2017 Ford Explorer problems owners report most
2017 Ford Explorer problems are documented in public: owners have filed 1,713 complaints with NHTSA, the earliest in 2016 and the most recent in 2026. Sorting those by the component the filer named puts the body structure clearly first, at 663 of the 1,713 complaints, two of every five filed.
A complaint is not a repair bill and not a defect finding. It is one owner telling the regulator something went wrong. What makes the count useful is the concentration: when one component takes 39 per cent of everything filed on a car, the pattern is doing more than chance.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 663 | 39% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 378 | 22% |
| ENGINE | 241 | 14% |
| POWER TRAIN | 125 | 7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 94 | 5% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 77 | 4% |
Against the 2016 car, this model year has drawn 31 per cent fewer complaints (1,713 against 2,485). Both years are led by the body structure, so this is a fault that carried over rather than one introduced with the 2017 car.
Of those complaints, 34 describe a crash and 11 describe a fire. Filers reported 51 injuries.
Recalls on the 2017 Ford Explorer
A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator found a safety defect, and the repair is free at a franchised dealer however old the car is. There are 14 recalls on this model year. Your own car may be covered by some, all or none of them, so check the VIN rather than the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with power front seats. The seat frames may have sharp edges.
The risk. Occupants my contact the sharp edges when reaching between the power front seat and center console, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective tape on the exposed inside edge and tab of the power seat frames, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S29.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
The risk. A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.
The risk. A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix. Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Explorer, Taurus and Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan vehicles. The steering gear heat shield fasteners may corrode, allowing the heat shield to detach.
The risk. If the heat shield detaches, the steering gear may overheat, increasing the steering effort required by the driver, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers to inspect and replace the heat shield fasteners as needed, free of charge. The recall began on September 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S23.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles equipped with a manual driver's seat back recliner mechanism. In the event of a crash, the seat back frame may not restrain the occupant due to having inadequate welds. As such, these vehicles may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202a, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
The risk. If the occupant is not adequately restrained in the event of a crash, they have an increased risk of injury.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began on June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C08.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.
The risk. An oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S46.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
The risk. A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S22.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
The risk. A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
The risk. A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
The risk. A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Explorer vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
The risk. Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will repair the B-pillar trim, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S53.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The risk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix. Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
The risk. A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 21V537. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning February 25, 2026.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
The risk. A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix. Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 28, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
In owners own words
These are complaints filed about the body structure, quoted as written. They are one persons account rather than a diagnosis, and they are here because a symptom described by a driver is easier to recognise than a component name.
Vehicle: 2017 Ford Explorer Issue: Hood paint peeling / paint delamination Component: Exterior / Structure / Body / Paint Safety Concern: Corrosion risk and impaired visibility Description: The paint on the hood of my 2017 Ford Explorer is peeling and delaminating down to the bare aluminum, starting at the front edge and spreading across the hood. This is a known and widespread issue on 2013–2018 Ford Explorers involving defective paint adhesion on aluminum body panels. Ford previously issued TSB 17-0062 and Customer Satisfaction Program 19N01 addressing this exact problem. My vehicle is exp
07/17/2026 [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Attn: Ford Customer Relationship Center / Service Management Ford Motor Company [XXX] RE: IMMEDIATE ESCALATION DEMAND: Safety Recall 24S02 (NHTSA Campaign 24V031000) Vehicle: 2017 Ford Explorer VIN: [XXX] Servicing Dealership: Max Ford of Butler (Butler, [XXX]) To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally demand the immediate escalation and resolution of an open safety recall on my 2017 Ford Explorer. My vehicle is subject to Safety Recall 24S02 regarding the detachment of the exterior A-pillar windshield molding. I have been actively waiting on a de
Sunroof leaked & water dripped into top center light assembly and down either side of the windshield support frames, then into the back of the plastic panels under them, continuing down the supports that lead to far left & right frames and into the carpet under the rubber mats.Very concerned about water mixing with electrical parts of the lights in the overhead area over the dash & starting a fire.Tried to open sun roof so I could wipe the channels dry and reclose sunroof but the electric components to it stopped working probably due to water damage,so sunroof was now partially opened to the e
CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTED IN PASSENGER CABIN - AFTER READING STORIES ABOUT POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) IN 2016 FORD EXPLORERS IN MID JULY 2017 I PURCHASED A KIDDE BATTERY POWERED CO DETECTOR AND INSTALLED IT IN THE REAR AREA OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT HAD NOT ALARMED UNTIL WE WERE TRAVELING FROM SENECA, SC TO INDIANAPOLIS, IN. WE WERE TOWING AN 8X5 ENCLOSED U-HAUL TRAILER AT NORMAL FREEWAY SPEEDS. TOW/HAUL WAS ENGAGED BECAUSE WE WERE TOWING AND THE ENGINE WAS GENERALLY RUNNING AT HIGHER RPM'S, ESPECIALLY GOING UP THE MOUNTAIN INCLINES. THE CO DETECTOR FIRST ALARMED WEST O
ON 09/11/2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 6PM, WE WERE TRAVELING NORTH ON WV SR2 NORTH APPROXIMATELY 2.5 TO 3.0 MILES NORTH OF THE SR2 I-77 INTERCHANGE. 2017 FORD EXPLORER WAS STOPPED, WAITING ON OPPOSING TRAFFIC TO CLEAR, IN ORDER TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT OF CHURCH. VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED BY A DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK IMPACTING SLIGHTLY OFF CENTER TOWARDS THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE 4 OCCUPANTS OF THE EXPLORER. THE DRIVER WAS A 39 YEAR OLD MALE. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS A 36 YEAR OLD FEMALE. IN THE SECOND ROW WERE THE OTHER 2 PASSENGERS. ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS A 4 Y
ON 10/31/17 WHILE OUT WITH MY CHILDREN TRICK-OR-TREATING, THE LIFTGATE ON MY LEASED 2017 FORD EXPLORER BECAME "STUCK" IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION AND WOULD NOT CLOSE ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. MY FAMILY AND I HAD PULLED OVER AND PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA TO GET ITEMS OUT FROM THE REAR STORAGE AREA. I HAD OPENED THE HATCH WITH THE ELECTRONIC SWITCH AND THE DOOR STOPPED ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY UP. AS THIS HAD HAPPENED TO ME PREVIOUSLY, I FOLLOWED THE MANUAL DIRECTIONS TO SET THE LIFTGATE OPEN HEIGHT. WE FINISHED GETTING OUR ITEMS OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND PRESSED THE CONTROL BUTTON TO CLOSE. IT WA
Every component, by complaint count
The full breakdown of what owners named when they filed. Components below the top ten are grouped out of this table.
| Component | Complaints | Share of all complaints |
|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 663 | 39% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 378 | 22% |
| ENGINE | 241 | 14% |
| POWER TRAIN | 125 | 7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 94 | 5% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 77 | 4% |
| STEERING | 76 | 4% |
| WHEELS | 60 | 4% |
| SUSPENSION | 58 | 3% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 45 | 3% |
How other model years compare
The same nameplate across the years we hold. Complaint counts fall naturally for newer cars because fewer of them have been on the road for long, so read the column as a rough signal rather than a ranking. In this set the 2016 Ford Explorer has drawn the most complaints and the 2019 Ford Explorer the fewest.
How to use this before you buy or repair
The reports do not gather around one obvious symptom, so read a handful of the complaints above and see which descriptions match what your car is doing.
Buying a used 2017 Explorer
Bring the complaint list to the inspection and ask the mechanic to check the components named most, rather than running a general once over.
If you already own one
Check your VIN for open recalls first. A recall repair costs nothing whatever the age or mileage of the car.
- Check the VIN for open recalls, not the model year.
- Ask the inspecting mechanic about the components named above.
- Get the part number before comparing retailer prices.
- Keep parts and labour as separate lines in any quote.
Where the 2017 Ford Explorer problem data comes from
Every figure on this page is counted from complaints and recalls published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, read November 1, 2026. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by the agency before publication. We count each complaint once per component it names, so a complaint naming two components appears in both rows.
- NHTSA recalls and complaintsRead November 1, 2026
- NHTSA record for the 2017 Ford ExplorerRead November 1, 2026
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