Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood with the Check Engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road, and the contact inspected the vehicle and became aware of smoke coming from underneath the vehicle. The failure reoccurred while the contact and the contact's minor children were traveling. A nearby Police Officer assisted the contact. The contact informed the officer that the vehicle was recently purchased from a CarMax. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the nearby CarMax. The vehicle was taken to CarMax, where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine had severe fluid leaks. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was shipped back to the residence a month later. …
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. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle was shaking violently. The contact stated that the engine failed to turn over after several attempts while starting the vehicle. There was an abnormal rotten and sulfur odor entering the cabin of the vehicle from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was overheating with the check engine warning light illuminated. The catalytic converter had failed due to oil leaking from the turbo charger onto the catalytic converter. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter and turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V925000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed a thick cloud of gray smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and that had spread throughout the neighborhood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an unknown fluid had leaked into the engine. The contact was informed that the turbo charger oil supply tubes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon research, the contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V925000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) then notified the undisclosed dealer of the failure and the recall. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall and advised the contact to notify the manufacturer. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the message "Engine Overheating" was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the engine to cool down. After restarting the vehicle, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact then noticed a fluid leak underneath the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the mechanic and the mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the water pump was leaking, causing the engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact discovered that the failure was a known issue; however, the VIN was not under recall related to the failure. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. …
At 28,000 miles, the vehicle emitted black smoke from the exhaust. Despite the mechanic's efforts to identify the issue, no diagnostic codes were detected. Currently, the vehicle has accumulated 100,000 miles. The engine suddenly lost the ability to accelerate beyond 20 miles per hour. After several months of repairs involving multiple turbo replacements, it was determined that the engine was severely damaged and should have been replaced over 50,000 miles ago. The engine was subsequently replaced, but only a year later, it failed again. After replacing the first engine, the vehicle's performance deteriorated significantly. The vehicle required another visit to the shop for several months, resulting in another engine replacement. Over the course of several months, the vehicle lost all power and exhibited difficulty shifting into reverse. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the oil dipstick had been ejected, allowing the orifice to leak oil onto the engine. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was able to determine that the engine was building excessive internal pressure but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and attempting to accelerate uphill, the vehicle lost motive power with difficulty while shifting gears. After a visual inspection, the contact observed excessive amounts of fumes coming from the exhaust. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine was extremely low on oil due to excessive oil consumption. Additionally, the turbocharger had failed. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, and the diagnostic test result was confirmed. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V925000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to provide any assistance. …
Related recalls
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 investigations
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.
Engine complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2017 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 305 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2017 Ford Explorer, 18% of the model year's 1,703 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Ford Explorer engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 16V-925 (turbo/supercharger, Dec 22, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2017 Ford Explorer engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles, and 39% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 3 fires and 14 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.