2021 FORD EXPLORER

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    sunroof

    27 unsafe, 2 broken, 9 annoyance

    38
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound, and the tempered stationary sunroof glass shattered without impact. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed…"~38,000 mi, complaint #2053793
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the power liftgate failed to close as needed. The contact was able to manually close the liftgate. Additionally, the roof was leaking near the sunroof and roof rails. There were no warning lights i…"~58,000 mi, complaint #2027532
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his spouse was attempting to retract the moonroof shade, the shade failed to retract and sagged down, obstructing the driver's visibility of the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to…"~61,000 mi, complaint #2229942
  2. #2

    transmission automatic

    1 stranded, 34 unsafe, 1 broken

    36
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=14, median 38,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission would suddenly downshift or upshift erroneously. Additionally, while operating the vehicle a grinding sound was present while the transmission was…"~7,500 mi, complaint #1792056
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after his wife set the vehicle to "Park" while the engine was running, as she exited, the vehicle lurched forward and crashed into the garage back wall. There was no damage to the vehicle, however,…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1820560
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle suddenly shifted into park, after which the vehicle went into LIMP mode. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was unable to shift out of park and displayed the "Au…"~30,500 mi, complaint #1950605
    • "The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving from a complete stop in a parking lot, the vehicle stalled. A message indicating a transmission failure was displayed. The vehicle failed to restart and wa…"~46,000 mi, complaint #1946787
    • "The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission shifted hard. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that a s…"~72,000 mi, complaint #2234175
  3. #3

    backup camera

    22 unsafe, 5 annoyance

    27
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=16, median 39,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was shifted into reverse, the audible alarm feature failed to alert the contact to an object or another vehicle nearby. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the technician…"~22,000 mi, complaint #1928893
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while attempting to shift into reverse, the contact became aware that the rear-view camera showed a blue screen. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle wa…"~32,000 mi, complaint #1998629
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon shifting into reverse, the rearview camera failed to display an image. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was n…"~36,000 mi, complaint #2096797
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the screen display was blue and black and became inoperable. While reversing, the screen was blue. The contact was unable to use the GPS feature. There were no warning lights illuminated. The conta…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1950333
    • "The contact’s daughter owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his daughter was reversing, the rear-view camera image was blue and black. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer…"~75,000 mi, complaint #1934781
  4. #4

    other

    17 unsafe, 8 annoyance

    25
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the contact observed that the driver’s side A-pillar trim had detached. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and trim taped down. The vehicle was taken to…"~52,000 mi, complaint #2009903
    • "The contact's son owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH down a hill and making a left turn, the hood was unintentionally released, swung open, and hit the front windshield causing it to shatter. There was an abnormal snappin…"~55,401 mi, complaint #2037705
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that there was a gap between the body and the frame on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or…"~74,000 mi, complaint #2104590
  5. #5

    engine internal

    2 stranded, 14 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    18
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 68,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "Last month out of the blue, my [REDACTED ADDRESS] with 15,500 miles would not start. Attempts to jump it were futile. I then had it towed in to the local Ford dealer. At first, they were thinking the starter. A few days later, I got a call saying they could n…"~15,500 mi, complaint #1887573
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V635000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated prior to the failure, the oil was chan…"~31,000 mi, complaint #2035579
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while coming to a stop, the vehicle stalled with an engine misfire. The contact stated there was a knocking sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was…"~74,000 mi, complaint #2037011
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the power train warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to exit the highway and the contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The…"~80,000 mi, complaint #2059848
  6. #6

    driveshaft axle cv

    1 stranded, 14 unsafe

    15
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear of the vehicle unexpectedly jolted, and there was a dragging sound coming from the rear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it w…"~75,000 mi, complaint #2194765
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the rear differential, with the vehicle vibrating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the dr…"~113,000 mi, complaint #2127308
  7. #7

