Model record
Ford Explorer Years to Avoid: Reliability and Recalls
Every Ford Explorer model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2025: how many complaints each year drew, the problem owners named most, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 2, 202615,011 complaints16 model years
Two Ford Explorer years drew more than 2,000 owner complaints each: 2016 and 2013. Owners named the steering most for 2016 and 2013.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate, and the newest years have had less time on the road to collect them.
Most of the complaints fall in the 2011 to 2019 generation, the Explorer Ford called all-new for 2011, and they peak at 2,441 for 2016.
Ford Explorer complaints by model year
Every Ford Explorer model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2025. Years with 2,000 or more complaints are dark; beside each bar is the system owners named most that year.
- 2010Powertrain23%115
- 2011Steering61%1,195
- 2012Steering42%822
- 2013Steering36%2,230
- 2014Steering29%1,673
- 2015Steering19%1,770
- 2016Steering21%2,441
- 2017Body structure22%1,677
- 2018Body structure24%719
- 2019Body structure35%291
- 2020Powertrain39%1,194
- 2021Powertrain26%411
- 2022Powertrain22%256
- 2023Electrical system12%104
- 2024Suspension16%19
- 2025Electrical system20%94
Best Ford Explorer years by complaint count
Of the years with at least five years on the road, these drew the fewest owner complaints. Fewer reports is not a clean bill of health: check the recalls for the exact car, and remember 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 have had less time to collect complaints. 2021 drew few complaints but has 26 recall campaigns, so check its recalls first.
- 2010Powertrain · 2 recalls115
- 2019Body structure · 6 recalls291
- 2021Few complaints, but 26 recalls411
Most common Ford Explorer problems
The systems owners named most across all 16 model years, counted from each year's six most-named systems.
- SteeringNamed most in 6 of 16 years3,224
- Body structureNamed most in 3 of 16 years2,797
- EngineNever the top system in a year1,746
- PowertrainNamed most in 4 of 16 years1,130
- Electrical systemNamed most in 2 of 16 years843
Our guides for these problems
Check engine codes Ford Explorer owners name
The OBD-II codes owners wrote into their complaints for the Explorer years we have read in full (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017), one count per complaint. None of these codes has a guide yet.
Ford Explorer years to avoid by generation
Ford called the 2011 Explorer all-new and says the 2020 was redesigned from the ground up, so the years in the file fall into three groups. NHTSA's file starts at 2010.
2010
Last year before the all-new 2011
2010 most complaints · powertrain
- 2010115
115 complaints · 1 model year
2011–2019
All-new for 2011
2016 most complaints · steering
- 20111,195
- 2012822
- 20132,230
- 20141,673
- 20151,770
- 20162,441
- 20171,677
- 2018719
- 2019291
12,818 complaints · 9 model years
2020–2025
Redesigned from the ground up for 2020
2020 most complaints · powertrain
- 20201,194
- 2021411
- 2022256
- 2023104
- 202419
- 202594
2,078 complaints · 6 model years
Ford Explorer recalls by year
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for each model year, read Oct 2, 2026. A campaign that covers several years counts in each of them. Recall repairs are free at the dealer; check one car with its VIN.
- 2010Most often: seat2
- 2011Most often: suspension8
- 2012Most often: suspension7
- 2013Most often: suspension12
- 2014Most often: suspension7
- 2015Most often: suspension9
- 2016Most often: body structure15
- 2017Most often: suspension14
- 2018Most often: body structure7
- 2019Most often: body structure6
- 2020Most often: backup camera33
- 2021Most often: backup camera26
- 2022Most often: backup camera24
- 2023Most often: backup camera15
- 2024Most often: equipment10
- 2025Most often: powertrain20
Ford Explorer crash test ratings by year
NHTSA's overall star rating for each model year, with the frontal, side and rollover stars beside it.
- 2010No overall rating—
- 2011No overall rating—
- 2012Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2013Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2014Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2015Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2016Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2017Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2018Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2019Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2020Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2021Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2022No overall rating—
- 2023Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2024Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2025Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
Federal investigations
NHTSA's defect office has opened 13 investigations into 11 problems that cover Ford Explorer model years from 2010 to 2025. An investigation looks into a possible defect; it is not a finding.
Common questions
What are the Ford Explorer years to avoid?
The years with the most owner complaints are 2016 and 2013. Treat them as the years to inspect hardest, not as a verdict on every car: run the VIN for open recalls and have the systems owners named checked before you buy.
What year is the most reliable Ford Explorer?
Complaints can't name a most reliable year, because the file counts reports, not failures per car sold. Of the years with at least five years on the road, 2010 drew the fewest complaints: 115. Newer years have fewer still, but they have had less time to collect them.
What is the most common problem with the Ford Explorer?
Across every year in the file, owners named the steering most, in 3,224 complaints, then the body structure, in 2,797.
Which Ford Explorer years have the most recalls?
2020, 2021 and 2022, with 33, 26 and 24 recall campaigns.
Explorer year pages
20162,441What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 4 sources
Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.