Ford Explorer
Owners filed 34,456 complaints across 38 model years of the Ford Explorer. The 2002 drew the most (3,295); the 2027 the fewest (0).
Model years38
Complaints34,456
Recalls390
Fires792
Deaths165
Every Ford Explorer model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2026 | 34 | 14 | — | 2 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2025 | 98 | 20 | — | 7 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2024 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 1 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2023 | 108 | 15 | 2 | 7 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2022 | 264 | 24 | 1 | 17 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2021 | 423 | 26 | 5 | 14 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2020 | 1,212 | 33 | 10 | 35 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2019 | 294 | 6 | — | 2 | Structure | Above average | |
| 2018 | 728 | 7 | 7 | 16 | Structure | Above average | |
| 2017 | 1,691 | 14 | 11 | 34 | Structure | Above average | |
| 2016 | 2,449 | 15 | 14 | 39 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2015 | 1,782 | 9 | 1 | 37 | Unknown or Other | Above average | |
| 2014 | 1,676 | 7 | 6 | 32 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2013 | 2,234 | 12 | 11 | 44 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2012 | 827 | 7 | 6 | 10 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2011 | 1,197 | 8 | 4 | 30 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2010 | 115 | 2 | — | 8 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2009 | 33 | 1 | — | 5 | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 2008 | 148 | 3 | 3 | 6 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2007 | 208 | 3 | 5 | 11 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2006 | 630 | 4 | 7 | 13 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2005 | 497 | 3 | 6 | 22 | Structure › Body | Fatalities reported | |
| 2004 | 1,304 | 4 | 15 | 58 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | High concern | |
| 2003 | 1,131 | 7 | 10 | 60 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Fatalities reported | |
| 2002 | 3,295 | 10 | 57 | 144 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Fatalities reported | |
| 2001 | 375 | 12 | 21 | 64 | Tires | Fatalities reported | |
| 2000 | 952 | 15 | 64 | 101 | Tires | Fatalities reported | |
| 1999 | 1,348 | 15 | 44 | 115 | Tires | Fatalities reported | |
| 1998 | 1,959 | 14 | 102 | 181 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1997 | 1,731 | 12 | 53 | 155 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1996 | 1,450 | 11 | 37 | 197 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1995 | 843 | 12 | 32 | 84 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1994 | 1,207 | 7 | 82 | 109 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1993 | 939 | 9 | 48 | 86 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1992 | 633 | 7 | 63 | 47 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1991 | 609 | 11 | 63 | 57 | Tires › Tread/Belt | Fatalities reported | |
| 1990 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine |
Which Ford Explorer years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2002 is the weakest year on record, with 3,295 complaints concentrated in the power train › automatic transmission. It carries 10 recalls.
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.