2026 Ford Explorer Problems
Compared with other Ford Explorer years
Too new to compare
- Model years are compared once their first three years of complaints are in; the 2026 can be compared from 2029.
- Most reported part: Other or unknown (11 complaints).
- 14 recall campaigns on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2023
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 42filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 2,600miles, 5 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 14campaigns on record
- Trend
- Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 / 5stars overall, 4 rated versions
- EPA fuel economy
- 24 mpgcombined, 2.3L 4-cyl RWD · 20 city / 29 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2026 Ford Explorer (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 42 consumer complaints for the 2026 Ford Explorer. The part named most often is other or unknown, with 11 complaints (26% of the total), followed by electrical system (9) and seats (7). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 2,600 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns and 56 technical service bulletins for this model year. Other or unknown complaints overlap with 25 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 29 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Other or unknown11 26%
- Electrical system9 21%
- Seats7 17%
- Engine6 14%
- Fuel system3 7.1%
- Lane departure3 7.1%
- Brakes2 4.8%
Also reported: Body and structure (2), Vehicle speed control (2), Air bags (1), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seat belts (1), Steering (1).
Example complaints
Other or unknown: “Hello, I am contacting Ford regarding a serious concern with my newly purchased 2026 Ford Explorer ST. Within days of purchase, we discovered water leaking from the moonroof area into the interior of the vehicle, including water coming through the seatbelt pillar area , wetting the roof as well, during rain and vehicle washes. …”
NHTSA complaint #11738409, filed 2026-05Electrical system: “I had my car in drive in a parking spot. I was ready to go, put the car in drive, DID NOT MOVE but needed to put it in park fast to assist to a child in the back seat. I put it in park pretty fast. Took my seatbelt off and assisted child. It must have not engaged. Car rolled into my office metal mailbox. I 100% put it in park. I took my seatbelt off after so I seen it. It was fast with the gear shift though. Should this have been an issue? I feel like if it was any other car you with a manual gear shifter , not electrical, it’s fine. …”
NHTSA complaint #11759587, filed 2026-08Seats: “The driver's memory seat has a serious malfunction. Whenever I enter the vehicle or switch between memory presets, the driver's seat unexpectedly reclines completely backward. This also crushes anyone sitting in the rear driver's-side seat, making it essentially unusable until we can return the driver's seat to its upright position. Even more concerning, the seat can begin reclining while I am driving, creating an obvious safety hazard. I recently learned that Ford has issued a recall for this exact issue. …”
NHTSA complaint #11755498, filed 2026-08Engine: “This 2026 Ford Explorer has stopped, stalled, hesitated and jerks after fuel fill-ups. It stopped twice for myself in busy intersections. The dealer has had it for weeks and when driving the vehicle back to me, stalled and hesitated for Ford Service dept. twice. They told me I could not have my car back for safety reasons.”
NHTSA complaint #11748926, filed 2026-07Mileage when problems were reported
100% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 1,623 and 4,600 miles.
Complaints by year filed
This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2026 Ford Explorer. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer GAS · SUV 4WD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 15.1% risk |
| Explorer GAS · SUV RWD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 14.7% risk |
| Explorer HEV · SUV 4WD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 15.1% risk |
| Explorer HEV · SUV RWD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 14.7% risk |
Neighbouring years: 2025: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2026 Ford Explorer version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer AWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,900 |
| Explorer AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 18 | 25 | 20 | $3,350 |
| Explorer RWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 20 | 29 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Explorer RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 18 | 25 | 21 | $3,200 |
| Explorer Tremor AWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 19 | 23 | 21 | $3,200 |
| Explorer Tremor AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 10-speed automatic | 17 | 22 | 19 | $3,550 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 26V581000Sep 9, 2026Air bags › FrontalCovers: Ford Explorer 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles. The active vent on the passenger side may not open as intended, preventing the air bag from deploying properly.
- 26V548000Aug 25, 2026Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Hard parts internal/mechanicalCovers: Ford Explorer 2026, Ranger 2026, Bronco 2026 +2 more
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles. The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.
- 26V532000Aug 13, 2026Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Hard parts internal/mechanicalCovers: Ford Explorer 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine. The engine connecting rod bearings may seize, which can result in engine failure.
- 26V470000Jul 21, 2026Seats › Front assembly › Power adjustCovers: Ford Explorer 2025–2027, Lincoln Aviator 2025–2027
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. An unoccupied driver's seat may recline unintentionally during certain scenarios, such as remote unlock or remote start.
- 26V451000Jul 14, 2026Seats › Mid/rear assemblyCovers: Ford Explorer 2020–2026, Lincoln Aviator 2020–2027
Ford 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.
