YearToAvoid

2011 Ford Explorer Visibility & Wipers Problems

NHTSA lists 21 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2011 Ford Explorer, 2% of that year's 1,197 total complaints. Owners most often report windshield trim or A-pillar panels detaching at highway speed, plus rear window or backlite glass shattering. No related recalls are listed and median failure mileage is 51,616.

Visibility & Wipers complaints
21
2% of 1,197
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
51,616 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

  • Windshield top molding or side trim detaches and flies off while driving around 60 mph.
  • A-pillar panels come loose or need replacement after owners hear a hissing wind noise at highway speed.
  • Rear liftgate or backlite glass shatters or explodes without any impact, sometimes while parked or while using the rear defroster.
  • Sun visors fail to hold position, dropping down and blocking the driver's view of traffic.
  • Sunroof leaks water into the cabin during rain even when fully closed.

When 2011 Ford Explorer visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 22, 2011, latest May 15, 2026.

2011 Ford Explorer visibility & wipers complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2011Jul 2014Oct 2015Aug 2017Dec 2019Feb 2023May 2026
21 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2011 to May 2026; peak Jul 2017 (2).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2011 Ford Explorer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Explorer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20103 (3%)
  2. 201121 (2%)
  3. 201223 (3%)
  4. 201362 (3%)
  5. 201452 (3%)
  6. 201542 (2%)
  7. 201667 (3%)
  8. 201773 (4%)
  9. 201827 (4%)
  10. 20197 (2%)
  11. 202066 (5%)
  12. 202141 (10%)
  13. 202229 (11%)
  14. 202310 (9%)
  15. 20243 (14%)
  16. 202513 (13%)

Frequently asked questions

How many visibility and wiper complaints does the 2011 Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA lists 21 complaints in the Visibility & Wipers category for the 2011 Explorer, which is 2% of the 1,197 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2011 Ford Explorer windshield or wiper issues?
No. The data shows no related recalls listed for the Visibility & Wipers area on the 2011 Explorer.
At what mileage do these visibility problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure across reported cases is 51,616 miles.
What is the most common visibility complaint on the 2011 Explorer?
Owners most frequently describe windshield trim, molding, or A-pillar panels detaching or making noise at highway speeds, along with rear window glass shattering unexpectedly.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.