U2011 on Ford

Manufacturer code: on Ford, U2011 is stored in the power steering control module and points to an internal electronic fault in the steering assist motor

Severity: Inspect soon

Ford owners report U2011 with a Power Assist Fault or Steering Assist Fault message and steering that suddenly becomes very heavy. Steering is safety-critical, so have it repaired before relying on the vehicle.

It gets more serious if:

Stop: If steering assist is lost or a steering assist fault message appears while driving, slow down, pull over where safe and have the vehicle towed. Explorer and Fusion owners report the wheel becoming very hard to turn at speed.

Safety-critical system: explanation only, no DIY steps. Source: how we rate severity

This page covers only what differs on Ford. For what U2011 means, the ranked causes and the test order, see the U2011 guide.

What's different on Ford

Ford

2012–2015 · Explorer
Supported by vehicle data
Owners and dealers report sudden loss of steering assist with U2011:49 and U3000, repaired by replacing the steering gear. 2011-2013 models are also covered by recall 14V286000, which does not name the code.
2010–2012 · Fusion
Supported by vehicle data
Owners report no power steering with U2011 and U3000 and Power Assist Fault messages.
2012 · F-150
Supported by vehicle data
Dealer found U2011 and U3000 and repaired the motor in the steering gear.
2019 · Transit Connect
Supported by vehicle data
Ford SSM 47792: lack of steering assist with U2011 from low battery or transportation mode. Whether it is still current is not verified.

SSM 47792Status unverified
Lack of steering assist with U3003, U2011, U3000
2019transit-connect · issued February 6, 2019 · NHTSA 10155564
Charge the battery and take the vehicle out of transportation mode.
We couldn't confirm whether this bulletin is still current, so it doesn't count as confirmation.

Sources and review

NHTSA complaint ODI 11153313: 2012 Ford Explorer — NHTSA (owner complaint)
NHTSA complaint ODI 11337368: 2015 Ford Explorer — NHTSA (owner complaint)
NHTSA complaint ODI 11677030: 2014 Ford Explorer — NHTSA (owner complaint)
NHTSA complaint ODI 11766275: 2014 Ford Explorer — NHTSA (owner complaint)
NHTSA complaint ODI 11245862: 2011 Ford Fusion — NHTSA (owner complaint)
NHTSA complaint ODI 11018991: 2012 Ford Fusion — NHTSA (owner complaint)
NHTSA complaint ODI 11152896: 2012 Ford F-150 — NHTSA (owner complaint)
Ford SSM 47792: lack of steering assist, U3003/U2011/U3000 (2019 Transit Connect) — Ford / NHTSA , February 6, 2019

Last reviewed: October 15, 2026
Written by: Saurabh K.
Editorial review: Pending
Technician review: Technician review pending

This page explains what a code usually means; it is not a substitute for a professional inspection. How we source and review · Report an error

Severity: Inspect soon

What's different on Ford

FordYour car

Sources and review

Ford