MYRModel Year Report

2026 Ford Explorer

▲ Better than typical
2026 Ford Explorer
RENDERED 2026-10-31T16:14:27.786Z

This year had at least 30% fewer complaints than this model's typical year.

This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.

How is this computed?

Complaints
43
Recalls
13

Campaigns on file for 2026

Investigations
0

None on file

Top problem
Electrical system

26% of complaints

Complaints per year

1984: 1 complaint 1984 1985: 1 complaint 1986: 3 complaints 1987: 3 complaints 1988: 4 complaints 1989: 1 complaint 1990: 12 complaints 1990 1991: 616 complaints 1992: 640 complaints 1993: 944 complaints 1994: 1,231 complaints 1995: 843 complaints 1996: 1,450 complaints 1996 1997: 1,731 complaints 1998: 1,959 complaints 1999: 1,348 complaints 2000: 952 complaints 2001: 375 complaints 2002: 3,295 complaints 2002 2003: 1,131 complaints 2004: 1,304 complaints 2005: 497 complaints 2006: 630 complaints 2007: 208 complaints 2008: 148 complaints 2008 2009: 33 complaints 2010: 115 complaints 2011: 1,198 complaints 2012: 827 complaints 2013: 2,234 complaints 2014: 1,684 complaints 2014 2015: 1,793 complaints 2016: 2,459 complaints 2017: 1,695 complaints 2018: 729 complaints 2019: 297 complaints 2020: 1,242 complaints 2020 2021: 442 complaints 2022: 270 complaints 2023: 113 complaints 2024: 21 complaints 2025: 105 complaints 2026: 43 complaints 2026 43 2027: 0 complaints
1984: 1 complaint 1984 1985: 1 complaint 1986: 3 complaints 1987: 3 complaints 1987 1988: 4 complaints 1989: 1 complaint 1990: 12 complaints 1990 1991: 616 complaints 1992: 640 complaints 1993: 944 complaints 1993 1994: 1,231 complaints 1995: 843 complaints 1996: 1,450 complaints 1996 1997: 1,731 complaints 1998: 1,959 complaints 1999: 1,348 complaints 1999 2000: 952 complaints 2001: 375 complaints 2002: 3,295 complaints 2002 2003: 1,131 complaints 2004: 1,304 complaints 2005: 497 complaints 2005 2006: 630 complaints 2007: 208 complaints 2008: 148 complaints 2008 2009: 33 complaints 2010: 115 complaints 2011: 1,198 complaints 2011 2012: 827 complaints 2013: 2,234 complaints 2014: 1,684 complaints 2014 2015: 1,793 complaints 2016: 2,459 complaints 2017: 1,695 complaints 2017 2018: 729 complaints 2019: 297 complaints 2020: 1,242 complaints 2020 2021: 442 complaints 2022: 270 complaints 2023: 113 complaints 2023 2024: 21 complaints 2025: 105 complaints 2026: 43 complaints 2026 43 2027: 0 complaints
1984: 1 complaint 1984 1985: 1 complaint 1986: 3 complaints 1986 1987: 3 complaints 1988: 4 complaints 1988 1989: 1 complaint 1990: 12 complaints 1990 1991: 616 complaints 1992: 640 complaints 1992 1993: 944 complaints 1994: 1,231 complaints 1994 1995: 843 complaints 1996: 1,450 complaints 1996 1997: 1,731 complaints 1998: 1,959 complaints 1998 1999: 1,348 complaints 2000: 952 complaints 2000 2001: 375 complaints 2002: 3,295 complaints 2002 2003: 1,131 complaints 2004: 1,304 complaints 2004 2005: 497 complaints 2006: 630 complaints 2006 2007: 208 complaints 2008: 148 complaints 2008 2009: 33 complaints 2010: 115 complaints 2010 2011: 1,198 complaints 2012: 827 complaints 2012 2013: 2,234 complaints 2014: 1,684 complaints 2014 2015: 1,793 complaints 2016: 2,459 complaints 2016 2017: 1,695 complaints 2018: 729 complaints 2018 2019: 297 complaints 2020: 1,242 complaints 2020 2021: 442 complaints 2022: 270 complaints 2022 2023: 113 complaints 2024: 21 complaints 2024 2025: 105 complaints 2026: 43 complaints 2026 43 2027: 0 complaints

2026: 43 complaints

View as data table
YearComplaints
19841
19851
19863
19873
19884
19891
199012
1991616
1992640
1993944
19941,231
1995843
19961,450
19971,731
19981,959
19991,348
2000952
2001375
20023,295
20031,131
20041,304
2005497
2006630
2007208
2008148
200933
2010115
20111,198
2012827
20132,234
20141,684
20151,793
20162,459
20171,695
2018729
2019297
20201,242
2021442
2022270
2023113
202421
2025105
202643
20270

Known problem areas

Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.

