Ford
Ford Explorer years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2016, 2017 and 2020. Best years: 2019, 2023 and 2024.
The 2016, 2017 and 2020 Ford Explorer draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 2,455 complaints (223 for each year on the road), 2017 has 1,693 complaints (169 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 1,223 complaints (175 for each year on the road), against a median of 81 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is trim coming off (375 reports).
- 10,744complaints
- 90recall campaigns
- 12model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2016
Most reported: trim coming off (375 reports, median 85,000 miles) and power steering loss (249 reports, median 63,599 miles).
2017
Most reported: trim coming off (418 reports, median 80,000 miles) and windshield (285 reports, median 74,000 miles).
2020
Most reported: transmission shudder (190 reports, median 48,000 miles) and infotainment (177 reports, median 17,000 miles).
Best years
2019
Most reported: trim coming off (77 reports, median 71,000 miles) and windshield (47 reports, median 60,292 miles).
2023
Most reported: suspension (14 reports).
2024
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2016 has the most complaints of any Ford Explorer year here: 2,455 of 10,744 (23%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Trim coming off leads in 5 of the 12 model years and has the most reports overall, 1,402. Pooled across the years, half of the 747 owners who gave a mileage for trim coming off were under about 83,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 4% of Ford Explorer complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2023, 10 of its 110 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 6 of the 8 model years where owners report trim coming off have a recall on the same system. The 2020 and 2021 have none. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Complaints are still climbing. 2025 brought 2,039, the most of any year so far. So far in 2026, 1,066 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: Vauxford, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fifth generation
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,607 | 124 | 7 | Power steering cuts out or goes heavy (301) | 73,200 |
| 2015 | 1,791 | 149 | 9 | Trim or a body panel comes off while driving (210) | 61,000 |
| 2016 avoid | 2,455 | 223 | 15 | Trim or a body panel comes off while driving (375) | 50,000 |
| 2017 avoid | 1,693 | 169 | 14 | Trim or a body panel comes off while driving (418) | 56,000 |
| 2018 | 731 | 81 | 7 | Trim or a body panel comes off while driving (139) | 57,021 |
| 2019 best | 298 | 37 | 6 | Trim or a body panel comes off while driving (77) | 56,000 |
Photo: Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sixth generation
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 avoid | 1,223 | 175 | 33 | Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (190) | 39,000 |
| 2021 | 430 | 72 | 26 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (61) | 42,000 |
| 2022 | 267 | 53 | 24 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (34) | 32,000 |
| 2023 best | 110 | 28 | 15 | Suspension noise, struts or alignment (14) | 17,000 |
| 2025 | 101 | new | 20 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (19) | 8,200 |
| 2026 | 38 | new | 14 | Seat belt or seat problems (7) | 4,000 |
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2024 (21).
Year by year
2026 Ford Explorer
38 owner complaints so far; too new to call. 3 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 14 recalls, including 26V-470 on the seats and 26V-451 on the seats.
2025 Ford Explorer
101 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: infotainment (19 reports) and brake wear (17 reports). 8 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 20 recalls, including 26V-165 on the backup camera and 25V-730 on the visibility.
2023 Ford Explorer best
110 owner complaints, 28 for each year on the road (0.3 times the model median). Most reported: suspension (14 reports). 7 reports involved a crash and 9 people were hurt. 15 recalls, including 24V-091 on the suspension system and 26V-451 on the seats.
2022 Ford Explorer
267 owner complaints, 53 for each year on the road (0.7 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (34 reports, median 14,000 miles), stalling (22 reports, median 50,000 miles) and transmission shudder (15 reports). 17 reports involved a crash and 23 people were hurt. 24 recalls, including 26V-117 on the visibility and 26V-123 on the backup camera.
2021 Ford Explorer
430 owner complaints, 72 for each year on the road (0.9 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (61 reports, median 34,600 miles), stalling (44 reports, median 47,000 miles) and drivetrain problems (32 reports, median 77,000 miles). 14 reports involved a crash and 16 people were hurt. 26 recalls, including 26V-117 on the visibility and 26V-123 on the backup camera.