    differential

    1 stranded, 10 unsafe

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I'm writing to you to relay a serious safety issue that started with the [REDACTED ADDRESS] manufacturing processes. When Ford designed the new Explorer ST, the rear subframe was engineered to allow the rear differential to be attached with four bolts (Attachm…"complaint #1802249
    • "Feedback on Manufacturer Recall Number 22S27, NHTSA Recall 22V255 Allowing Ford to reprogram the powertrain control unit (ECU) on this vehicle so that the vehicle applies the emergency brake whenever the vehicle is placed in park in order to prevent the vehicl…"complaint #1819872
    • "Ford has started a recall for vehicles with a single bolt in the rear differential mount. This is in reference to the roll away issue as their calling it. Some people have recieved notice for this and others have not. My production date is listed as 8/21. Whic…"complaint #1841997
    • "This vehicle has a major defect and is unsafe to operate. The rear differential has only 1 rear bolt and is completely inadequate for the performance and duty of the car. It can break and cause gerat injury or death if it fails. It puts anyone operating and…"complaint #1907741
    • "While making a left turn on a city street there was a loud bang noise and a sudden shift of the rear of the car. The bang noise was immediately followed by a loud grinding noise (sounded like metal on metal). There was a sudden loss in power, and I was only ab…"complaint #1967718
  8. #8

    seat mechanism

    10 unsafe, 1 broken

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's and passenger's side rear seats inadvertently moved forward while his children were seated in the seats. The contact was concerned about the safe…"~14,700 mi, complaint #1830774
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the third-row seats were inoperable. The contact stated that the passenger’s and driver’s side seats were frozen in a semi-folded-down position and were not responding to the electronic control swi…"~40,438 mi, complaint #1966648
  9. #9

    engine stall or no start

    1 stranded, 8 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle started shaking and vibrating before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled…"~69,000 mi, complaint #1914533
  10. #10

    infotainment head unit

    3 unsafe, 5 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the audio connection failed to function as intended. The contact stated that there was no audio power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was…"~33,000 mi, complaint #1977456
  11. #11

    lighting exterior

    4 unsafe, 1 broken, 3 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Headlamps stay lit even in auto lamp mode. Indicator on the dial does not display which mode or setting the lights are in. This has occurred numerous times and seems to have increased frequency "complaint #1934192
    • "Vehicle blinker works at fast rate at all times. In the event that one of the rear turn signals stops working, the vehicle will not adjust the turn signal flash rate frequency to warn the driver that a turn signal is not working correctly. Federal Motor Ve…"complaint #1954331
    • "LED LIGHT ISSUE. PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM. LIFETIME OF LED SHOULD BE 45,000 HOURS OR 12-15 YEARS. IT IS NOT WORKING. FORD NEEDS TO GENERATE A REPAIR ALSO CURRENT WARRANTEE WORK NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED INCLUDING THE REAR CAMERA. "complaint #2138948
    • "vehicle low beam headlights went out all of the sudden. Would not come back on after car was turned off and restarted. Drove home with high beams on. Next day, just the driver side low beam came back on. Took to dealer, they reprogrammed and headlights worked…"complaint #2152242
    • "Adaptive Headlamps keep going out causing a safety issue. "complaint #2158405
  12. #12

    hv system fault reduced power

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact leased a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that five minutes later the vehicle went into safety mode and the vehicle failed to move. The low battery…"~7,600 mi, complaint #1783243
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the master warning, brake, battery, ABS, and brake system warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the message "STOP Safely Now" was displayed…"~54,230 mi, complaint #2196082
  13. #13

    exhaust system

    4 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the exhaust pipe detached and fell onto the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an…"~53,300 mi, complaint #2008002
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from under the floorboards. The contact slowed the vehicle to listen for the sound, when the contact depressed the accelera…"~58,691 mi, complaint #1948604
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling at a traffic light, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer the following day. The dealer diagnosed that both exhaust flex pipes…"~60,000 mi, complaint #1998998
  14. #14

    fuel tank and lines

    2 stranded, 3 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, there was a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage, there was a strong gasoline odor comi…"~41,000 mi, complaint #1873424
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside and outside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the fuel hoses had ruptured due to the hoses…"~44,000 mi, complaint #2045119
  15. #15

    glass and windshield

    4 unsafe, 1 broken, 1 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the passenger’s side rear door glass fastener installed between the V-shaped glass and the door glass had fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the passenger…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1961004
  16. #16

