Page 19 of 35 · complaints 901–950 of 1,704

2017 Ford Explorer complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2017 record →

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 13, 2023MN

Front windshield pillars came off auto while driving. The passenger side flew off in July 2022 and the driver side came off in July 2023. Nether hit a car behind us but it happened on the freeway so could not stop to find the piece. We had the passenger side replaced by Vroom auto shop and just ordered a non OEM part for the driver side. If we have Ford replace it the cost is about $500 EACH.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jul 13, 202390,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed a thick cloud of gray smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and that had spread throughout the neighborhood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an unknown fluid had leaked into the engine. The contact was informed that the turbo charger oil supply tubes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon research, the contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V925000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) then notified the undisclosed dealer of the failure and the recall. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall and advised the contact to notify the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Structure
Filed Jul 12, 202330,000 milesNC

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there was water leaking from around the front windshield. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. The VIN was not available.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 12, 2023WV

Windshield trim coming off before 5 year mark. had part of the trim come off and go flying along making a bad sound at highway speeds. had a about a 1 feet chunk fly off and hit the car behind me on the interstate.

Engine
Filed Jul 12, 2023TX

When driving the vehicle, it displayed a dashboard message "Engine Coolant Over Temperature". The vehicle was brought to the local Ford dealer where it is routinely serviced. Grapevine Ford identified that the water pump needed replacing. The part was $419 but it required 14 hours of labor to install it for a labor charge of $3,425. While the part failure isn't common but it can happen, 14 hours of labor to replace it is the real issue This is clearly an extremely serious design issue. What can the consumer do? A vehicle is needed & the repair was authorized. Reviewing the NHTSA website, multiple similar complaints were found. However, none of them referenced the extremely high labor charge to replace the water pump, which is the real issue.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 11, 2023TX

Both front plastic windshield covers have flown off on the highway traveling around at rate of 65. The passenger side detached and flew off in one piece and the driver side only half of it flew off after cracking in half.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jul 11, 2023GA

Fuel vapor purge valve keeps going out or sticking causing RPMS to rev up, vehicle has shut off while driving.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 9, 2023TX

Pillar molding keeps flying out while driving. I have replaced 3 times and the last ones have flown off while driving. Thank God another vehicle has not been hit. It’s $150 every time I have replace them.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 7, 2023LA

Driving 70 mph on Interstate -10 the window seal came off and a side panel adjacent to the window flew off of the Explorer. I had to pay for the two parts and labor charges. I had the trim piece and the window seal replaced at a Ford dealership. The Ford Represenative told me, “Ford is aware it's been a problem”. At the present the rubber seal around the doors are coming apart from the frame.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 6, 2023ID

The driver side exterior black glossed facia on the "A" frame broke off while I was driving on the freeway at 80 miles per hour (speed limit). I did not see where it went, and luckily there were no cars behind me, but in a different situation it could have caused serious accidents. Much like their existing recall to replace roof racks. I called the dealer to get it replaced, and their response was "oh, ya this thing falls off all the time." There was no indication that it was loose.

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 4, 2023ID

Since June 5th, 2023, I have had to have the passenger side windshield pillar mount trim replaced 3 different times due to clips breaking and the trim piece begins to become unattached when driving. It was replaced again yesterday and not even 2 hours after it was replaced, the top clip that is attached to the trim piece and clicks into the body of my car, it already broke off from the trim piece and the top of the trim piece is loose again. This is absolutely unacceptable and a major safety issue.

Structure › Body
Filed Jun 30, 2023OK

The front windshield side trim piece detached from my vehicle while driving and was hanging on by a tiny piece of rubber. I had to pull over on the interstate to pull it off which was very dangerous.

Structure › Body
Filed Jun 29, 2023AR

Component: Passenger side windshield trim Safety Risk: I was traveling on the interstate between 70-75mph when the trim flew off. It went directly in the path of the vehicle behind me causing them to swerve. They nearly hit the vehicle in the left lane by doing so. Problem confirmed: No, just happened and have not contacted dealership yet Component inspected: No, was destroyed after being run over multiple times in rush hour traffic Warnings, messages, or symptoms: Just as it was happening there was a clicking or smacking sound then it went. Maybe 30 seconds between sound and part flying off.

Engine
Filed Jun 26, 2023NJ

For the third time in six months I had an unintended acceleration when stopped and shifting from drive to reverse or the other way. The rpm’s go way up, if I didn’t have my foot on the brake the vehicle may have crashed, injured someone, etc. Ford dealer was not helpful at all, saying they had no prior reports. I had same problem on previous Explorer but traded it in.

Power Train
Filed Jun 26, 2023MO

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was jerking while shifting from park(P) to drive(D), and while shifting from drive(D) to park(P). Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to respond while shifting between gears. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked, hesitated, and made an abnormally loud sound while driving from a complete stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that she read on the news that the failure was related to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was unknown.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 26, 2023NE

The locks on my vehicle are going out one door at a time. Seems like a reoccurring problem for many Ford Explorer owners. No warnings given. Key fobs don't work only manual opening of the lock by pulling it up.

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Jun 21, 2023FL

Over the time of ownership for this Ford Explorer (original owner) the window trim and the gasket under the trim has continued to fall off. The gasket on the passenger side has come out enough to where when you are driving it is slapping the window which is very distracting and unsafe to the driver. Most of the gasket has already ripped off. I contacted Ford and they refused to cover it under the warranty. The trim is a one time use item so to replace it they must break it and it cost over $1000 per Ford. This needs to be a recall item it is unsafe!

Latches/Locks/Linkages
Filed Jun 21, 202380,000 milesIN

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated the rear driver’s side door failed to open as needed. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the rear driver’s side door latch to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the rear passenger’s side door latch experienced a similar failure. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the rear passenger’s side door latch to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Structure › Body
Filed Jun 19, 2023NC

Driver side windshield trim detached from vehicle while driving at highway speed. Do not have the actual trim, have photographs of the A-post where trim detached. Safety of other drivers at risk due to part flying off vehicle at highway speeds. A quick Google search shows this as an issue for many drivers. No inspection of the issue completed. No warning lamps or messages. Rubber trim around windshield began to degrade and rattle could be heard on occasion at highway speeds.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 18, 2023OH

The windshield trim, A post, drivers side is loose and in jeopardy of falling off. I am going to have this repaired. But, should this come off during driving it could affect another driver. I have seen multiple vehicles like mine missing these pieces. Please investigate and see if a recall is needed to avoid accidents on our freeways.

Power Train
Filed Jun 17, 2023VA

KI started experiencing some vibration while in the stopped position while in either reverse or drive. I had a few components replaced (throttle body, spark plugs, ignition coils, and vacuum pump. None of these helped alleviate the symptoms. I also had the transmission flushed. Additional symptoms ensued including, but not limited to, the car failing to accelerate, beginning to lose power while driving, etc. I had a mechanic come to access the vehicle and the Valvoline General Mgr come and confirm the mechanic's findings. The transmission ultimately failed on me while I was driving. The car has been incapacitated for almost 3 weeks to date while I researched the best route for repair. I did contact the Ford Consumer Line about the CSP 20N07. They told me they could not help me even though my symptoms were exactly as described within the verbiage.

Air Bags
Filed Jun 17, 2023TN

Before the safety recalls for the rear suspension the vehicle made a loud noise almost like helicopter blades from the rear. It stopped after the recall was fixed but has started again. The air bag light has been on since about a month after I bought the vehicle. After about 9 attempts of taking it to the ford dealership for them to look at it with no luck I believe it’s due to a broken seatbelt in the rear that nobody has a part for.

Suspension
Filed Jun 14, 202338,000 milesCT

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH in a rainstorm, the rear of the vehicle started to violently fishtail from side to side. The contact stopped and inspected the vehicle but found no failure. The vehicle was later re-inspected, and the contact discovered that the rear tires showed severe treadwear. The contact stated that the failure had occurred previously while his wife was driving the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 38,000. The contact stated that the vehicle needed an alignment and two new rear tires. The vehicle was repaired and the contact has it in their possession again.

Engine
Filed Jun 14, 202395,000 milesNC

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the head gasket had blown/failed coolant leaked into cylinder # 4. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Ford Corporate was contacted and informed of the problem as dealership did not manufacture the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with TSB: 19-2346; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Tires
Filed Jun 14, 2023AL

Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2 P255R20 A/S BSW Tires 23,041 miles 2017 Ford Explorer Sport. These are the tires that came on the vehicle, there is only 23,041 miles on the vehicle and the tires are prematurely wearing on the outerside of all 4 tires. Chunks of the tire is pealing off. Hazardous to drive. The vehicle is not out of line, tires are rotated on schedule, and tire pressure maintained. Looks like defective tires, need to be investigated as safety recall. Ford Motor Company is aware of the problem and stated that we need they have a problem with those tires pealing and wearing out, most people have to replace around 20,000 to 30,000 miles. VERY DANGEROUS! I have safety inspections that shows tire are perfect.

