily there was no one in the left lane. the power steering assist as well as the service advancetrac warning messages came on. i was able to get the vehicle home but definitely dangerous to drive. the truck is at the dealer and hopefully being fixed. this is a scary failure and should be addressed. a few different circumstances and this could have hurt someone. sudden loss of power steering in a turn should not be something a vehicle with 37,400 miles on it should have to worry about.

While driving down and interstate "power steering assist failure" warning comes up and i lost all power steering. i was able to muscle the car home and after calling the dealer the service manager said they had no idea why that would happen. after researching on the site, it seems this is a common problem that is recalled in some model years but not in others. i have been complaining about the "service advancetrak" warning coming on since i purchased the vehicle and was always told it wasn't hurting anything. i have an extended warranty but after reading it may not do any good. i will be at the dealership tomorrow.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel seized, which caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 87,000.

I was driving down a state highway, and signaled for a right turn. as i slowed and began my turn the power steering system quit and because of the increased turning effort i wound up on the wrong side of the road onto which i was turning. a warning message appeared on my dash that i had a power steering failure. i muscled the truck over to the side of the road. i turned off the engine and restarted it. the power steering worked for about 1-200 feet, then failed again. fortunately, there were no other vehicles heading in my direction when i went into the opposite lane. i was able to "muscle" the truck to the side of the road and stop safely. i got the truck to the dealer and was told it need a new electronic power steering assist unit at a cost of $1,600+. this seems like a safety issue to me. what if an inexperience driver had been driving or someone without my size or strength?

2011 ford f150 ecoboost with 23,000 miles: while travelling at speeds 45 mph and greater, the steering becomes difficult to maneuver or correct during at speed turns, (ie. driving on twisting highways). the local ford dealer inspected the problem and stated that the epas system needed replacing and that the vehicle was unsafe and to not drive it. the estimate called for a $1160 steering gear part, and $80 "adjust toe in" and labor for a grand total of $1370!! after reading so many other complaints with the same issue, and recalls present for different model years, it is concerning that this is not a recall issue for the 2011's as well.

I have seen many posts about the same issue with fellow 2011 ford f-150 owners. my truck also locked up on me driving on a city street during lunch hour and when i took it to the dealer (under warranty) they advised after diagnostics that the electronic rack and pinion needed to be changed. after hearing a ridiculous price of $1800.00 (part and labor) i asked why was it not covered under drivetrain warranty in which they advised it was "electrical." ford needs to assist all ford f-150 owners on this matter if they don't want a huge lawsuit if, god forbid, anyone gets into an accident.

When i drive my power steering will go out as i'm turning it will be fine one min and the next min i'm in the grass trying not to die

At speed when turning left the steering sticks, and does not return to center when you let go of the wheel. most noticeable on highway in a left hand turn.

While driving the vehicle at approximately 40mph, down a windy, canyon road, i noticed a loud squealing noise as i was rounding a left turn at two different intervals of my steering to the left. at each interval/squeal, i noticed the vehicle was not actually turning, causing me to almost miss the turn and go off the road. i was able to slow down to about 15mph, and with continued force pulling the steering wheel harder left, i was able to make the turn. this continued for the remainder of my 8 mile drive into town, with problems persisting when turning either left or right. i also noticed, as i got into town, that my blinkers suddenly stopped "staying on." they would blink once and turn back off. this was true for both the right and left blinker. i drove straight to the dealership, and in parking noticed that the squealing and the lack of "turning during the squeal" was even worse when the vehicle was moving at a slower speed -- pulling into a parking spot. after diagnosing my truck, they found the gear assembly - steering needed replacing. on my invoice it says "1 el3z*3504*be gear asy - steering". my truck has 56283 miles on it. i have found numerous cases online of people that the same thing has happened to, even some who have actually gotten into an accident because of the same electronic power assisted steering failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving 15 mph, the steering column seized. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 56,000.

