Ford Explorer problems, by model year and system
7,419 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Ford Explorer 2016–2027, and the 9 systems the record is deep on — body and structure (1,738), engine (1,218), transmission and drivetrain (1,145), steering (649), electrical (623). Each system has a page across the years; 24 model-year pages go deeper still. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate or a verdict on one car.
The systems the record is deep on
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsBody and structure problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Engine problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Transmission and drivetrain problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Steering problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Electrical problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Visibility and wiper problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Fuel system problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Backup camera and parking sensor problems across every model year, and the years with a page of their own →
Ford Explorer complaints, year by system
Source: NHTSA complaint database| Model year | body and structure | engine | transmission and drivetrain | steering | electrical | visibility and wiper | fuel system | backup camera and parking sensor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 0 in all | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2026 38 in all | — | 6 | 3 | — | 9 | 6 | — | — |
| 2025 102 in all | — | 8 | 15 | 9 | 23 | 13 | — | — |
| 2024 21 in all | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | — |
| 2023 112 in all | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | — | — |
| 2022 269 in all | 1 | 32 | 61 | — | 39 | 31 | 37 | 28 |
| 2021 438 in all | 25 | 60 | 125 | 1 | 45 | 44 | 26 | 40 |
| 2020 1,228 in all | — | 137 | 499 | — | 186 | 69 | — | 112 |
| 2019 298 in all | 151 | 25 | 36 | 9 | 21 | — | 17 | — |
| 2018 734 in all | 291 | 124 | 50 | — | 60 | 27 | 23 | 26 |
| 2017 1,703 in all | 663 | 315 | 126 | 76 | 94 | 76 | — | — |
| 2016 2,476 in all | 597 | 500 | 218 | 539 | 131 | — | 113 | — |
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA naming each system, per model year; a bold count links the year’s own page on that system. Counts scale with sales and with time on the road; nothing here is a rate, and NHTSA’s headings are coarse (“Power Train” is the transmission and the driveline).
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseWhich Ford Explorer system draws the most complaints?
Body and structure: 1,738 complaints across 12 model years, 23% of everything owners filed about the Ford Explorer. A count, not a rate — it says nothing about how many were sold.
Which Ford Explorer year has the most complaints?
2016 (2,476), 2017 (1,703), 2020 (1,228). Older years have had longer to collect them; the year pages show each year's share by system.