2019 FORD EXPLORER — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 285 complaints · 6 recalls
Most-reported system: STRUCTURE (141 complaints · 49.5%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 6
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2018 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution STRUCTURE appears in 141 of 285 owner complaints (49.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. STRUCTURE: 141 complaints, 49.5% of reports STRUCTURE 141 · 49.5% POWER TRAIN: 33 complaints, 11.6% of reports POWER TRAIN 33 · 11.6% ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 14 complaints, 4.9% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 · 4.9% FUEL SYSTEM: 13 complaints, 4.6% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 13 · 4.6% ENGINE: 11 complaints, 3.9% of reports ENGINE 11 · 3.9% SUSPENSION: 11 complaints, 3.9% of reports SUSPENSION 11 · 3.9% VISIBILITY: 7 complaints, 2.5% of reports VISIBILITY 7 · 2.5% STEERING: 6 complaints, 2.1% of reports STEERING 6 · 2.1% · 1 crash reports SERVICE BRAKES: 3 complaints, 1.1% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 1.1% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 101 complaints, 35.4% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 101 · 35.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
STRUCTURE 141 49.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 33 11.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 4.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 13 4.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 11 3.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 11 3.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VISIBILITY 7 2.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 6 2.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 3 1.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 101 35.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2019; the first recall shown was reported in Aug 2019. 2019-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2021-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2022-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2023-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2023-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2023-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2024-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2024-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2024-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2025-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2025-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 2025-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2025-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2026-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2026-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2026-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 Owner reports Apr 2019 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 19V633000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V633000 Recall campaign 21V316000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V316000 Recall campaign 24V031000 ◆ Recall campaign 24V031000 Recall campaign 26V012000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V012000 Recall campaign 26V101000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V101000 Recall campaign 26V448000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V448000 Investigation PE23001 ● Investigation PE23001
  • Campaign 19V633000 was reported 83 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V316000 was reported 430 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 24V031000 was reported 1,419 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V012000 was reported 2,415 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V101000 was reported 2,367 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V448000 was reported 2,326 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2019-Q2 Owner reports 4
2019-Q3 Owner reports 6
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 4
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 3
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q2 Owner reports 3
2021-Q3 Owner reports 6
2021-Q4 Owner reports 4
2022-Q1 Owner reports 7
2022-Q2 Owner reports 5
2022-Q3 Owner reports 5
2022-Q4 Owner reports 3
2023-Q1 Owner reports 11
2023-Q2 Owner reports 9
2023-Q3 Owner reports 8
2023-Q4 Owner reports 5
2024-Q1 Owner reports 15
2024-Q2 Owner reports 12
2024-Q3 Owner reports 15
2024-Q4 Owner reports 21
2025-Q1 Owner reports 34
2025-Q2 Owner reports 21
2025-Q3 Owner reports 23
2025-Q4 Owner reports 12
2026-Q1 Owner reports 16
2026-Q2 Owner reports 14
2026-Q3 Owner reports 9
Recall campaign 1 19V633000
Recall campaign 1 21V316000
Recall campaign 1 24V031000
Recall campaign 1 26V012000
Recall campaign 1 26V101000
Recall campaign 1 26V448000
Defect investigation 1 PE23001
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (6)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 19V633000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEATS
    Consequence:
    A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V316000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S22.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 24V031000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V012000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V101000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 21V537. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning February 25, 2026.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V448000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed August 24, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 285 complaints · page 1 of 12

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources