Ford Explorer years to avoid
More than twice the Explorer's typical complaint count for a model year.
Best Ford Explorer years
Fewest owner complaints among the last 20 model years, counting only those with at least four years on the road.
Ford Explorer complaints by model year
Owner complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so expect them to grow.
Most common Ford Explorer problems
All model years combined.
- Transmission5,412
- Body5,257
- Steering4,144
- Engine4,018
- Tires3,766
- Electrical2,263
- Brakes1,982
- Suspension1,909
- Acceleration1,805
- Visibility1,693
- Fuel system1,250
- Airbags1,038
Most reported problems on the Ford Explorer
Tire blowout 1,505Transmission failure 847Fire or smoke 706Backup camera 510Brake failure 314Seat belt 297
Ford Explorer problems year by year
Tap a year to see its problems, recalls and what owners say.
| Year | Score | Complaints | Top problem | Typical mileage | Recalls | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | - | 44 | Electrical | 2,600 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2025 | - | 109 | Electrical | 3,000 | 20 | 8 | |
| 2024 | - | 21 | Driver assistance | 10 | 2 | ||
| 2023 | - | 113 | Driver assistance | 17,000 | 15 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 79 | 274 | Transmission | 38,000 | 24 | 17 | Fewest complaints |
| 2021 | 77 | 455 | Transmission | 45,000 | 26 | 15 | |
| 2020 | 50 | 1,252 | Transmission | 24,000 | 33 | 37 | |
| 2019 | 84 | 303 | Body | 54,271 | 6 | 2 | Fewest complaints |
| 2018 | 70 | 735 | Body | 50,000 | 7 | 16 | |
| 2017 | 39 | 1,706 | Body | 50,000 | 13 | 34 | Avoid |
| 2016 | 25 | 2,465 | Body | 49,000 | 14 | 39 | Avoid |
| 2015 | 36 | 1,817 | Body | 57,000 | 8 | 37 | Avoid |
| 2014 | 41 | 1,684 | Steering | 66,500 | 6 | 32 | Avoid |
| 2013 | 29 | 2,239 | Steering | 76,800 | 11 | 44 | Avoid |
| 2012 | 68 | 830 | Steering | 70,000 | 5 | 10 | |
| 2011 | 53 | 1,198 | Steering | 70,000 | 6 | 30 | |
| 2010 | 84 | 115 | Transmission | 40,707 | 1 | 8 | |
| 2009 | 85 | 33 | Acceleration | 78,000 | 0 | 5 | |
| 2008 | 93 | 148 | Electrical | 77,000 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2007 | 87 | 208 | Transmission | 67,500 | 1 | 11 | Fewest complaints |
| 2006 | 78 | 630 | Transmission | 55,000 | 1 | 13 | |
| 2005 | 82 | 497 | Body | 70,000 | 0 | 22 | |
| 2004 | 53 | 1,304 | Transmission | 65,000 | 0 | 58 | |
| 2003 | 58 | 1,131 | Body | 73,700 | 2 | 60 | |
| 2002 | 17 | 3,295 | Transmission | 79,000 | 4 | 144 | Avoid |
| 2001 | 72 | 375 | Tires | 90,000 | 6 | 64 | |
| 2000 | - | 952 | Tires | 77,688 | 9 | 101 | |
| 1999 | - | 1,347 | Tires | 82,201 | 9 | 115 | |
| 1998 | - | 1,958 | Tires | 100,000 | 9 | 181 | |
| 1997 | - | 1,730 | Tires | 100,000 | 7 | 155 | |
| 1996 | - | 1,448 | Tires | 123,345 | 6 | 197 | |
| 1995 | - | 842 | Tires | 122,000 | 5 | 84 | |
| 1994 | - | 1,199 | Tires | 99,999 | 4 | 109 | |
| 1993 | - | 937 | Brakes | 119,987 | 6 | 86 | |
| 1992 | - | 633 | Tires | 120,000 | 4 | 47 | |
| 1991 | - | 608 | Brakes | 130,000 | 8 | 57 | |
| 1990 | - | 12 | Brakes | 0 | 2 |
Recalls 142
Compare the Explorer
Explorer vs Dodge DurangoExplorer vs Kia SorentoExplorer vs Honda PilotExplorer vs Nissan PathfinderExplorer vs Toyota HighlanderExplorer vs GMC AcadiaExplorer vs Chevrolet TraverseExplorer vs Buick EnclaveExplorer vs Hyundai PalisadeExplorer vs Kia TellurideExplorer vs Volkswagen AtlasExplorer vs Mazda CX-9Explorer vs Subaru Ascent
Ford Explorer in the news
Questions about the Ford Explorer
What years of the Ford Explorer should you avoid?
2002, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Each has more than twice the Ford Explorer's typical number of owner complaints for a model year; 2002 alone has 3,295, mostly about transmission and body.
What is the best year for a used Ford Explorer?
2007, 2022 and 2019 have the fewest owner complaints among model years that have been on the road for at least four years (208, 274 and 303).
What is the most common problem with the Ford Explorer?
Transmission, with 5,412 complaints across all years, followed by body (5,257) and steering (4,144).
How many recalls does the Ford Explorer have?
142 recalls between 1990 and 2026. The 2020 model year has the most, with 33.
VIN decoder
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