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle started to hesitate as if the transmission was slipping. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to an unknown dealer where it was di…"~11,100 mi, complaint #1799019
  17. #17

    adas collision warning

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated the adaptive cruise control and the collision avoidance systems would malfunction. The vehicle would suddenly deactivate the cruise control and the collision avoidance would detect a non-existing object…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1819266
  18. #18

    airbag system

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that he was driving approximately at 55 MPH when a deer jumped out in front of his vehicle. As a result, the contact crashed into the deer and the air bags did deploy, however when it did it was very ag…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1784044
  19. #19

    brake booster

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was sticking on three occasions. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in a parking lot, the contact h…"~85,000 mi, complaint #2118278
  20. #20

    brake hydraulics

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that he had received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V255000 (Power Train). During a routine maintenance check, the recall was serviced; however, upon return of the vehicle, the brake…"~37,000 mi, complaint #1838634
  21. #21

    parking brake

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that he recently had a manufacturer recall performed on the vehicle for Ford Customer Satisfaction Program Number 22N06 (Rear Axle Bolt Replacement). The contact stated that the dealer re-programed the…"~23,000 mi, complaint #1861609
  22. #22

    transfer case awd

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "I NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. MARCH 27,2021. DROPPED THE CAR OF AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. [REDACTED ADDRESS] WITH 2120 MILES I PURCHASED ON JANUARY 30, 2021. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS LEAKS AT THE TRANSFER CASE SEALS ON THE T…"~2,120 mi, complaint #1745945
  23. #23

    adas adaptive cruise

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Adaptive Cruise control reads the overhead electronic posted 65MPH speed limit signs as 85MPH. This only occurs when traveling on I-[REDACTED ADDRESS] and I-270 on the east side of Columbus Ohio...This section of highway was recently upgraded with "Smart La…"complaint #1761263
    • "While using Intelligent Adaptive Cruise, the vehicle suddenly thought the speed limit was 85mph and quickly started accelerating. Confused, I hit the brakes to stop the acceleration. I have uploaded a photo of the dash that I took showing that the system read…"complaint #1873907
    • "With the Ford Intelli-Cruise enabled in settings, the vehicle automatically adjust the speed while using the cruise control. The vehicle will randomly, quickly, accellerate to a extreme new speed limit it thinks it has detected. For instance, several times wh…"complaint #1954329
    • "As I am traveling on the freeway or expressway, when I have cruise control active and I am in the far right lane the vehicle suddenly changes to the speed of the frontage road dropping my speed from 65 or 70mph down to 40, even tho I am on the expressway. It a…"complaint #2099502
  24. #24

    door latch and hinge

    3 unsafe, 1 broken

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact's spouse owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 68 MPH, the L-trim retaining strip detached from the driver's side door. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where…"~33,000 mi, complaint #2013254
  25. #25

    engine turbo supercharger

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was hard to shift and there was a delay while shifting from first gear. The vehicle hesitated while shifting. While at a stop, the vehicle hesitated and was slow to shift into gear. The…"~46,000 mi, complaint #2010217
  26. #26

    interior trim

    2 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Roof window cover/headliner has come loose and is impeding full vision to the rear of the car while the headliner is retracted."complaint #2144702
    • "Chrome trim around the window power buttons de-laminate and have a sharp edge. I cut my finger on it."complaint #2215842
    • "The top of dashboard is lifting up and coming apart on drivers side. "complaint #2215849
    • "The dash near the windshield driver side is coming undone out of the dash."complaint #2223474
  27. #27

    power windows and locks

    3 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after she had parked her vehicle and retrieved items out of the liftgate compartment; the vehicle began to roll back independently towards her. A witness alerted her that the vehicle was rolling to…"~4,500 mi, complaint #1814262
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that occasionally the front driver’s and front passenger’s side windows failed to respond while depressing the switch. The contact stated that the failure was recurring and was previously repaired by th…"~18,600 mi, complaint #2028805
  28. #28

