Transmission went out while driving on expressway speed limit was75 MPH on cruise control
The worst 2009 Ford Explorer problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Acceleration5
- Engine5
- Seats3
- Transmission3
- Visibility3
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Acceleration5
- Engine5
- Seats3
- Transmission3
- Visibility3
- Wheels3
- Airbags2
- Body2
- Brakes2
- Driver assistance2
- Electrical2
- Fuel system2
- Seat belts2
- Tires2
- Lights1
- Steering1
- Suspension1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2009 Ford Explorer 20
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless...
- All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code
- Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit...
- This SKU is a front upper ball joint
- Various vehicles equipped with a 4.6L, 5.4L, 6.8L modular 3 valve engine built on or before 8-Jan-2016 may...
- Replacing the original equipment SYNC/Navigation system with either an aftermarket SYNC/Navigation kit or...
- The Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are factory built with...
- 2009-2017 vehicles equipped with a 6R80, 6R100, 6R140 automatic transmission have an updated main control...
- Some 2007-2016 edge/mkx/flex/mkt/mkz/mks/taurus/taurus police/explorer/explorer police equipped with all...
- Some 2008-2017 ford/mercury/lincoln vehicles equipped with sync may generate a vhr that identifies a...
2009 Ford Explorer fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8‑cyl | RWD | 15 | 21 | 17 |
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | RWD | 14 | 20 | 16 |
| 4.6L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 14 | 19 | 16 |
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 13 | 19 | 15 |
What 2009 Ford Explorer owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My car has airbag light on and I have constant problems with the fuel system, and a few electrical problems.
Suv seems to be idled during start up or even when driving. Sounds airy like its trying to accelerate. Also I have had break pads replaced more than usual. Mechanic said it was reported that they have gone out more than normal. Each time going out before warranty expired. Today, car was placed in reverse and car spent out of control spinning around 3 times before it came to a complete stop before crashing into another vehicle. This took place in the parking lot of walmart.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 ford explorer. The contact stated that the engine stalled numerous times without warning while driving various speeds. The vehicle was taken to town and country ford (5041 ford parkway, bessemer, alabama 35022, (205)491-0000) where it was diagnosed that the throttle body failed. The dealer replaced the throttle body, but the vehicle continued to stall while driving various speeds. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 62,684. *tt consumer stated car would stop without any warning.
Throttle body issues, intermittent stahls, pedal suring forward when accelerated. This is a huge safety risk and from what I have read a defect in the 2009 ford models. My truck is in the middle of the repair and I do not have an extended warranty and I believe ford should pay for the expenses of repairing this defect.
The shifter does not stay in place. The car does not stay in gear. It will roll backwards because the pin in shifter is not working.
Ford: my 2009 ford explorer eddie bauer v6 exhibits an intermittent fault/alarm with the rsc system while driving on public roads (street, freeway, highway). All the instances occurred had been properly documented and discussed with the local ford dealer in repeated visits that should be documented on their books. In all instances the alarm is *** not *** registered in the non-volatile memory (nvm) portion of the on board computer code is b1432 control module failure
2009 ford explorer. Consumer writes in regards to wheel separation which resulted in an automobile accident. *ld
In may 2017 I had service performed on my 2009 ford SUV (including replacement of front and rear brake pads and turn of all four rotors) at my local ford dealership. On may 13, 2017, myself, my wife, and our two children (both minors, ages 2 and 8) were involved in a vehicle accident due to a wheel separation of my serviced ford SUV. My ford SUV was towed back to my local ford dealership for repairs. I was told damage to my ford SUV included: 1) a failed wheel bearing and 2) all five lug nuts on the driver side had sheered off. I was told all previous work performed on my ford SUV followed procedures established by ford motor company. I requested an investigation (by my local ford dealership) into the cause of mechanical failures resulting in the vehicle accident. As of may 30, 2017, no investigative findings were reported to me; and I again requested an investigation into the cause of mechanical failures in june 2017, and july 2017. As of august 2017, no investigative report nor findings were provided to me. I contacted ford motor company and requested an investigation into the cause of mechanical failures of my ford SUV including a vehicle accident reconstruction because ford motor company publicly references corporate policies and directives related to product quality, safety and environmental matters applying to its global operations. As of november 2017, no reconstruction report nor investigative report nor findings were provided to me by either ford motor company or my local ford dealership. I provided notice to ford motor company and my local ford dealership I would contact the federal safety agency requesting an investigation into this event(s) asserting my consumer protected rights to information, honest services, safety, choice, and equal protection had been violated. I request my safety complaint be received and reviewed for further investigative action.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 ford explorer. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into a brick wall. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that multiple parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. A local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The VIN and failure mileage were not available.
Compare the 2009 Ford Explorer
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2009 Ford Explorer
Is the 2009 Ford Explorer reliable?
Owners have filed 33 complaints about the 2009 Ford Explorer, fewer than a typical Explorer model year.
What is the 2009 Ford Explorer year score?
The 2009 Ford Explorer scores 85 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford Explorer: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Ford Explorer?
Acceleration and speed control, with 5 complaints. Next is engine (5).
How many recalls does the 2009 Ford Explorer have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 2009 Ford Explorer get?
Official estimates for the 2009 Ford Explorer range from 15 to 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.6L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 15 city and 21 highway.
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