Ford Explorer Complaints

917 consumer complaints on file.

#11755788August 9, 2026
STEERING
Steering fails to self-center after slight bear-left such as lane change manuver or steering to track a gentle left bend in road, typically holding ~10 degree left position of the steering wheel. Center feel is "notchy." Behavior is almost completely a bear-left problem and only a slight similar behavior in bear-right condition. Self-centering from hard left seems to be correct in fully returning wheel to center. This behavior has been confirmed by many owners' complaints posted online, and is a problem unique to the Explorer model and 2020+ generation. Video demonstrating problem while driving: [XXX] Explorer ST Owner Forum post confirms similar behavior by others: [XXX] My dealer is treating this as "not a problem, they all do this." No other vehicle in my life (dozens) has ever exhibited this behaviour of steering not returning to center while moving. After delivery I returned the car almost immediately to the dealer on noticing the steering just felt "weird." They found nothing. I narrowed the behavior down to the specific circumstance of bear-left and notchy on-center feel, returned it again, and again they found nothing. With ~3000mi, no change in behavior --"break-in" is long past. I know how to correct for the issue, but if I loan out the car? While it can be called a fit and finish flaw, on the outside it could be a safety issue for unfamiliar drivers. Answers to General Guidelines questions >>> Dealer has identified no failed components or need for repair after two attempts and multiple discussions of the problem. >>> Safety? Issue results in fatigue after long use of the vehicle. Drivers unfamiliar with non-return-to-center behavior may not give the neccesary corrective input to return steering to center. >>> Two dealer repair visits, both inconclusive. >>>No warning lamps etc. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755681August 8, 2026
SEATS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STRUCTURE:BODY
This vehicle was a rental car. The rear door opens and closes at random times. On multiple occasions even after locking the car, we would come out to the door being open. The door came down on its own and smacked my wife as well as hitting my [XXX] daughter in the head. While driving down the highway that rear door decided to open on its own putting my family in immediate grave danger. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755498August 7, 2026
SEATS
The driver's memory seat has a serious malfunction. Whenever I enter the vehicle or switch between memory presets, the driver's seat unexpectedly reclines completely backward. This also crushes anyone sitting in the rear driver's-side seat, making it essentially unusable until we can return the driver's seat to its upright position. Even more concerning, the seat can begin reclining while I am driving, creating an obvious safety hazard. I recently learned that Ford has issued a recall for this exact issue. However, my vehicle was somehow excluded from the recall despite exhibiting the very same defect. My local dealership acknowledged that my car does show the problem listed on the recall and attempted to repair it by replacing the seat back and seat motor. Unfortunately, the replacement parts Ford supplied had the exact same malfunction. The dealership now must order another set of parts and hope they function properly. What concerns me most is the safety aspect. I am continuing to drive a brand-new vehicle with a known defect that may cause the driver's seat to unexpectedly recline while the vehicle is in motion. That is not simply an inconvenience—it is a legitimate safety concern for me, my family, and others on the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755278August 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
RECALL COMPLIANCE & SAFETY DEFECT DESCRIPTION: The vehicle was transported via roadside assistance to a licensed manufacturer dealership due to severe engine overheating under an active manufacturer safety recall. Service personnel systematically modified intake paperwork to alter the true mechanical state upon arrival, removing safety recall and towing documentation. Intake files were falsified with the notation stating that the customer reported a bad battery, executed solely to evade mandatory factory safety recall tracking protocols and obscure dealer liability for subsequent failures. UNAUTHORIZED SHOP-FLOOR HAZARDS & MECHANICAL DAMAGE: Following custody transfer, shop technicians induced severe physical damage to the vehicle's twin-turbocharger assembly, resulting in a snapped turbo stud and a torn engine air filter. The vehicle was subsequently operated on public roads by shop personnel for 75 to 80 unauthorized miles under active engine overheating conditions without correcting thermal or safety recall failures, creating an immediate risk of catastrophic engine block structural cracking. The safety failures triggered 13 critical system fault codes across powertrain, electrical, and battery systems, which went entirely unaddressed while the shop attempted to compel payment under an altered repair estimate. CYBER SABOTAGE OF OUTBOUND SAFETY TELEMATICS: To actively obstruct diagnostic tracking and safety verification, shop staff executed a forced remote network reset of the vehicle's cellular modem. This reset deliberately severed user profile access and entirely deactivated the outbound telematics pipeline to systematically block the outbound transmission of the 13 powertrain and thermal fault messages to the user and manufacturer databases.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755213August 6, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I purchased a 2022 Ford Explorer XLT in March 2026 with approximately 19,500 miles on the vehicle. While driving, I suddenly heard a loud noise above me. I looked up and discovered that a clip from the panoramic sunroof shade had broken. I took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection and was informed the repair would cost approximately $500. While waiting at the dealership, another customer arrived with the same problem on their Ford Explorer. This is a safety concern because the unexpected noise distracted me while I was driving and caused me to look away from the road to determine what had happened. A component of the panoramic sunroof shade should not fail under normal use, especially at such low mileage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755072August 5, 2026