Electrical system

26% · 11 reports

Most commonly citing instrument cluster/panel.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

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.

NHTSA ODI report, 2026-08-25

Also filed under Power train

The contact owns a 2026 Ford Explorer. While the contact's wife was driving 60 MPH, the instrument cluster independently turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a software malfunction.

NHTSA ODI report, 2026-07-20

Purchased brand new vehicle two months ago, only has 2000 miles on it. We took it on vacation 14hours from home. Made it to our destination and started getting “vehicle communication errors” on the screen.

NHTSA ODI report, 2026-07-10

Seats

16% · 7 reports

Engine

14% · 6 reports

Visibility/wiper

12% · 5 reports
Show complaint excerpts

The contact owns a 2026 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH in the rain, the front windshield wipers suddenly stopped operating. The front power windows failed to operate properly and failed to go up or down.

NHTSA ODI report, 2026-07-13

Forward collision avoidance

12% · 5 reports

Most commonly citing adaptive cruise control and warnings.

Safety timeline

13 recalls · 0 investigations · oldest first

To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →

  1. R
    2025-10-29Trailer hitches25V687000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  2. R
    2025-11-06Visibility25V730000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Lincoln Corsair, Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 6, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C60.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  3. R
    2026-01-30Visibility26V024000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace the windshield, free charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C02.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  4. R
    2026-03-23Exterior lighting26V121000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road.

    Remedy: The headlight control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  5. R
    2026-03-30Seat belts26V159000 Ford 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.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  6. R
    2026-04-10Visibility26V202000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system may fail, which can cause the defrosting and defogging system to become inoperative.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and secure the instrument panel joints as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S22.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  7. R
    2026-04-10Engine and engine cooling26V205000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  8. R
    2026-08-25Engine and engine cooling26V532000 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.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine long blocks, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S58.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  9. R
    2026-09-16Air bags26V581000 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.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S65.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  10. R
    Date not on fileEngine25V828000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Mustang, Lincoln Corsair, and 2025 Maverick vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly, free of charge. All affected vehicles are still within dealership inventory and therefore no owner notification letters will be mailed. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  11. R
    Date not on fileEngine and engine cooling26V343000 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.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  12. R
    Date not on fileSeats26V470000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026-2027 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. An unoccupied driver's seat may recline unintentionally during certain scenarios, such as remote unlock or remote start.

    Remedy: The remedy is currently under development. The owner notification schedule has not been provided. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S53.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  13. R
    Date not on fileEngine and engine cooling26V548000 Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2026.

    Check if this car was fixed →

Buy-smart checklist

2026 Ford Explorer — pre-purchase inspection

Inspect

  • Electrical system: 11 reports on file for this year.
  • Seats: 7 reports on file for this year.
  • Engine: 6 reports on file for this year.

Verify these recalls were completed

  • Recall 25V828000 · Engine
  • Recall 26V343000 · Engine and engine cooling
  • Recall 26V470000 · Seats
  • Recall 26V548000 · Engine and engine cooling
  • Recall 25V687000 · Trailer hitches
  • Recall 25V730000 · Visibility
  • Recall 26V024000 · Visibility
  • Recall 26V121000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 26V159000 · Seat belts
  • Recall 26V202000 · Visibility
  • Recall 26V205000 · Engine and engine cooling
  • Recall 26V532000 · Engine and engine cooling
  • Recall 26V581000 · Air bags
Inspected by ______________ Date ______________

Other years of this model

See all years ranked →

Best years3 years

Worst years3 years

FAQ

Is the 2026 Ford Explorer reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2026 Ford Explorer is rated "better than typical".
What are the most common problems with the 2026 Ford Explorer?
The most-reported component is electrical system, accounting for 26% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2026 Ford Explorer have?
13 recalls on file for this model year.

Data updated 2026-10-31 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.