Ford Explorer Reliability
Quick answer
The Ford Explorer has 4.84 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Explorer places 20th: a higher complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 15,602 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and the body structure, and NHTSA lists 107 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2011, 2013–2017 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008–2010 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
4.84
Complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022)
15,602
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
107
Recall campaigns
7
Years to avoid
Most-reported Ford Explorer problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2007–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 3,517 | 23% | 73 | 4 | 29 |
| Body structure | 3,193 | 20% | 27 | 6 | 33 |
| Engine | 1,823 | 12% | 23 | 26 | 46 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 1,630 | 10% | 50 | 5 | 16 |
| Electrical system | 1,195 | 8% | 22 | 37 | 16 |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 615 | 4% | 8 | 5 | 24 |
| Visibility / wipers | 584 | 4% | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Suspension | 570 | 4% | 43 | 0 | 15 |
Of all 15,602 complaints, 356 (2%) report a crash, 85 (1%) a fire and 334 (2%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (2,293 complaints), the most-reported areas are the transmission (732), the electrical system (327), the engine (227), windshield visibility (186).
Ford Explorer complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Explorer model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 148 | 3 | Electrical system | Better year |
| 2009 | 33 | 1 | Speed control / throttle | Better year |
| 2010 | 115 | 2 | Powertrain / transmission | Better year |
| 2011 | 1,197 | 8 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2012 | 830 | 7 | Steering | — |
| 2013 | 2,239 | 12 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2014 | 1,684 | 7 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2015 | 1,823 | 9 | Body structure | Avoid |
| 2016 | 2,485 | 15 | Body structure | Avoid |
| 2017 | 1,715 | 14 | Body structure | Avoid |
| 2018 | 737 | 7 | Body structure | — |
| 2019 | 303 | 6 | Body structure | — |
| 2020 | 1,255 | 35 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2021 | 463 | 27 | Powertrain / transmission | — |
| 2022 | 276 | 24 | Powertrain / transmission | — |
| 2023 | 115 | 15 | Electrical system | — |
| 2024(new) | 29 | 10 | Forward collision avoidance | — |
| 2025(new) | 111 | 20 | Electrical system | — |
| 2026(new) | 44 | 14 | Electrical system | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Ford Explorer recalls
NHTSA lists 107 recall campaigns across Ford Explorer model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24V031000Jan 19, 2024 | 2011–2019 | Body structure — body / roof and pillars | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach. |
| 26V451000Jul 15, 2026 | 2020–2026 | Seats — mid/rear assembly | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly. |
| 26V159000Mar 17, 2026 | 2020–2026 | Seat belts | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured. |
| 25V685000Oct 10, 2025 | 2016–2018 and 2020–2023 | Equipment — electrical / engine block heater | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine… |
| 19V435000Jun 10, 2019 | 2011–2017 | Suspension — rear | 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. |
Best and worst Explorer years
- Years to avoid: 2011, 2013–2017 and 2020.
- Better years: 2008–2010.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Ford Explorer years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Ford Explorer
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Visibility: test the wipers at every speed, washers, defrosters and the climate system (fogging is a common complaint).
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Ford Explorer can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Ford Explorer reliability FAQ
Is the Ford Explorer reliable?
The Ford Explorer has 4.84 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Explorer places 20th: a higher complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 15,602 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and the body structure, and NHTSA lists 107 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2011, 2013–2017 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008–2010 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Ford Explorer problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are steering (3,517), the body structure (3,193), the engine (1,823) and the transmission (1,630). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the transmission, the electrical system and the engine. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Ford Explorer should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2011, 2013–2017 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008–2010 as better years. Each model year is compared only with other Explorer years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Ford Explorer last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 1.8% of 41,819 used Explorer listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 10.1% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 8.2% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA lists 107 recall campaigns covering Ford Explorer model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 24V031000 (body structure, 2011–2019). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Ford Explorer?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Explorer reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Ford Explorer, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Complaints per 1,000 sold divides the 9,057 complaints for the 2015–2022 model years by 1,871,370 vehicles sold in the US in those calendar years (published sales figures), times 1,000.
- The SUVs ranking uses the same complaints and sales, weights serious complaints double and adjusts for vehicle age, then compares 26 models. See the full ranking.
- Year flags compare each Explorer model year only with other Explorer years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Explorer compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.