2023 Ford Explorer: owner complaints and recalls

Owners have filed 102 complaints about the 2023 Ford Explorer and NHTSA has issued 15 recall campaigns. The most-reported system is unknown or other, named in 21 of them.

102
Complaints
15
Recalls
7
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
9
Injuries
109.8
Severity index

Severity index 109.8 - High. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 109.8p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2023 Ford Explorer sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 80 2023 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2023 Ford Explorer ranks 19 of 80 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 76% of its model-year peers. See the full 2023 ranking.

What actually fails

Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 21 complaints (20.6%)21 21%SuspensionSuspension: 13 complaints (12.7%)13 13%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 13 complaints (12.7%)13 13%SteeringSteering: 12 complaints (11.8%)12 12%Power TrainPower Train: 11 complaints (10.8%)11 11%EngineEngine: 10 complaints (9.8%)10 10%StructureStructure: 9 complaints (8.8%)9 9%Back Over PreventionBack Over Prevention: 7 complaints (6.9%)7 7%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2120.6%
SUSPENSION1312.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1312.7%
STEERING1211.8%
POWER TRAIN1110.8%
ENGINE109.8%
STRUCTURE98.8%
BACK OVER PREVENTION76.9%

Complaints filed per year

015302023: 192024: 282025: 302026: 25 (partial year)2324253026
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
202319
202428
202530
2026 (year to date)25

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
23V02200023/01/2023BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERAFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
23V07000010/02/2023POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, althoug
23V34200012/05/2023BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERAFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
23V59700025/08/2023ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGERFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines. The turbocharger oil supply line may be damaged, which can result in an oil leak inside the engine compartment.
23V68600013/10/2023BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTIONFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with a standard rearview camera. Due to a manufacturing error in the wire harness, the rearview camera may display a blue image on the SYNC screen when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, thes
24V09100008/02/2024SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUTFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles. The right-front lower fastener connecting the steering knuckle and strut may be loose or missing.
24V85200008/11/2024EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELSFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply
25V15900014/03/2025BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWAREFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V-342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
25V39300013/06/2025SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLYFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.
25V44200027/06/2025BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWAREFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2
25V45500007/07/2025FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMPFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall
25V68500010/10/2025EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATERFord 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
26V12300003/03/2026BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWAREFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As s
26V15900017/03/2026SEAT BELTSFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
26V45100014/07/2026SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLYFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
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.