ENGINE
Exhaust manifold turbo charged cracked while driving. Exposing everyone in the vehicle to raw exhaust inside the vehicle every time it is driven. The replacement part is back ordered until September 16th from the dealership. I was told this is an extremely common issue with ford explorers. I don’t understand how this part is not recalled. It has slowly gotten worse and worse. No warning lamps came on. You can hear the engine or manifold rattling/ticking while the vehicle is running. The vehicle is available for inspection. I brought the vehicle to a repair shop called MIDAS. Where I was told exactly what was wrong with it. The problem is reproduced every single time the vehicle is on. The replacement part is also not covered under fords “emissions warranty”. Even though it is part of the emissions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754880August 5, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Put vehicle in drive to pull out of driveway started moving when all of a sudden the explorer started rolling in reverse and the the D on the transmission knob blinked green the E brake did not work I ended up in my garage door and in the back of an ambulance for neck pain and whiplash.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11754722August 4, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle before the engine seized. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle restarted after several attempts and was driven to the residence. The contact's minor grandchild was an occupant in the vehicle when the failure occurred. The contact stated that the temperature was extremely hot outside when the failure occurred. The failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754676August 4, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
On repeated occasions the vehicle’s braking system has malfunctioned without driver input, including uncommanded automatic brake engagement at highway speed and, most recently, a failure of the braking system to respond as commanded. These malfunctions occur without warning and directly impede my ability to control and safely operate the vehicle. On at least one occasion the malfunction occurred while I was driving on the highway with my three minor children in the vehicle and nearly resulted in a major collision.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754340August 3, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I previously reported my rear view camera not working despite ford having many recalls for that problem. Now my shade for my sunroof when opened drops into my car & blocks my view from my rear view mirror. So now I have no camera view or physical view of what's behind me. I also have the same peeling metal on my buttons on my driver's door. The same one that was recalled on 2020 model. I cut my arm on it yesterday
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11753910July 31, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This recall - NHTSA Recall Number25V455 has been issued since over a year ago. Why is there not a fix for this issue yet? This needs to be elevated. Vehicle is driving very rough and could be due to this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753818July 30, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Known defect among Explorer owners. The shade for the sunroof runs along tracks. That track is Known to fail causing the sunshade to fall down and blocks visibility out the rear windshield and inability to use the rear view mirror effectively. My vehicle was unsafe to drive until going to the dealership. They checked it and left it hanging down until I requested for it to be amended before driving home. They noted this is a known issue to Ford. They said the only way to fix it was to install a brand new system & there was no minor fix to components.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753755July 30, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On XXX at approximately 4:30pm, while driving through a parking lot (between 5-10mph), I tapped my brakes and then the parking brake activated and caused several errors on my dash, such as the ABS light, a brake failure error, a service Advance-Trac error, and others. The brakes became incredibly stiff and would not work when I pressed them. The car would continue to roll and stop randomly. I was able to pull into a parking spot out of traffic and when attempting to disable to parking brake, it would not work. I had to attempt to disable it, turn off my car, and then turn it back on. After a few seconds, the parking brake audibly unlocked and then my brake pedal became usable again. I called Two Rivers Ford in [XXX] the next day and they advised that they would look at it, but it would be the end of July before they had a service loaner available. I brushed it off as an electrical glitch. On XXX at approximately 