    suspension struts shocks

    3 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Vibration: First use of the day, at about 35 MPH vehicle exhibits vibration throughout, especially around 40-41mph. Felt in steering wheel, seat, and with a loud rumble often heard. Has been since car was new. Has a vibration in rear view mirror at highway…"complaint #1776181
    • "I bought my 2021 Ford Explorer brand new and at 44,675 miles my shock absorbers went bad. There was no damage to my vehicle that could have caused it, my car was never in an accident. The dealership that repaired them said there was no indication of what cause…"complaint #1937385
    • "Queja por reparación defectuosa de recall en mi Ford Explorer Estimados Señores: Por medio de la presente, me dirijo a ustedes para expresar mi profunda insatisfacción con el servicio recibido en su concesionario relacionado con un problema de recall en mi For…"complaint #2055329
    • "2024 - 19k miles. Both rear shocks were leaking. Dealer replaced both at no charge. 2025 - 30k rear shock shows signs of leaking. Dealer states no leak. 2025 - 32k Tire shop says shock is leaking. I told them the dealer said it was not. they took pictures. 2…"complaint #2165172
  29. #29

    unintended acceleration

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I took possession of a Ford Explorer approximately October 12, 2021. Two weeks later on October 20, 2021, I took the car to a carwash and after paying with a credit card, the barrier went up and as I was putting my card back into my wallet, and my foot not on…"complaint #1787616
    • "On or about 9 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, I entered a parking garage facility and drove up the ramp and continued on a level parking area and begin to turn into a parking space beside a large cement column. Just as I entered the parking space at a low rat…"complaint #1864607
    • "The vehicle was self accelerating and applying forward propulsion. It was behaving as if the cruise control was on, cruise control was verified off. When braking was applied an alert was posted on the dash stating Braking applied, power reduced and the engin…"complaint #1932393
    • "I was stoped at a red light with cars in front of me and behind me when with my foot on the break the car accelerated forward like my foot was on the gas pedal but my foot was not on pedal, the car surged forward and came close to hitting the car in front of m…"complaint #2109722
  30. #30

    wiring harness

    1 stranded, 3 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owned a 2021 Ford Explorer which was used to haul a 2002 Opus OP. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the RV dealer for installations to be performed the vehicle caught on fire and was destroyed. The contact was informed after the inst…"~3,807 mi, complaint #1791493
  31. #31

    battery and charging

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving and was at a traffic light, the light turned green and the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that there was no warning lig…"~30,000 mi, complaint #2046121
  32. #32

    catalytic converter

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the vehicle was idle.…"~89,000 mi, complaint #2100193
  33. #33

    control module

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Audio Control Module failed on 2/17/22. No audio for Forward Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Warning, and reverse sensors. Dealer replace ACM, which fixed the issues on 2/22/22. However on 2/27/22, the speakers started making a popping crackling noise a…"complaint #1798480
    • "Everyday I get alerts saying the power train system, then I can’t use my cruise control, and many other alerts pop up"complaint #2190370
    • "Was driving down the interstate and the vehicle started making an awful noise and dash lights went crazy with cannot shift to park error on dash. We pulled over asap and shifted to park and went to exit vehicle and the car tried to roll off and wouldn’t engage…"complaint #2222694
  34. #34

    fuel pump

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of engine power and stalled in active traffic. I lost motive power and had to safely coast through traffic to the shoulder. The vehicle would not restart and had to be towed to a…"complaint #2218556
    • "I was traveling on an [REDACTED ADDRESS] after just getting a new battery and fresh oil change, I also had a full diagnostic ran the week before travel and no issues were found in my vehicle. When we arrived at our destination we stopped 1 final time and attem…"complaint #2224892
    • "I parked my car and when I returned to it the car would not start. Diagnosed as a faulty fuel pump. Had this problem occurred while I was driving it could have caused serious injury or death. There is an active recall on fuel pumps for the 2021 Ford Explorer t…"complaint #2226973
  35. #35