2020 Ford Explorer avoid
1,223 owner complaints, 175 for each year on the road (2.2 times the model median). Most reported: transmission shudder (190 reports, median 48,000 miles), infotainment (177 reports, median 17,000 miles) and stalling (95 reports, median 34,412 miles). 36 reports involved a crash and 38 people were hurt. 33 recalls, including 26V-402 on the transmission and drivetrain and 25V-166 on the transmission and drivetrain.
2019 Ford Explorer best
298 owner complaints, 37 for each year on the road (0.5 times the model median). Most reported: trim coming off (77 reports, median 71,000 miles), windshield (47 reports, median 60,292 miles) and stalling (14 reports). 2 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 6 recalls, including 26V-448 on the structure and 26V-012 on the equipment.
2018 Ford Explorer
731 owner complaints, 81 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: trim coming off (139 reports, median 70,000 miles), windshield (99 reports, median 60,000 miles) and infotainment (51 reports, median 54,800 miles). 16 reports involved a crash and 13 people were hurt. 7 recalls, including 26V-448 on the structure and 25V-685 on the equipment.
2017 Ford Explorer avoid
1,693 owner complaints, 169 for each year on the road (2.1 times the model median). Most reported: trim coming off (418 reports, median 80,000 miles), windshield (285 reports, median 74,000 miles) and overheating (125 reports, median 90,000 miles). 34 reports involved a crash and 51 people were hurt. 14 recalls, including 26V-448 on the structure and 25V-685 on the equipment.
2016 Ford Explorer avoid
2,455 owner complaints, 223 for each year on the road (2.7 times the model median). Most reported: trim coming off (375 reports, median 85,000 miles), power steering loss (249 reports, median 63,599 miles) and windshield (248 reports, median 78,000 miles). 39 reports involved a crash and 59 people were hurt. 15 recalls, including 26V-448 on the structure and 25V-685 on the equipment.
2015 Ford Explorer
1,791 owner complaints, 149 for each year on the road (1.8 times the model median). Most reported: trim coming off (210 reports, median 98,000 miles), power steering loss (204 reports, median 63,450 miles) and infotainment (196 reports, median 95,000 miles). 37 reports involved a crash and 98 people were hurt. 9 recalls, including 24V-031 on the structure and 25V-695 on the backup camera.
2014 Ford Explorer
1,607 owner complaints, 124 for each year on the road (1.5 times the model median). Most reported: power steering loss (301 reports, median 92,350 miles), trim coming off (162 reports, median 100,000 miles) and windshield (116 reports, median 95,000 miles). 29 reports involved a crash and 32 people were hurt. 7 recalls, including 24V-031 on the structure and 21V-537 on the suspension system.
Recalls that cover several model years
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.
The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Compare the Explorer with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Explorer vs Chevrolet Traverse2014 to 2026
- Explorer vs Toyota Highlander2014 to 2023
- Explorer vs Kia Telluride2020 to 2025
- Explorer vs Dodge Durango2014 to 2026
- Explorer vs Jeep Grand Cherokee2014 to 2026
Questions
What Ford Explorer years should you avoid?
The 2016, 2017 and 2020 Ford Explorer draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 2,455 complaints (223 for each year on the road), 2017 has 1,693 complaints (169 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 1,223 complaints (175 for each year on the road), against a median of 81 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is trim coming off (375 reports).
What are the best years for the Ford Explorer?
The 2019, 2023 and 2024 draw the fewest complaints for their age: 2019 has 298 (37 a year), 2023 has 110 (28 a year) and 2024 has 21 (7 a year). Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Ford Explorer?
Trim coming off, with 1,402 reports across the 12 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
How many recalls does the Ford Explorer have?
90 recall campaigns cover the Ford Explorer model years 2014 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 25V-685 on the equipment, covers 7 model years.
How many Ford Explorer complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
4% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2023 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for trim coming off on the Ford Explorer?
On 6 of the 8 model years where owners report it: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.