Ford Explorer: Owner Complaints and Recalls by Model Year
This is the Ford Explorer complaint and recall record by model year (1991–2025). 32,015 owner reports are on file across 33 years. 2002 has the highest count (3,235) — often because that year has had longer to collect reports, not because this page ranked it. Open a year to see what owners named, the recall list, and the filings themselves.
Ford Explorer filings that NHTSA splits across body-style names are combined here. Related weight classes stay separate.
Across these years, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other part of the truck. Unclassified leftovers from NHTSA are not a diagnosis.
In plain English
Across 33 years of the Ford Explorer, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other system. That is a pattern in the file, not a diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
2002 has the most reports (3,235). Older years collect more filings just by being around longer. Open the year you are actually buying — not the peak year unless that is the one in the listing.
Each row is a model year. The system column is what owners named most that year. Click the year for the inspect list, the recall campaigns, and the owner text.
NHTSA Consumer Complaints · Oct 14, 2026 NHTSA Safety Recalls · Oct 15, 2026
Owner reports by model year
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | System named most often | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 Ford Explorer | 542 | 10 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 103 (19.0%) | not reported |
| 1992 Ford Explorer | 555 | 6 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 81 (14.6%) | not reported |
| 1993 Ford Explorer | 801 | 8 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 203 (25.3%) | not reported |
| 1994 Ford Explorer | 988 | 6 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 219 (22.2%) | not reported |
| 1995 Ford Explorer | 715 | 11 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 103 (14.4%) | not reported |
| 1996 Ford Explorer | 1,073 | 10 | Tires (TIRES) · 198 (18.5%) | not reported |
| 1997 Ford Explorer | 1,331 | 11 | Tires (TIRES) · 277 (20.8%) | not reported |
| 1998 Ford Explorer | 1,517 | 13 | Tires (TIRES) · 259 (17.1%) | not reported |
| 1999 Ford Explorer | 1,105 | 14 | Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) · 182 (16.5%) | not reported |
| 2000 Ford Explorer | 802 | 14 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 110 (13.7%) | not reported |
| 2001 Ford Explorer | 339 | 11 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 34 (10.0%) | not reported |
| 2002 Ford Explorer | 3,235 | 10 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 1,331 (41.1%) | not reported |
| 2003 Ford Explorer | 1,115 | 7 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 325 (29.2%) | not reported |
| 2004 Ford Explorer | 1,279 | 4 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 403 (31.5%) | not reported |
| 2005 Ford Explorer | 494 | 3 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 138 (27.9%) | not reported |
| 2006 Ford Explorer | 622 | 4 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 260 (41.8%) | not reported |
| 2007 Ford Explorer | 193 | 3 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 49 (25.4%) | not reported |
| 2008 Ford Explorer | 147 | 3 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 28 (19.1%) | not reported |
| 2010 Ford Explorer | 115 | 2 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 20 (17.4%) | not reported |
| 2011 Ford Explorer | 1,196 | 8 | Steering (STEERING) · 656 (54.9%) | not reported |
| 2012 Ford Explorer | 828 | 7 | Steering (STEERING) · 323 (39.0%) | not reported |
| 2013 Ford Explorer | 2,234 | 12 | Steering (STEERING) · 751 (33.6%) | not reported |
| 2014 Ford Explorer | 1,677 | 7 | Steering (STEERING) · 449 (26.8%) | 2013–2014 |
| 2015 Ford Explorer | 1,801 | 9 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 342 (19.0%) | not reported |
| 2016 Ford Explorer | 2,450 | 15 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 543 (22.2%) | 2015–2016 |
| 2017 Ford Explorer | 1,685 | 14 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 606 (36.0%) | 2016–2017 |
| 2018 Ford Explorer | 725 | 7 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 262 (36.1%) | not reported |
| 2019 Ford Explorer | 294 | 6 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 144 (49.0%) | not reported |
| 2020 Ford Explorer | 1,228 | 34 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 404 (32.9%) | not reported |
| 2021 Ford Explorer | 448 | 27 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 94 (21.0%) | not reported |
| 2022 Ford Explorer | 266 | 25 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 45 (16.9%) | not reported |
| 2023 Ford Explorer | 112 | 15 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 10 (8.9%) | not reported |
| 2025 Ford Explorer | 103 | 22 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 12 (11.7%) | not reported |
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Explorer year has the most NHTSA complaints?
2002 has the highest owner-report count in this snapshot (3,235). That is not a recommendation to avoid the year.
What do Ford Explorer owners complain about most?
Across published years, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other system. Open the year you are buying for the mix, the recall list and the inspect steps.
How should I use this Ford Explorer page before I buy?
Open the model year in the listing — not the peak year unless that is the one you are shopping. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov, inspect the system owners named most, then read a few owner filings.
Do these counts mean the Ford Explorer is unreliable?
No. Counts are self-selected and not normalised for sales volume. YearTell does not publish reliability scores.
Are Ford Explorer body styles merged?
Where NHTSA splits the same consumer vehicle across cab or body-style names, YearTell combines those filings. Distinct weight classes stay separate.