FordExplorer2011Overview/ford/explorer/2011/base/

2011 Ford Explorer

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2011 Explorer.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2011 Ford Explorer is an SUV equipped with a 6.0‑quart oil capacity using 5W‑20 API oil and mated to an Automatic (S6) transmission. Its fuel economy is rated at 17 city, 23 highway, and 19 combined miles per gallon by the EPA. The model recorded 1,191 total owner complaints, a level that is far below the 2002 peak of 3,620 but higher than the 1990 low of 12, and it has been subject to eight recalls, with steering cited as the primary complaint area. Thus, the 2011 Explorer represents a mid‑range point in the model’s long‑term complaint history, reflecting relatively moderate reliability compared with both its most problematic and its least problematic years.

Model year202620252024202320212020201920182011

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP245-65R17OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length197.2 in
Overall width78.7 in
Overall height70.5 in
Wheelbase112.6 in
Curb weight4731 lb
Track (front / rear)66.9 / 66.9 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)54/46

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 23 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Explorer of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.5–7.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 2011 Limited
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2011Limited 3.5L V67.50 sec16.00 sec290 hpAWD
2011XLT 3.5L V67.70 sec16.00 sec290 hpAWD
2011Limited 3.5L V67.80 sec16.10 sec290 hpAWD
2011Limited 3.5L V67.80 sec17.00 sec290 hpAWD
2011Limited 3.5L V67.90 sec16.10 sec290 hpAWD
2012Limited 2.0L EcoBoost 2.0L Turbo I-49.20 sec16.90 sec240 hpFWD
2013Sport EcoBoost 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.90 sec14.50 sec365 hpAWD
2013Limited 3.5L V68.00 sec16.10 sec290 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidFord Mercon LV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.0-12.0
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid75W-140 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity1.1 Pints

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts59 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs7 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug9.0 if equipped with drain plug ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub285 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub285 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity3.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity8.80 oz
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature175-182 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)58
RPM58 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 na SFI ohms
Engine Oil Pressure30 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1500 rpm

Brakes

Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.122 in / 0.394 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
117 ft. lbs. Step 2: 32 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9017 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9089 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
17.4 ft. lbs., step 2: turn 457.4 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 10,000 miBrake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Drive Belt (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2011 Ford Explorer shows 1,191 complaints and 8 recalls, a sharp rise from 115 complaints in 2010 and a subsequent decline to 821 in 2012, placing it near the peak of the 2011–2013 complaint surge. Recall activity in 2011 (8) is modest compared to the 15 recalls of 2016 but higher than the 3–5 recalls seen in 2005–2007, indicating a moderate but not extreme safety issue profile. The top complaint categories—Steering (608) and Structure (94)—mirror the broader trend of mechanical and frame concerns that were most prominent in the early 2010s. Fire complaints (4) and crash complaints (30) are low relative to the overall complaint count, suggesting that severe incidents were infrequent. Overall, 2011 sits at the high end of the complaint curve for that generation, implying that while the vehicle is well‑documented, it may carry more potential maintenance liabilities than adjacent years. Therefore, a 2011 Explorer may be acceptable if you can budget for possible steering or structural repairs, but you might consider 2012 or 2013 models for a slightly cleaner record.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
78
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,191
Owner complaints
30 involved a crash · 4 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,191 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering608
Structure94
Unknown Or Other71
Engine40
Steering,Electrical System32
Power Train26
Air Bags24
Electrical System23

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V435000Suspension:RearReported 10/06/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension. Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary…

17E048000Wheels:HubReported 28/08/2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These… Remedy: Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 78 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
SSM 524762024-04-24EquipmentAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…
SSM 515362023-04-04StructureFor 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis…
22N01 S12023-02-07SuspensionCertain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement REASON FOR…
21R012022-11-04SuspensionCertain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Toe Link Replacement Under Safety…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Explorer. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2011 Explorer take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2011 Explorer have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Explorer get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.