2022 Ford Explorer Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2022 Explorer most often describe transmission and driveline symptoms — delayed or harsh gear engagement, hesitation and shuddering — frequently at low mileage. A second cluster of complaints involves the rearview camera showing a blue or blank screen, and a third involves stalling or loss of power traced in some cases to the fuel pump. Engine, hood-latch and sunroof-shade complaints appear in the sample as well, generally fewer in number.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Delayed or harsh transmission engagement, hesitation

   • 40 complaints (15%)
   • median 26,000 mi at 2.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners describe a lag of several seconds after shifting into reverse or drive, harsh or delayed upshifts and downshifts, and shuddering or hesitation while accelerating. Some say the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended or revved without responding; dealers in several cases replaced the valve body or an output speed sensor, and some repairs were followed by the same symptom returning. Others report a software update or a replacement transmission. Mostly reported between roughly 5,000 and 45,000 miles, with several owners noting the symptoms were worse when cold or shortly after a service visit.

   Recall 23V069000Recall 23V0700003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test-drive from cold and pay attention to how quickly and smoothly the transmission engages in reverse and drive. Ask whether any transmission software update, valve body or speed sensor work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and approaching a stop light, the vehicle failed to decelerate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an unknown valve was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 10,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11525493, filed 2023-06, 10,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed valve body. The contact was informed that the valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under warranty. The failure reoccurred. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11648382, filed 2025-03, 39,793 miles
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Engine stall or loss of power while driving

   • 26 complaints (10%)
   • median 55,001 mi at 3.8 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners report the vehicle stalling or losing motive power at speed or when pulling away from a stop, sometimes with a check engine light and sometimes with no warning. Several complaints mention the low-pressure fuel pump being diagnosed, with parts not yet available; others describe a rough-running engine, fuel odor, or a catalytic converter diagnosis. Spread from about 20,000 to 99,000 miles, with many reports in the 30,000–66,000 mile range.

   Recall 25V455000Recall 22V6850001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the low-pressure fuel pump recall has been performed. Note any stumble, sputter or fuel smell on a test drive, and check for stored codes before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on an incline, and with a quarter tank of fuel in the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11577936, filed 2024-03, 20,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2022 FORD EXPLORER. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact state that while his daughter was at a stop sign and depressing the accelerator pedal to drive, the vehicle stalled. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11740100, filed 2026-05, 30,000 miles
3. 3
   Back-over prevention (rear camera)

   Rearview camera blue or blank screen

   • 18 complaints (7%)
   • median 14,000 mi at 1.6 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Complaints describe the rearview image being slow to appear, going gray or blue, or showing nothing at all when reverse is selected. Several owners had received recall notices but were told the repair parts were not yet available. Dealers have replaced camera-related modules or processors in some cases. Reported from very low mileage up to about 76,000 miles, often within the first 20,000 miles.

   Recall 23V342000Recall 23V022000Recall 25V159000Recall 25V442000Recall 26V1230001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Put the vehicle in reverse and confirm the camera image appears promptly and is not tinted or blue. Ask whether any open rearview camera recall has been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the image on the sync screen was blue. The failure mileage was 14,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”

   NHTSA complaint #11555228, filed 2023-11, 14,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the backup camera was slow to respond. The screen displayed an image of the vehicle. Additionally, there was an extreme amount of air entering the vehicle from the door seals. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11536551, filed 2023-08, 5,100 miles

Buying note. Before buying a 2022 Explorer, drive it cold and check transmission engagement, the rearview camera, and the status of open recalls including the fuel pump and camera campaigns. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes and a look at the hood latch and sunroof shade will cover the other items owners most often mention.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.