My 2011 f150, at just under 60,000 miles, started to have the steering lock up. it can still be turned, but only with considerable effort. this seems to happen mainly on the highway after the wheel has not been moved for a few seconds. the dealer said the rack needs to be replaced (a $2k job), and it is not covered under warranty, which seems unbelievable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving at approximately 20 mph, the steering wheel seized. in addition, the vehicle drifted slightly to the left and the brake pedal was hard when depressed. the vehicle continued to drift and crashed into the front of another vehicle. the contact stated that the "service advancetrac" warning message displayed. the air bags did not deploy. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. a police report was filed and no injuries were reported. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while making a left turn, the electronic assist for the power steering malfunctioned and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn. the contact indicated that the failure was intermittent. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 26,000.

Noticed a sticking spot in long sweeping turns at 35+ mph that was manageable. turned into concernig clicking sounds while turning wheel in any direction. scared to drive ended up at dealership and diagnosed as another issue with epas and binding. replaced rack and pinion assembly. expecting to see more of this as these systems are now being tested. hopefully ford owns up to design/reliability flaws on this safety issue.

2011 f-150 fx4. service advancetrac warning light displays. it comes on when i start up the vehicle stationary. the turn signals stop working, too. the next day the light will be off. appears to be a common manufacturing defect that should be a recall just like on the 2014 f-150s as it is a issues of safety.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. the contact stated that while operating the vehicle the power steering would momentarily malfunction and the steering wheel would become very difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 29,000.

This concerns ford motor company safety recall # 14s09. ford motor co. internal letter from [xxx]. dated june 10, 2014 to dealers. a "do not drive warning." this letter applies to only select 2014 f150 models. my ford f150 fx4; 2011 has an "identical" problem with the same required part number and repair needed. only instead of being a recall it is classified as a repair at a cost of $1,641.00. i have documentation from a dealer "uftring ford automall" stating the identical problem. dated today november 9, 2015. in ford's letter i referred too, above. it warns dealers that the epas gear motor position sensor magnet may lead to impaired steering, loss of steering control, which could increase the risk of a crash. why is my vehicle not covered? note: on the internet there are more f150 owners complaining about this problem. a warning pops up on the dash monitor screen. in bold orange letters. "service advance trac." this happens when turning the steering wheel to park at a slow speed. it appears randomly when driving and the turn signal cannot work. plus the steering wheel can vibrate. if the reset button is depressed the warning on the screen disappears. but you have to shut the vehicle off and restart it to get the turn signal to work again and the vibration to end. the effected part # is: el3z3504be. the same part number and procedure to repair the 2014's. this can happen to 2011 trucks at any mileage and other years. ford even admits it is a "do not drive situation." i want ford to fix my vehicle at their cost. it is a defect that they admit too. i would upload the ford letter. also the dealer analysis. i do not know how to upload it. ? it is a pdf file. please reply thank you. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Power steering assist fault came on .lost power steering almost got in a accident. almost hit a semi ..took in to shop and they said,faulty gear box...someone is going to get killed.you are recalling 2015 on this same issue..ford need to step up and fix this problem on all electrical power steering i.am going to seek a lawyer on this problem..they say it going to cost me 2500.00.....i don't have this amount to fit this

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford f-150. while driving approximately 15 mph, the steering wheel seized. the failure recurred on two other occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 29,000.

Steering sticks when turning left. it is as if the power steering quits working. happens at all speeds. dash lights come off and on at different times-appears to have no connection to light switches

I was making a series of turns in a parking lot looking for a building on a college campus and then without warning i lost power steering. a warning light came on and said that there is a braking assist fault. i finally was able to muscle my truck into a parking space and shut the truck off. when i turned the truck back on my power steering was back. it went on for two days without happening again, until today (7-24-15) it occurred twice in one day. the steering wheel is feeling funny especially when turning left. it feels a little lose when turning left. it feels like it is slipping when turning. again once the vehicle is shut off and restarted the power steering returned.

At 45,000 miles, service advancetrac light would come on when performing tight turns (ex. parking). after the service light appeared, turn signal wouldn't work or would only work when held down. this issue occurred off and on until vehicle was brought in for service at 50,700 miles. entire steering rack had to be replaced. part not covered under warranty, replacement cost was around $1500.