7:30pm, my car did the exact same thing again while coming to a stop on a highway. This again occurred around 10mph. I was able to get off the highway and reset the parking brake again by turning the car on and off and was able to begin driving again with no issues. On XXX I called the same dealership again and they were able to provide me with an emergency service loaner same day due to the urgency of the situation. They advised that this had happened to 5 other Explorers in the country prior, the first step is to reset the ABS Module, if that doesn't fix it, they will replace the brake booster. On XXX at approximately 9:45am, while braking prior to turning in an intersection, at approximately 30mph, the same issue occurred again. This time I rolled into the middle of the intersection, because my brakes wouldn't work. On XXX, I called the dealership and they provided me with another service loaner to attempt to replace the brake booster. This is a major safety issue due to loss of brakes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753594July 29, 2026
WHEELS
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 recall to cover costs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753266July 28, 2026
VISIBILITY
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 the dealer, where it was determined that the moonroof shade roller clips needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752986July 27, 2026
POWER TRAIN, VISIBILITY
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions, the vehicle unexpectedly rolled forward while the vehicle was in park(P). Due to the failure, the contact was forced to engage the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling forward while in park(P). The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility) and 26V402000(Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repair were not available. The dealer was notified of the recalls and confirmed that parts were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752943July 26, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
While driving my 2026 Ford Explorer on the highway, the panoramic roof glass made an abnormally loud noise and completely shattered without any impact from an object or other vehicle. No other cars were nearby. The protective shade remained in place and no glass entered the cabin. This appears to be a spontaneous failure of the tempered glass. I have already located a nearly identical NHTSA complaint on another 2026 Ford Explorer (Campaign 11734759). The vehicle is currently undrivable in normal conditions and is being repaired through insurance. I am concerned this is a known defect with the panoramic roof glass on 2026 Explorers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752763July 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The interior panoramic sunroof shade cloth has failed along both side tracks and is sagging excessively. This is causing obstructed view through the rear view mirror. Also casues the sun roof not to be able to function. The problem began at 32k miles, vehicle currently has 40k miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752671July 24, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V123000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle failed to connect or communicate with the computer and module. The dealer informed the contact about a possible diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact the manufacturer was not responsible to cover the diagnostic test. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752314July 23, 2026
SEAT BELTS
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint Narrative I am submitting this complaint to report a serious safety incident involving the rear seat belt of a Ford rental vehicle obtained from Budget Rent A Car. My [XXX] grandson was properly restrained in a weight-appropriate booster seat and secured with the vehicle’s rear lap and shoulder seat belt in accordance with child passenger safety recommendations. There had been no collision, sudden stop, or other event that would normally activate the seat belt locking mechanism. While seated in the vehicle, the seat belt became tightly wrapped around my grandson’s waist and locked in a manner that prevented it from being loosened or released. Multiple adults attempted to free him by following the normal procedures for releasing and loosening the seat belt, but all attempts were unsuccessful. An off-duty Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) stopped to assist. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to release the seat belt, the EMT determined that the only safe way to free my grandson was to cut the seat belt. The child could not be removed from the vehicle until the seat belt was cut. This incident caused significant concern because a properly functioning seat belt should not trap an occupant in a manner that prevents emergency release. My grandson had been properly restrained in a weight-appropriate booster seat and was using the seat belt as intended. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether this incident represents a defect in the seat belt restraint system and determine whether similar incidents have been reported involving this vehicle or seat belt design. If appropriate, I request that this information be shared with the manufacturer so that corrective action can be taken if a safety defect exists. My goal in submitting this complaint is to help prevent another child or other vehicle occupant from becoming trapped in a seat belt and requiring emergency intervention for release. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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