Chevrolet Explorer
Owners filed 40 complaints across 7 model years of the Chevrolet Explorer. The 1997 drew the most (9); the 2000 the fewest (2).
Model years7
Complaints40
Recalls0
Fires1
Deaths0
Every Chevrolet Explorer model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 7 | 0 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2000 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Seat Belts › Rear/Other | Routine | |
| 1999 | 5 | 0 | — | — | Exterior Lighting › Headlights | Routine | |
| 1998 | 5 | 0 | — | — | Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices | Routine | |
| 1997 | 9 | 0 | — | 1 | Engine and Engine Cooling | Routine | |
| 1996 | 7 | 0 | — | 1 | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 1995 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Structure › Frame and Members | Routine |
Which Chevrolet Explorer years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 1997 is the weakest year on record, with 9 complaints concentrated in the engine and engine cooling.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.