Most common 2017 Ford Explorer problems
Share of the 1,703 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Explorer complaints by model year
Best Explorer years: 2024, 2023, 2019. Years to avoid: 2016, 2017, 2020, 2013, 2015. Compare all years →
2017 Ford Explorer recalls (13)
Structure › Body
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge.
Suspension › Rear
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08.
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.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge.
Structure › Body
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Explorer vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
Remedy: Dealers will repair the B-pillar trim, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2025.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years.
Suspension › Rear
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia,…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge.
Show 7 more recalls
Structure › Body
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021.
Suspension › Rear
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020.
Seats
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with power front seats. The seat frames may have sharp edges.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective tape on the exposed inside edge and tab of the power seat frames, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019.
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge.
Steering
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Explorer, Taurus and Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan vehicles. The steering gear heat shield fasteners may corrode, allowing the heat shield to detach.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers to inspect and replace the heat shield fasteners as needed, free of charge. The recall began on September 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles equipped with a manual driver's seat back recliner mechanism. In the event of a crash, the seat back frame may not restrain the occupant due to having inadequate welds.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began on June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/supercharger
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2017 Ford Explorer:
Windshield trim molding Item detachment
On January 27, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-001 to investigate allegations of A-pillar trim panel detachment on model year (MY) 2011-2019 Ford Explorer vehicles. At the time of opening, the office had received 164 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) reporting this failure. ODI has received 671 VOQs regarding this failure, including 1 alleged crash and 2 alleged injuries.
Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab
During the EA17-002 investigation, the agency reviewed and analyzed reports of exhaust odors in the passenger cabins of Model Year 2011 to 2017 Ford Explorers. This investigation required an approach that incorporated knowledge and expertise from the automotive, medical, environmental health, and occupational safety fields.
What 2017 Ford Explorer owners say
Body & structure all 659 →
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the passenger's side the A-pillar applique trim had a split in the middle causing rainwater and dirt to enter the vehicle. As a result of the failure, the sunroof motor was damaged and then failed to operate. The local dealer was called, and the contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. On another occasion, while driving at various speeds, while making a left or right turn there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the steering. The contact stated that the failure progressively worsened when turning to the right. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the driver's side B-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. In addition, the keypad panel was located on the driver's side B-pillar. The wires were exposed to the elements. In addition, the fuse to the turn signals and the fuse to the trunk gate short-circuited and failed to function as intended. The contact found the B-pillar trim on the ground and taped it to the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that water had entered the keypad and short-circuited several fuses. The fuse for the turn signal and trunk gate was replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted. …
Engine & cooling all 305 →
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH from a complete stop, and depressing the accelerator pedal, there was a significant amount of white smoke coming out the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that upon attempting to make a U-turn to return to the residence, the smoke impaired her visibility of the other vehicles, and a truck nearly crashed into the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact returned to her lane and continued driving straight forward. The contact then pulled into a gas station and parked the vehicle. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed a trail of oil from the front driver's side wheel to the rear of the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the code indicating the vehicle had been overheating had been displayed however the vehicle had not overheated. The contact's spouse had replaced the sensor but then shortly after while driving 50 MPH the code displayed itself again and the vehicle overheated. The failure had become more persistent and would overheat while driving at various speeds. The Engine Coolant Low warning would illuminate and the message letting them know the engine was overheating had illuminated. The gauge displaying the vehicle temperature would show increased temperatures. The contact noticed at first the vehicle would cool itself down and whenever they would accelerate the vehicle would cool down. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 124 →
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was a whirling sound while shifting gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Villages Transmission & Auto Clinic and was diagnosed with a failed transmission. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the started was previously replaced by the Villages Transmission & Auto Clinic. The contact was informed that the transmission was dropped to access the starter switch for the repair. The starter switch was replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken back to Villages Transmission & Auto Clinic because the heat was inoperable however, the vehicle mis-diagnosed with a failed water pump. The contact stated that the mechanic dropped the transmission to replace the water pump. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. In addition, while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle jerked before slamming into gear. The check engine warning light was continuously illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle was leaking oil onto the ground and the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion into a cylinder, which caused the engine failure. The spark plugs were replaced. …
2017 Ford Explorer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Ford Explorer a good car?
Based on 1,703 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Explorer rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Explorer at the same age. It is one of the Explorer years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Ford Explorer?
The body & structure — 659 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the engine & cooling (305) and transmission & drivetrain (124).
How many recalls does the 2017 Ford Explorer have?
There are 13 recalls for the 2017 Ford Explorer, the most recent from July 14, 2026 (body). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Explorer?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2024, 2023 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2016, 2017, 2020, 2013 and 2015. See the full Ford Explorer years comparison.
At what mileage do 2017 Ford Explorer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.