2018 Ford Explorer: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 712 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 7 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
712
Complaints
7
Recalls
15
Crash reports
7
Fire reports
12
Injuries
27.8
Severity index
Severity index 27.8 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 121 2018 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2018 Ford Explorer ranks 99 of 121 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 18% of its model-year peers. See the full 2018 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 284 | 39.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 162 | 22.8% |
| ENGINE | 93 | 13.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 56 | 7.9% |
| POWER TRAIN | 46 | 6.5% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 29 | 4.1% |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 26 | 3.7% |
| SUSPENSION | 20 | 2.8% |
The single most-reported system is STRUCTURE, cited in 284 of 712 complaints (39.9%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 40 |
| 2019 | 41 |
| 2020 | 37 |
| 2021 | 38 |
| 2022 | 41 |
| 2023 | 123 |
| 2024 | 134 |
| 2025 | 190 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 68 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 3.9x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V633000 | 28/08/2019 | SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recline |
| 18V807000 | 14/11/2018 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L or 3.5L GTDI engine. Due to an assembly error, the fuel pressure sensor may leak fuel. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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.