Electrical System
Filed Jun 13, 2023PA

My door do not lock/unlock automatically. It started with one door. Then that door started working and another door stopped working. Then that started working and a different door stopped working. This cycle kept happening until all doors stopped working. Then they started working again and then stopped working again. On several occasions the locks I couldn't unlock door with the key or open the door from the inside with handle/button or lever. Also tried to lock car manually only for the lever to pop right back up. So my car was left unsecured on many occasions. Door problems Started may of 2022 until recent

Structure › Body
Filed Jun 13, 2023AL

My Wife, child, and I, were driving down the interstate and the exterior driver side panel by the windshield flew just flew off. When we stopped at a gas station it looked like serious deterioration to the seal and clips that held it together was present. The clips were all broken. On this same trip, we began to hear what sounded like bees buzzing in the dash. We stopped again to worry that something had to be going wrong. We did some research on the spot, and it seems to be the windshield cowl. After getting home it we did more research and it looks like these are very common issues, but when we talk to Ford, they just dismiss our concerns and tell us it's not covered under warranty. even though it's an apparent quality control issue on their part. We bought this vehicle used about 5 months ago and have put less than 5 thousand miles on it. We do not have the panel that flew off as we were unsure what had happened until we stopped down the road many miles at the next exit. The car itself is available to be inspected. Our safety was affected because this panel could have hit a motorist or become a road hazard.

Engine
Filed Jun 13, 2023CA

Car overheating, coolant holder looks empty, I added coolant and it overflowed. Once I opened the air tank all the coolant came up from below and over flowed. Took to Ford of West Covina and they said I have a water pump leak. Yet I see no leaking ever in my garage or driveway. Car is fairly new and I always take it to get serviced on time and I am very caring to my cars. I took my car for service on 2/23/2023 to Ford of West Covina where I have always gone to and they didn’t tell me anything was wrong with my vehicle, but now looking at the after visit summary paper work it says coolant leak. The service team told me my vehicle was in good condition when I picked my car up.

Engine
Filed Jun 11, 2023AZ

2017 Ford Explorer 92,361 miles. Car started over heating going 45 miles per hour. Pulled over and then had car towed to the mechanic. Mechanic said water pump was done and coolant had leaked in to the engine and engine was destroyed. Car needs a whole new engine replacement. This is happening with many Ford Explorers and Ford refuses to recall them or do anything about it!

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 8, 2023TN

As I was driving 70mph on the interstate my driver’s side windshield pillar molding flew off.

Engine
Filed Jun 8, 202380,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the engine overheating message was displayed on the instrument panel. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the coolant level was low, and added coolant to the reservoir. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics and was informed that the water pump had failed, causing a coolant leak. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Engine
Filed Jun 8, 2023CA

1 week ago the check engine light came on as the car was very heated. Coolant was used and the warning went off. A few days later the car was taken to have an oil change and we realized the coolant level was low and there was old coolant fluid dried onto the underneath of the car and a bead of coolant seen. The car was taken to the garage and a leak was found in the water pump, with coolant leaking from the seep whole. The water pump is located underneath the engine which requires an expensive long process to remove the engine and other parts to fix. The car is only 6 years old with 83K miles and a major component has failed which can not be easily accessed. The water pump has now been moved to another location in more recent models. There is a class law suit in process involving many people to address this design flaw and safety hazard. One website alone has over 100 people complaining about this issue with many cars seizing completely on roads whilst in use. There is no recall currently for this problem but dealerships, auto shops are aware of the problem.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 6, 2023FL

My wife took her 2017 Ford Explorer XLT to South Carolina from Florida. Upon her return last night, on 5 Jun 23 she was driving through Georgia and she heard a vibration coming from the drivers side windshield and then all of a sudden it stopped. When she parked inside our garage she noticed the drivers side A Pillar moulding trim piece had departed the vehicle and was missing. PN is BB5Z-7803145-AA.

Structure › Body › Hood
Filed May 30, 202360,000 milesSC

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while parked she observed paint bubbles, paint chippings, and corrosion on the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the aluminum paint needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Structure › Body
Filed May 30, 2023MD

When you hit the button to close the hatch whether it be by the hatch button, dash button or key fob button if something is in the way it doesn’t stop closing. So if your arm or a small child’s head, arm it would just keep closing. If it can’t latch it does go back up but that is only when it goes all the way down.