    starter

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Defective Starter - car will not start, battery, alternator check off ok. "complaint #1878437
    • "11/9/23 our still under warranty, 2021 Ford Explorer Platinum with 20,152 miles on it died at stop sign and would not start. Locked in park and had to be towed to dealer who worked on it for one week and claimed it was fixed. Same problem second time a few da…"complaint #1954093
    • "Car turns on but the engine will not turn over due to the electrical. And locks the car and not able to check or fix anything. If I was driving in the busy roads it would have been very dangerous as it stopped suddenly after starting the last time."complaint #2192804
  36. #36

    suspension arms and bushings

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Vehicle developed a clicking noise when accelerating/decelerating. Noise also present when switching between drive/reverse. Ford dealer found that driveline was flexing. Closer inspection revealed that the bushing for the single bolt rear subframe mounting to…"complaint #1873916
    • "The recall that was previously issued for this issue was removed by the dealer because of 'many complaints from owners about the software fix'. The dealer told me that Ford was working on it and they would update later. However, you, on this website, will lis…"complaint #1904795
    • "Recently purchased a vehicle that had just previously got a recall 23S55 3 weeks prior. Upon receiving the vehicle there was a slight clicking noise when going into gear. i took the vehicle to a ford dealer and they investigated the recall remedy was installed…"complaint #2176533
  37. #37

    wiper and washer

    1 unsafe, 1 broken, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while it was raining, the windshield wipers were activated but failed to clear the windshield as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the wipers were replaced, but the failure continued. The…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1843945
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (VISIBILITY); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in the rai…"~90,000 mi, complaint #2190087
  38. #38

    adas lane keeping

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact leases a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving at 25 MPH with Co-pilot 360 assist mode and the evasive steering assist engaged, she lost control of the steering wheel. The contact stated that his wife could not feel the…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1800488
  39. #39

    alignment and pull

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear end of the vehicle became very unstable, and the vehicle fishtailed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed a rear wheel alignment, but th…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1886144
  40. #40

    engine oil consumption

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "There is a $7.00 seal that leaks near my oil filter that has been replaced for the second time and this time i was not under warranty and the labor to repair the broken seal cost $1100.00 and would like for you to recall this seal so i can be made whole again"complaint #1922170
    • "The vehicle has an ongoing oil leak originating from the engine/drivetrain area. The affected components include the intermediate shaft and related seals, which are subject to Ford technical service bulletins, and potentially the plastic engine oil pan and its…"complaint #2174322
  41. #41

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owned a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact was stopped at an intersection traffic signal when she was crashed from behind by another vehicle. The contact's seat belt pretensioner failed to lock and was not able to restrain her. The contact's face hit…"~36,606 mi, complaint #2013847
    • "The contact owned a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the seat belt on the passenger’s side failed to retract as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the seat belt components were replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA…"~65,600 mi, complaint #2200741
  42. #42

    stability and traction control

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The vehicle looses power occasionally. When the accelerator is pressed it can take a second or 2 to start moving again. It happens when turning, changing lanes or going straight. I could be pulling into traffic and it will stop moving, even if the gas pedal is…"complaint #1977763
    • "Recently my car has had a series lights come on including 4wd fault, pre-colliosion assist not available, service advance trac, hill start assist warning, and something with the brakes when in reverse. I took it to the dealer and they said it's something elect…"complaint #2228402
  43. #43

    tpms

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Two TPMS sensors have failed on this vehicle. Although these sensors are required under the TREAD act, Ford has advised through their dealer that this is not a safety issue and the TPMS sensor batteries failing less than 3 years from date of vehicle manufactu…"complaint #1943823
    • "All 4 tire TPMS sensor have failed. 2 at 67,057 on ~ 2/20/26, 2 at 71,024 miles on ~6/10/26. Car is a 2021. Sensors should not have failed within 5 years of owing the car. I have a 2012 Ford F50m only 1 has failed in over 14 years. Asking consideration for a r…"complaint #2230430
  44. #44

    abs module

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and attempting to slow down, the vehicle failed to properly respond. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact activated the…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1890918
  45. #45

