2017 Ford Explorer electrical problems
94 of the 1,703 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Explorer name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). Filed under the same heading: 78 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 94 reports a crash · 6 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 16 · 2025: 16 · 2026: 13
Half of the 43 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 27,000 and 80,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
1,703 complaints in all about the 2017 Ford Explorer, 13 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electrical System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Ford Explorer electrical problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I purchased my Ford Explorer 2017, in september of 2016, I have returned back to the dealer more than 10 times less than a 2 year period. My first problem was the truck would not get enough speed, unless I hit the gas 2 oir 3 times, the dealer came it wasn't a problem until the engine light came on, and than I was told it was a recall on…
I was leaving a parking lot at the mall with my baby girl. I started the car and started to drive out of the parking garage when I realized my entire instrument panel was off. I couldn't see my speed limit, blinkers, fuel gauge, etc... Nothing was on. I panicked and pulled over as soon as it was possible for me to do so.
I was driving on the highway and my car started shaking and sounding different. The vibrations kept getting worse. Then I was trying to accelerate and my speed was going down. I couldn't get my SUV to get any speed at all it got all the way down to zero MPH and I had to coast to the nearest parking lot.
I have encountered too many issues with this vehicle, my biggest issue has to do with what I thought I was having a "falling asleep at the wheel" issue. There were a few times last winter, after letting the car sit stationary and warm up , that I couldn't "stay awake" while driving home on the freeway.
My 2017 Ford Explorer xlt with base 3.5 v6 has been hard to start from the first week of ownership. It has less than 5000 miles on it now and isn't fixed. Ford dealership stated it would have to get worse before they could fix it. Vehicle shows no dtc's or any history!
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications78 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- 25E10-S1 EmissionsJul 2, 2026
- NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E10 - Supplement #1 Certain 2018-2020 Model Year F-150 Vehicles With 3.3L Engines and 2016-2019 Model Year Explorer, Taurus, and Flex Vehicles With 3.5L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
- SSM 54601 Service bulletinFeb 24, 2026
- Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). Th
- TSB 25-2570 Service bulletinNov 26, 2025
- This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink related performance Travel Link not present
The 3 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0012 P0011 P0014 P0015 P0016 P0017 P0018 P0019
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2017 Ford Explorer names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2017 Ford Explorer
Source: the same files- body and structure problems 663 complaints
- engine problems 315 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 126 complaints
- steering problems 76 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre electrical problems common on the 2017 Ford Explorer?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 94 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (6% of everything owners filed about it), and 78 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the 2017 Ford Explorer?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 14 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2017 Ford Explorer?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 46,500 miles; half of them between 27,000 and 80,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?
Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.