Ford Explorer Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 15,014 NHTSA complaints, the Ford Explorer years to avoid are 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020 — the worst logged up to 3.9× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by steering failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 147 | 75 | 3 | BEST |
| 2009 | 33 | 17 | 1 | BEST |
| 2010 | 115 | 62 | 2 | BEST |
| 2011 | 1,191 | 909 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 820 | 516 | 7 | CAUTION |
| 2013 | 2,222 | 1,353 | 12 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 1,669 | 899 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 1,748 | 792 | 9 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 2,424 | 1,267 | 14 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 1,666 | 525 | 13 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 705 | 201 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2019 | 281 | 76 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2020 | 1,153 | 679 | 32 | AVOID |
| 2021 | 393 | 201 | 25 | CAUTION |
| 2022 | 242 | 130 | 23 | CAUTION |
| 2023 | 99 | 42 | 14 | SOLID |
| 2024 | 19 | 6 | 9 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 87 | 42 | 18 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Ford Explorer. Full methodology.
Common Ford Explorer problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Ford Explorer are steering, body, transmission. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Power steering failure and stiffness
· Ford Explorer 2011–2019Corroborated by 17 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3,316 steering complaints across 2011–2019, typically 45,000–270,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $4,500.
Power steering failure and stiffness
· Ford Explorer 2011–2019Corroborated by 17 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3,316 steering complaints across 2011–2019, typically 45,000–270,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $4,500.
A-pillar and B-pillar trim detachment
· Ford Explorer 2011–2019Corroborated by 55 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3,092 body complaints across 2011–2019, typically 45,000–246,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $523.
A-pillar and B-pillar trim detachment
· Ford Explorer 2011–2019Corroborated by 55 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3,092 body complaints across 2011–2019, typically 45,000–246,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $523.
Transmission complete failure without warning
· Ford Explorer 2018–2021Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 633 transmission complaints across 2018–2021.
Transmission complete failure without warning
· Ford Explorer 2018–2021Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 633 transmission complaints across 2018–2021.
Why these years stand out
2011 Ford Explorer: 1,191 owner complaints on federal record, 909 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford Explorer.
2013 Ford Explorer: 2,222 owner complaints on federal record, 1,353 of them severe, plus 12 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford Explorer.
2014 Ford Explorer: 1,669 owner complaints on federal record, 899 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford Explorer.
2015 Ford Explorer: 1,748 owner complaints on federal record, 792 of them severe, plus 9 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford Explorer.
2016 Ford Explorer: 2,424 owner complaints on federal record, 1,267 of them severe, plus 14 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford Explorer.
2017 Ford Explorer: 1,666 owner complaints on federal record, 525 of them severe, plus 13 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford Explorer.
2020 Ford Explorer: 1,153 owner complaints on federal record, 679 of them severe, plus 32 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ford Explorer.
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FAQ
What years of the Ford Explorer should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Ford Explorer years to avoid are 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by steering issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Ford Explorer?
The 2008, 2009 and 2010 Ford Explorer show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Ford Explorer verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Ford Explorer's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Ford Explorer before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Ford Explorer reliable?
The Ford Explorer's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 15,014 NHTSA owner complaints, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020 rate "avoid", while 2008, 2009 and 2010 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Ford Explorer?
The most-reported problem area for the Ford Explorer is steering, followed by body and transmission. Confirmed failures include power steering failure and stiffness, power steering failure and stiffness, a-pillar and b-pillar trim detachment. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Ford Explorer across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Ford Explorer, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.