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Air compressor fails while leaking Freon all over the engine creating an environmental hazard. "complaint #2011074
  46. #46

    adas blind spot

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • " 2021 Ford Explorer •Problem: Blind Spot Detection / Sensor Malfunction •Description to copLeft-side blind spot sensor fails intermittently. It shows no warning when vehicles are in the blind spot, creating a risk during lane changes. I found Ford TSB 23-2048…"complaint #2108653
  47. #47

    brake pads and rotors

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "loud popping metal sound from rear brakes as vehicle starts to move Ford has been contacted and replaced rear brake pads which made no difference. This problem started last August After Safety Recall 22S27 below is a link to videos with sound which clearly…"complaint #1875843
  48. #48

    emissions aftertreatment

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's husband, who was an independent mechanic, used a diagnostic machine to diagnose the vehicle and disc…"~80,000 mi, complaint #2172793
  49. #49

    engine cooling

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While our 2021 Ford Explorer with 47,000 miles to work the vehicle warning light came on stating the vehicle was overheated and shut down. We allowed the vehicle to cool for 20 minutes as recommended by the owners manual and then restarted the vehicle which im…"complaint #2099584
  50. #50

    engine head gasket

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "2021 Ford Explorer used a work vehicle (house cleaning business) and family vehicle after hours (driving my daughter to soccer practice 4 times a week). Vehicle has been professionally and properly serviced since we first purchased it in 2021( we have been the…"complaint #2205621
  51. #51

    instrument cluster

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My digital dash would get wavy and flickery with lines through it almost like the LEDs in the screen we're going bad. They made lines going across which made it hard to read the speedometer. Since I brought this up it's been two or three times that I've tried…"complaint #1960216
  52. #52

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "There is no way to securely lock the vehicle when someone with the key fob is near it. When fueling, someone can unlock the opposite side of the car, by pulling on the door handle, which unlocks it, enter and drive away. Not only does this open the possibility…"complaint #1780008
  53. #53

    noise or vibration unspecified

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "When driving at low speed, every uneven thing in the road surface creates a low resonating frequency sound (deep base) through out the cabin. "complaint #1961934
  54. #54

    parking sensors

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The parking collision sensors started to act up. Its been replaced 3 or 4 times in the last year over the same problem and no one has tried to tell me how to fix the issue besides keep getting it replaced. People are at risk of getting hit or hitting a object…"complaint #2177855
  55. #55

    software or update

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that prior to the failure she observed a "transmission code" warning that flashed twice but did not…"~23,000 mi, complaint #1926153
  56. #56

    steering electric assist

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "When vehicle is in reverse, the car still moves forward. Dealership said there is no fix. I was almost hit the other day because I couldn’t reverse quick enough. "complaint #2076713
  57. #57

    steering rack mechanical

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "When putting the car in reverse it jerks back if the pedal is touched which has almost caused an accident. It takes about a minute or two to adjust backing up and the rear camera does not show until the clutch has adjusted."complaint #1767478
  58. #58

    tire failure

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact's wife stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with a system shut-down message displayed. The contact also stated that the vehicle inadvertently shifted into park. The…"~30,469 mi, complaint #2041173
  59. #59

    transmission manual clutch

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Transmission clutch failure. As a result my 2021 ford explorer needs a new transmission. "complaint #2177678
  60. #60

    trunk or liftgate

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The auto rear trunk hands free lift gate likes to start closing on its own when you are moving around under it. For instance and could hit you in the head. It has before. Other manufacturers use a similar system and I've never had this happen. It's to sensitiv…"complaint #1810141
  61. #61

    wheel or rim

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "THE WHEEL WELLS OF THE VEHICLE COLLECT LARGE AMOUNTS OF SNOW AND ICE. THIS BUILD UP CONSTRICTS THE WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE CONTACTING THE TIRES RESTRICTING ROTATION AND STEERING. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD…"complaint #1735236

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for FORD EXPLORER directly.