2017 Ford Explorer · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 50owner reports
- 67,000median miles
- 2involved a crash
Newest report Jul 10, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
123 of the 1,693 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 50 of those describe transmission shudder.
Tick what matches of 50 reports
Transmission shudder on other Explorer years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the torque converter (17 reports) and the transmission (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2017 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Explorer
Rear axle bolt failure. Closed feb 15, 2024, led to recall 23V-675.
Vehicle rollaway allegations. Closed feb 12, 2013.
Accelerator pedal. Closed mar 9, 2000.
Vehicle hesitation/stalling. Closed feb 22, 2000.
Parking pawl. Closed apr 1, 1999, led to recall 91V-189.
Auto trans prndl misalign. Closed jul 29, 1994.
Auto trans.prndl misalign. Closed jan 29, 1993.
Park pawl bending. Closed nov 8, 1991, led to recall 91V-189.
None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 46,000 and 100,000 miles, from the 36 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 4 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Ford Explorer that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some 2015-2019 MKC and 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine may exhibit a vibration/rough idle when the vehicle is in drive (D) or reverse (R).
Some 2015-2019 MKC and 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine may exhibit a vibration/rough idle when the vehicle is in DRIVE or REVERSE.
In some of the affected vehicles, customers may experience adverse NVH, vibration and/or rough idle in Drive or Reverse, low performance/lack of acceleration during launch, sluggish vehicle operation and shudder while driving
Some 2015-2017 Explorer and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines may exhibit a surge or hesitation condition at approximately 50-60 MPH in 6th gear under light to moderate loads.
What owners wrote
“The car was up on ramps, to replace a sensor, in park and slipped out of gear rolling backwards with force. Someone could have been under or behind the vehicle. Other vehicles could have been behind, property could have been damaged. The cars door caught the building and pulled it all the way back against the front fender.”
Filed Mar 14, 2026
“intermittened starting problems, vechile wont start, clicks, then starts and power train light comes on. Waiting at a red light, press the gas and the car does not go, also when speeding up transmission slips.”
Filed Jul 31, 2025
“Passenger seatbelt frayed, inside electrical goes haywire when cold weather, transmission slipping was rebuilt under warranty lasted one week and is slipping again shifting hard, B panels falling off A panel was recalled but panel wasnât?”
Filed Mar 9, 2025
“2017 Explorer vehicle equipped with a 2.3L engine exhibits a vibration/rough idle when the vehicle is in DRIVE or REVERSE. The vehicle also exhibits a lack of engine revolutions per minute (RPM), lack of acceleration on take off and/or shudder while driving. This may be due to the torque converter overheating causing damage to the torque converter as well as possible internal damage to the transmission.”
Filed Mar 28, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 2 of 50 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Trim or a body panel comes off while driving 418 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 285 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 125 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 76 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 65 reports
- Water leaks into the cabin 61 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 59 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 57 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 51 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 40 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 39 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 34 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 34 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 30 reports
- Paint peels or body rusts 30 reports