Structure › Body
Filed May 29, 2023FL

Windshield trim flew off driving down the interstate, hit my side mirror, and passenger window. The trim piece put my family and me in a dangerous situation. It could have easily broken the window. No warning.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 29, 2023CT

The locks on the doors do not all unlock at the same time or lock at the same time. The passenger door has locked and would not unlock. My daughter had to climb through car to get out. If there’s an accident my kids can not safely exit the vehicle due to the locks. You can’t unlock it either from the inside. It randomly will unlock on its own.

Structure › Body
Filed May 29, 2023NV

The pillar trim windshield molding on both sides detached and flew off the vehicle while driving on the highway.

Structure › Body
Filed May 28, 2023CA

Right side pillar trim detached at 70 mph on freeway causing other vehicles to avoid flying debris.

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed May 22, 202371,000 milesCO

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound and noticed that the sunroof glass panel had shattered without impact. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the sunroof glass panel to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

Structure › Body
Filed May 19, 2023KY

The windshield trim on the drivers side flew off while I was driving on the highway unexpectedly and startled me. I was driving at 75mph and could have easily lost control of my vehicle. This is very dangerous! While searching for how to fix it online, I read that this is VERY common! How is this not a recall? This is awful!

Structure
Filed May 18, 202360,000 milesOH

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, it was discovered that the passenger’s side windshield trim panel had detached from the vehicle. Later while driving approximately 70 MPH, the front driver’s side windshield trim panel detached from the vehicle. The contact rolled down the window to retrieve the detached panel to prevent the trim panel from separating from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who indicated that the trim panels needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the NHTSA Action Number: PE23001 (Equipment). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 60,000.

Structure › Body
Filed May 18, 2023TX

As I was driving on the freeway, the windshield trim panel flew off my car. This put the safety of the cars behind me in jeopardy as it did or could have hit them or caused an accident by people attempting to avoid running over it in the road. I took my car to a Ford and they said this car is notorious for having this problem and they see it all the time. The previous owner of this car said that the trim on the opposite side had flown off too and had to have It replaced as well.

Structure › Body
Filed May 18, 2023CA

As I was driving down the freeway the panel between the front and rear passenger door flew off. Noticed today that the driver side one is loose and it holds the keyless entry pad.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 16, 2023LA

On March 22, 2023 at approximately 10:15 am CDT, while heading south on Interstate 310 in Kenner, Louisiana, the passenger side windshield molding flew off the car while traveling just over 60 mph. I was coming out of a curve from exiting I-10W onto I-310. Not sure if it hit another vehicle as there were other vehicles in general area at the time, but did not see exactly where part landed. The part was not recoverable for inspection. There were no previous warning messages or noticeable issues with the part on the vehicle prior to the incident. I brought vehicle to Ford dealer and was told there is no recall for this item and the cost to replace is $396.80 for parts and labor at my expense. I believe this is a defect and should be reviewed with the manufacturer. I have seen two other Ford Explorers in New Orleans and Kenner with the same issue.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 15, 2023LA

Yesterday I was driving on the highway and the molding next to windshield driver's side of the car flew away. We heard a loud nose when we stopped, we saw that the molding was complete gone. It could have hit another vehicle or a person

Engine
Filed May 12, 202335,000 milesRI

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced unintended surging and engine revving. During the failure the driver had difficulty stopping the vehicle while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving at various speeds, and also while the vehicle was stationary and idling. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 35,000.

Structure › Body
Filed May 11, 2023MI

Was driving at highway speeds when a hitting sound was heard to the body. Could not determine while driving what or where the noise came from. Later discovered the RH side a-pillar trim had detached from the car. Unsure whether the trim piece affected other vehicles on the road.

Structure › Body
Filed May 11, 2023126,415 milesTX

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side windshield trim detached. Additionally, while driving at 80 MPH, the driver’s side windshield trim detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,415.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 10, 2023FL

Driver side A pillar windshield molding came flying off while driving on highway at 70 mph on I95. It detached from vehichle and slammed into my windshield caused it to crack and caused multiple scratches. Then flew over my vehichle and landed in the lane of travel, multiple other explorer owners said they experienced the same issues and dealer told me it was a common issue on these vehicles but no recall ha been issued.No warning lights or inspection by insurance.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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