Ford Explorer Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. Owners have filed 2,226 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Ford Explorer. For the Ford Explorer, that's 0.76 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, 1.7× the median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2016, 2017 and 2015.
Engine complaints
2,226
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.76
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
14.8%
of 15,072 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
11
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Ford Explorer engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 25 | — | 17% | 1 | — | 19 |
| 2009 | 5 | — | 15.2% | 1 | — | 19 |
| 2010 | 17 | — | 14.8% | 1 | — | 19 |
| 2011 | 100 | — | 8.4% | 5 | — | 32 |
| 2012 | 92 | — | 11.2% | 4 | — | 40 |
| 2013 | 289 | — | 13% | 18 | — | 45 |
| 2014 | 258 | — | 15.5% | 7 | — | 56 |
| 2015WORST | 290 | 1.16 | 16.5% | 15 | — | 54 |
| 2016WORST | 484 | 1.95 | 19.8% | 15 | 25V68500016V183000 | 59 |
| 2017WORST | 298 | 1.1 | 17.9% | 18 | 25V68500016V925000 | 41 |
| 2018 | 115 | 0.44 | 16.2% | 9 | 25V685000 | 19 |
| 2019 | 24 | 0.13 | 8.5% | 1 | 26V012000 | 16 |
| 2020 | 130 | 0.57 | 11.2% | 6 | 25V68500024V59800020V788000 | 41 |
| 2021 | 54 | 0.25 | 13.5% | 5 | 25V68500024V63500024V59800020V788000 | 46 |
| 2022 | 26 | 0.13 | 10.7% | 2 | 25V68500024V63500024V598000 | 23 |
| 2023 | 11 | — | 10.9% | 1 | 25V68500023V597000 | 18 |
| 2024 | 1 | — | 3.6% | 0 | 26V012000 | 11 |
| 2025 | 7 | — | 7.9% | 0 | 26V34300026V12200025V344000 | 13 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Ford Explorer engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 2,226 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Ford Explorer years to avoid for the engine
2016 Ford Explorer
484 engine complaints (19.8% of the year's 2,445), 1.95 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: overheating or coolant loss. Covered by engine recalls 25V685000, 16V183000.
2017 Ford Explorer
298 engine complaints (17.9% of the year's 1,666), 1.1 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: overheating or coolant loss. Covered by engine recalls 25V685000, 16V925000.
2015 Ford Explorer
290 engine complaints (16.5% of the year's 1,754), 1.16 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: overheating or coolant loss.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Ford Explorer years to avoid.
Ford Explorer engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Ford Explorer model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 26V343000 · 2026-05-27 · 2025 models
The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
- 26V122000 · 2026-03-03 · 2025 models
The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
- 26V012000 · 2026-01-15 · 2019 and 2024 models
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
- 25V685000 · 2025-10-10 · 2016–2018 and 2020–2023 models
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
- 25V344000 · 2025-06-13 · 2025 models
The connecting rod and rod bearing components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
- 24V635000 · 2024-08-23 · 2021–2022 models
The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power.
- 24V598000 · 2024-08-10 · 2020–2022 models
In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
- 23V597000 · 2023-08-25 · 2023 models
The turbocharger oil supply line may be damaged, which can result in an oil leak inside the engine compartment.
- 20V788000 · 2020-12-17 · 2020–2021 models
The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened, and may loosen over time.
- 16V925000 · 2016-12-22 · 2017 models
Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.
- 16V183000 · 2016-03-31 · 2016 models
The affected vehicles are equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines and engine block heaters. These engine block heaters have elements that may overheat while plugged in.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2016 Ford Explorer have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 484 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Explorer, 19.8% of all 2,445 complaints for that year, or 1.95 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (155 complaints). 2 engine-related recalls cover it: 25V685000, 16V183000. 15 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2017 Ford Explorer have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 298 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Ford Explorer, 17.9% of all 1,666 complaints for that year, or 1.1 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (127 complaints). 2 engine-related recalls cover it: 25V685000, 16V925000. 18 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2015 Ford Explorer have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 290 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Ford Explorer, 16.5% of all 1,754 complaints for that year, or 1.16 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (50 complaints). 15 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Ford Explorer years have the most engine complaints?
2016 (484), 2017 (298) and 2015 (290), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Ford Explorer engine problems?
In the 2,226 engine complaints, owners most often describe overheating or coolant loss (25.2%), misfire or check-engine light (13.5%) and stalling or shutting off while driving (11.6%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Ford Explorer model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration