2017 Ford Explorer: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 1,671 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 14 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
1,671
Complaints
14
Recalls
33
Crash reports
10
Fire reports
50
Injuries
35.4
Severity index
Severity index 35.4 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 136 2017 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2017 Ford Explorer ranks 104 of 136 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 24% of its model-year peers. See the full 2017 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 645 | 38.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 370 | 22.1% |
| ENGINE | 235 | 14.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 122 | 7.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 91 | 5.4% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 76 | 4.5% |
| STEERING | 74 | 4.4% |
| WHEELS | 60 | 3.6% |
The single most-reported system is STRUCTURE, cited in 645 of 1,671 complaints (38.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 143 |
| 2018 | 122 |
| 2019 | 134 |
| 2020 | 64 |
| 2021 | 97 |
| 2022 | 96 |
| 2023 | 253 |
| 2024 | 229 |
| 2025 | 391 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 132 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 3.4x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V651000 | 11/09/2019 | SEATS | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with power front seats. The seat frames may have sharp edges. |
| 19V435000 | 10/06/2019 | SUSPENSION:REAR | 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. |
| 17E048000 | 28/08/2017 | WHEELS:HUB | 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 feat |
| 17V530000 | 28/08/2017 | STEERING | 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. |
| 17V332000 | 22/05/2017 | SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 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 weld |
| 16V925000 | 22/12/2016 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER | 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 |
| 21V316000 | 05/05/2021 | STRUCTURE:BODY | 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. |
| 21V537000 | 15/07/2021 | SUSPENSION:REAR | 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, P |
| 20V675000 | 12/03/2021 | SUSPENSION:REAR | 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, |
| 24V031000 | 19/01/2024 | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 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. |
| 25V347000 | 23/05/2025 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Explorer vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving. |
| 25V685000 | 10/10/2025 | EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER | 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 coolan |
| 26V101000 | 20/02/2026 | SUSPENSION:REAR | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture. |
| 26V448000 | 14/07/2026 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.