- 26V343000May 27, 2026Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Hard parts internal/mechanicalCovers: Ford Explorer 2025–2026, Bronco 2025–2026, Ranger 2025–2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
See all 14 recalls for the 2026 Ford Explorer → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 56 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11038695Oct 24, 2026Body and structure, Other or unknown. 2025-2027 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility non-hybrid vehicles built on or after 05-Mar-2025 and 2025-2027 Aviator vehicles built on or after 24-Apr-2025 are no longer equipped with the passenger…
- 11038624Oct 16, 2026Other or unknown, Electrical system, Body and structure. Some 2024-2026 Nautilus and 2025-2027 Explorer/Aviator vehicles equipped with power folding mirrors may exhibit concerns with the auto folding mirror functionality not matching the status selected…
- 11038440Oct 8, 2026Other or unknown, Engine. Some 2020-2026 Aviator/Explorer/F-150/Bronco/Ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L (non-diesel) engine may need the front engine cover removed and reinstalled for various reasons.
- 11038437Oct 6, 2026Other or unknown, Electrical system. Some 2024-2026 Nautilus and 2025-2026 Explorer/Aviator/Expedition/Navigator vehicles may experience Android Auto connection or general Bluetooth pairing concerns for both Android and IOS after an…
- 11037425Sep 18, 2026Other or unknown, Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)…. Some 2026 Explorer vehicles may exhibit wind noise and/or water intrusion from the panoramic roof panel glass seal. Inspection may find that the seal is rolled or separated from the glass. The seal…
- 11036601Aug 27, 2026Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Other or unknown. Some 2025-2026 Aviator/Explorer/Expedition/F-150/Mustang Mach-E/Nautilus/Navigator vehicles may exhibit the hands-free BlueCruise feature intermittently/consistently unavailable when BlueCruise is…
- 11036517Aug 27, 2026Body and structure, Electrical system, Other or unknown. Quality improvements include: -Rear Gate latch calibration update to permit unlatching via the release button when the system has lost position memory and is stuck in a middle-latch position
- 11036525Aug 25, 2026Electrical system, Other or unknown. Some of the following vehicles: * 2025-2026 Expedition/Navigator built on or after 02-Feb-2025 * 2025-2026 F-Super Duty built on or after 02-Feb-2025 * 2025-2026 Explorer/Aviator built on or after…
- 11036530Aug 22, 2026Seats, Other or unknown. For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion cover J-clips, lower-level service parts are now available. Use service part W709919-S901 if…
- 11036224Aug 10, 2026Other or unknown, Electrical system. Quality improvements include: -Android system update
Other model years of the Ford Explorer
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 42 | 2,600 | 14 | 5 | 24 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2025 | 107 | 3,000 | 20 | 5 | 21 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 21 | 8,832 | 10 | 5 | 21 | — | Too new |
| 2023 | 111 | 17,000 | 15 | 5 | 23 | 19 · Fewer | Too new |
| 2022 | 271 | 37,000 | 25 | — | 23 | 39 · Typical | Rising |
| 2021 | 448 | 44,000 | 27 | 5 | 24 | 54 · Typical | Rising |
| 2020 | 1,244 | 23,750 | 34 | 5 | 24 | 100 · More | Rising |
| 2019 | 300 | 54,000 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 2 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2018 | 734 | 50,000 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 42 · Typical | Rising |
| 2017 | 1,704 | 50,000 | 13 | 5 | 20 | 86 · More | Rising |
| 2016 | 2,463 | 48,850 | 14 | 5 | 20 | 100 · More | Rising |
| 2015 | 1,812 | 57,000 | 8 | 5 | 20 | 91 · More | Rising |
| 2014 | 1,684 | 66,000 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 71 · More | Rising |
| 2013 | 2,237 | 76,439 | 11 | 5 | 20 | 73 · More | Rising |
| 2012 | 830 | 70,000 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 46 · Typical | Rising |
| 2011 | 1,197 | 70,000 | 6 | — | 20 | 76 · More | Rising |
| 2010 | 115 | 40,707 | 1 | — | 17 | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2009 | 33 | 77,000 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2008 | 148 | 77,000 | 1 | — | 16 | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2007 | 208 | 67,250 | 1 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2006 | 630 | 55,000 | 1 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 497 | 70,000 | 0 | — | 15 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 1,304 | 65,000 | 0 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 1,131 | 73,000 | 2 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 3,295 | 79,000 | 4 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 375 | 90,000 | 6 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 952 | 77,419 | 9 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 1,348 | 82,193 | 9 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 1,959 | 100,000 | 9 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 1,731 | 99,500 | 7 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1996 | 1,450 | 120,208 | 6 | — | 16 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1995 | 843 | 121,585 | 5 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 1,207 | 99,041 | 4 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1993 | 939 | 117,494 | 6 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1992 | 633 | 108,065 | 4 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 609 | 121,902 | 8 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1990 | 12 | 58,410 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford Explorer model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2026 Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA recorded 42 consumer complaints for the 2026 Ford Explorer as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2026 Ford Explorer is reported most often?
Other or unknown is named most often, in 11 complaints (26% of the total), followed by electrical system with 9.
Has the 2026 Ford Explorer been recalled?
NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2026 Ford Explorer do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2026 Ford Explorer 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 4 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2026 Ford Explorer get?
The EPA rates the 2026 Ford Explorer (Explorer RWD, 2.3L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 20 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2026 Ford Explorer reported?
Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 2,600 miles and the middle half falls between 1,623 and 4,600 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.