Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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 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. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate while the RPM was inoperable. Additionally, the vehicle experienced rough idling and shaking while driving. The contact stated that the dealer previously performed Customer Satisfaction Program: 20B27 (Powertrain Control Module Reflash). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and Grieco Ford of Raynham (1651 New State Hwy, Raynham, MA 02767) however, the dealers were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was then taken to two independent mechanics, who diagnosed that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 20N07 (Transmission Extended Warranty Coverage). The mechanics determined that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered and vibrated. The contact stated that a tire rotation was performed on the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was pushed into a parking lot. The vehicle then was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could be repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 20N07 if the dealer determined that the failure was related to the campaign. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound. The message to "See Owner's Manual" was displayed with a wrench symbol. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate, nearly causing a crash. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon shifting from park(P) to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to Matt's Repairs, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered because the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while idle with the vehicle in drive or reverse, the vehicle would shudder. The contact stated that there was a lack of full motive power upon acceleration; occasionally, while moving from a stop, the vehicle would shudder while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The mechanic informed him that the failure might be due to the torque converter overheating, causing damage to the torque converter. Additionally, there was possible internal damage to the transmission. The contact was then informed of Manufacturer Communications: 10184634 (Power Train: Automatic Transmission) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing rough idling while in drive(D) and reverse(R). Additionally, the contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal closer to the floorboard, the vehicle responded as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the failure was related to Ford Campaign Number: 20N07. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the Campaign. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while accelerating from a stationary position. Additionally, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with a faulty transmission. The transmission was rebuilt. The vehicle later experienced a fractured transmission bracket and was towed to the local dealer. The transmission and transmission bracket were replaced but the check engine warning light continued to illuminate. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 57,850.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal clunking sound, went into LIMP Mode, and failed to exceed 25 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact shifted to reverse(R), but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact called the independent mechanic whom the vehicle was purchased from, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with catastrophic transmission damage. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. There was no warranty coverage on the vehicle for the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while accelerating after the vehicle was idling, the vehicle would emit a load roaring and grinding noise while shuddering and hesitating before accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the torque converter failed and needed replacement, repointing, and reprogramming. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The failure was related to NHTSA ID Numbers: 10222455 (Power Train) 10187724 (Power Train), 10184652 (Power Train, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility), and 10181988 (Power Train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Transmission complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2017 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 124 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2017 Ford Explorer, 7% of the model year's 1,703 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission › torque converter (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Ford Explorer transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2017 Ford Explorer, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 Ford Explorer transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain 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.