Ford Explorer: Best and Worst Years by Complaints
Comparing the 16 Ford Explorer model years from 2008 to 2023 that have at least 25 NHTSA complaints, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, 2009, 2008, 2010 have the fewest complaints relative to a typical Explorer year and 2016, 2020, 2015 have the most. This reflects NHTSA complaint data only.
This comparison uses only NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. It is not a reliability verdict: complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and complaints are unverified consumer reports. An open NHTSA investigation is shown separately; it is not a finding.
Fewer complaints than typical
Score 35 or lower: about 0.7× or less the weighted complaint rate of a typical Explorer year.
More complaints than typical
Score 65 or higher: about 1.4× or more the weighted complaint rate of a typical Explorer year, counting severe reports, recalls and mileage.
All Explorer years compared
Score 0–100, where 50 is a typical Explorer year: complaints relative to all vehicles of the same model year (which allows for the era and for time on the road), weighted for crashes, fires, injuries and recalls and for how early the problems appear. Model years 2008 to 2023 with at least 25 complaints are compared; newer years are too new to compare. Methodology
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Median mi | Score (50 = typical) | Compared with other years | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 42 | 14 | 2,600 | — | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2025 | 107 | 20 | 3,000 | — | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 113 | 15 | 17,000 | 19 · Fewer | Fewer complaints than typical for this model (0.5×) | Too new |
| 2022 | 271 | 25 | 37,000 | 39 · Typical | Typical for this model (0.8×) | Rising |
| 2021 | 451 | 27 | 44,500 | 54 · Typical | Typical for this model (1.1×) | Rising |
| 2020 | 1,249 | 34 | 24,000 | 100 · More | More complaints than typical for this model (3.5×) | Rising |
| 2019 | 300 | 6 | 54,000 | 2 · Fewer | Fewer complaints than typical for this model (0.3×) | Rising |
| 2018 | 734 | 7 | 50,000 | 42 · Typical | Typical for this model (0.8×) | Rising |
| 2017 | 1,704 | 13 | 50,000 | 86 · More | More complaints than typical for this model (2.3×) | Rising |
| 2016 | 2,465 | 14 | 49,000 | 100 · More | More complaints than typical for this model (3.7×) | Rising |
| 2015 | 1,813 | 8 | 57,000 | 90 · More | More complaints than typical for this model (2.5×) | Rising |
| 2014 | 1,684 | 6 | 66,000 | 71 · More | More complaints than typical for this model (1.6×) | Rising |
| 2013 | 2,237 | 11 | 76,439 | 73 · More | More complaints than typical for this model (1.7×) | Rising |
| 2012 | 830 | 5 | 70,000 | 46 · Typical | Typical for this model (0.9×) | Rising |
| 2011 | 1,198 | 6 | 70,000 | 76 · More | More complaints than typical for this model (1.8×) | Rising |
| 2010 | 115 | 1 | 40,707 | 0 · Fewer | Fewer complaints than typical for this model (0.1×) | Falling |
| 2009 | 33 | 0 | 77,000 | 0 · Fewer | Fewer complaints than typical for this model (0.0×) | Falling |
| 2008 | 148 | 1 | 77,000 | 0 · Fewer | Fewer complaints than typical for this model (0.1×) | Falling |
| 2007 | 208 | 1 | 67,250 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2006 | 630 | 1 | 55,000 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 497 | 0 | 70,000 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 1,304 | 0 | 65,000 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 1,131 | 2 | 73,000 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 3,295 | 4 | 79,000 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 375 | 6 | 90,000 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 952 | 9 | 77,419 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 1,348 | 9 | 82,193 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 1,959 | 9 | 100,000 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 1,731 | 7 | 99,500 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1996 | 1,450 | 6 | 120,208 | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1995 | 843 | 5 | 121,585 | — | Not compared (before 2008) Open investigation | Stable |
| 1994 | 1,207 | 4 | 99,041 | — | Not compared (before 2008) Open investigation | Falling |
| 1993 | 939 | 6 | 117,494 | — | Not compared (before 2008) Open investigation | Falling |
| 1992 | 633 | 4 | 108,065 | — | Not compared (before 2008) Open investigation | Stable |
| 1991 | 609 | 8 | 121,902 | — | Not compared (before 2008) Open investigation | Falling |
← All Ford Explorer model years
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.