Equipment complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 | 2 | 0% | 42,000 miles |
| 2020 | 3 | 0% | 31,000 miles |
| 2018 | 4 | 1% | 38,000 miles |
| 2017 | 2 | 0% | — |
| 2016 | 1 | 0% | 0 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 0% | 5,000 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 0% | 16,000 miles |
| 2012 | 6 | 1% | 1,000 miles |
| 2011 | 5 | 0% | 0 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 3% | 42,000 miles |
| 2008 | 2 | 1% | 47,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% | 12,000 miles |
| 2006 | 7 | 1% | 48,000 miles |
| 2005 | 4 | 1% | 70,000 miles |
| 2004 | 12 | 1% | 67,000 miles |
| 2003 | 11 | 1% | 66,000 miles |
| 2002 | 48 | 1% | 71,000 miles |
| 2001 | 5 | 1% | 107,000 miles |
| 2000 | 12 | 1% | 78,000 miles |
| 1999 | 21 | 2% | 65,000 miles |
| 1998 | 27 | 1% | 84,000 miles |
| 1997 | 23 | 1% | 88,000 miles |
| 1996 | 15 | 1% | 158,000 miles |
| 1995 | 7 | 1% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accessories, trailer hitches and other equipment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the transmission was shifting gear, there was an abnormally loud grinding sound coming from the front-end of the vehicle. There was transmission fluid leaking underneath the vehicle while the vehicle was idling. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission cooler had fractured and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program NHTSA ID Number: 10185994 (Power Train, Equipment) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the Customer Satisfaction Program. The repair was not covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 31,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V685000 (Equipment), 26V117000 (Visibility), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact was concerned that the incomplete recalls presented significant safety risks, specifically because the contact resided in Alaska, where it rained constantly with low temperatures. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that initially, the infotainment screen would intermittently fail to operate upon the start of the vehicle without warning. Recently, the contact stated that the infotainment screen had completely failed and that the screen had remained blank while the vehicle was in operation. Due to the failure, the back over prevention camera was inoperable. The contact called the manufacturer who then referred him to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 mph on the highway, y a piece of Sop A-pillar trim came off on the passenger side. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the pillar trim to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle independently engaged the brakes. The vehicle was designed with a unique braking program designed to engage with the cruise control when the vehicle was approaching a second vehicle. The system engaged despite there not being a vehicle in front of the contact?s vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed there was no remedy for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 14,000 and the current mileage was 28,000. ...updated 12-24-13 the consumer stated the adaptive cruise control worked fine when he was following a vehicle in his lane. …
Two extremely frightening experiences happened this day. (1) I was driving on interstate 95 and the Explorer braked extremely hard from a speed of 65 MPH to zero. There was nothing around and I could not determine any reason for this. I proceeded on to my destination and the vehicle accelerated inexplicably to 95 MPH. I tried to turn off the cruise control manually and by tapping the brake (I was fearful of the vehicle rolling). Thank god, I was able to maneuver around traffic in northern new jersey and then the vehicle reduced speed. It was a very terrifying experience and one the Ford dealer told me he has no explanation for. I have had many, failures of the myfordtouch system which I will detail in a separate incident report.
We have purchased a 2011 Explorer, with the Bluetooth activated, the person driving cannot be heard because of background noise. From my investigation, I found that the roof area above the windshield seems to not have any insulation, the wind noise is being picked up by the speaker above the drivers head. This is not the only problem, when it is raining the noise from the rain sounds like a tin roof of an old house. I reported this to the dealership and they said that there is not anything they can do without Ford having more complaints.
Letter from re few defects in my 2011 Ford Explorer remain after the dealers repeated repair attempts. These issues distract me while driving and it is a concern to my safety as well the consumer stated the main issue was the steering; the steering wheel was not straight and when driving, the vehicle pulled in the opposite direction. The shift increased when increasing speed. Also, the A/C unit changed temperatures by itself. The brake warning light illuminated and the touch and Sync did not work. The consumer believed the software needed to be updated as his phone and or mp3 player kept getting disconnected. When using the Sync service to request directions it kept misinterpreting the commands, as well as disconnecting when downloading a route. On one occasions, the entire system failed and the screen went blank.
Related recalls (4)
Trailer hitches
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard.
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of part 567.4, "certification." these vehicles were shipped from the assembly plant without safety certification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the certification labels.
Equipment › Other › Labels
The certification labels on the involved vehicles has incorrect rear tire inflation pressure designations. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
Remedy: Owners will be provided with correct certification labels and instructions for installing these labels. Dealers can install this label if the owner so desires.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Explorer years have equipment problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (48), 1998 (27), 1997 (23), 1999 (21) and 1996 (15) model years. Equipment complaints make up 1% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Ford Explorer equipment problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 25V-687 (trailer hitches, Oct 10, 2025); 24V-852 (labels, Nov 8, 2024); 00V-313 (labels, Oct 17, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Explorer equipment problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles; 43% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electrical › radio/tape deck/cd etc. (54 mentions), followed by the mechanical › carrier/rack (18).
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.