Owners report the exterior trim along the windshield and A-pillars loosening, cracking, whistling in the wind and flying off at highway speed, sometimes hitting following cars. Many say recall repair parts were unavailable for a long time.

How common

74 of the 300 complaints we read (25%), roughly 417 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Injury risk: 65 of 74 reports

Related recalls

Owners mention 24V031000, 25V347000, 26V448000. Check the VIN for it.

• Driver's side A-pillar trim loosened and rattled excessively while driving; recall parts were unavailable and the manufacturer offered no assistance. · filed Sep 2026
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 26V448000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue but offered no assistance. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the driver’s side A-pillar trim was loosened and rattled excessively. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11761389

• Passenger's side A-pillar trim detached while driving; dealer taped the driver's side trim to prevent it from also detaching. · filed Aug 2026
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The dealer was contacted, and the driver’s side A-pillar trim was taped down to avoid becoming detached. However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11757397

• Whistling wind noise came through the A-pillar trim while driving; the dealer's tape seal made the whistling louder, and recall parts remain unavailable. · filed Jul 2026
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); 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 contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a whistling sound of air coming through the A-pillar trim. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and tape was used to seal around the A-pillar trim. The dealer informed the contact that parts for the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the whistling sound became louder after the dealer placed the tape on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 77,303.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11753023

Owners report exhaust or carbon-monoxide-like odors entering the cabin, especially on the highway, when accelerating, towing or with the A/C on, causing headaches, dizziness, drowsiness and nausea. Some say dealer reseals and part replacements did not fix it.

How common

43 of the 300 complaints we read (14%), roughly 242 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Injury risk: 42 of 43 reports; 2 reports mention an injury

• Strong exhaust smell enters the cabin during acceleration above 35 mph; dealer says the vehicle passes recall inspection standards. · filed Jul 2026
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  A strong exhaust smell comes through the cabin during acceleration at speeds higher than 35 mph. Worries us for possible co2 exposure coming through if exhaust smell can come through. But ford dealership has said it passes the recall standards. Still uneasy

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11750760

• Exhaust fumes enter the cabin while idling and driving, causing headaches and lung effects; owner suspects a cracked manifold and parked the car. · filed Jan 2024
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  Exhaust fumes entering inside vehicle when idling and driving on the road. Must drive with windows open and still cannot drive for over a few miles. Get a headache and effects lungs. Vehicle is now parked and cannot use. Exhaust is leaking near engine. Looks like a cracked manifold. Unsafe to use. Date this occurred is an estimate because I do not know how long this has been a problem. There are other 2017 models with the same issue.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11566699

• Owner says a carbon-dioxide-like smell fills the cabin when the vehicle runs with the windows closed, requiring the windows to be rolled down. · filed Sep 2020
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  WHEN VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND ALL WINDOWS ARE CLOSE, IT HAS A CARBON DIOXIDE SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND I HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS TO LET THE AIR OUT.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11360144

Owners report the water pump failing or leaking coolant, with coolant getting into the engine cylinders or oil, causing overheating, misfires, rough idling, stalling and in some cases a seized engine that needs replacement.

How common

26 of the 300 complaints we read (9%), roughly 147 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Can affect control: 9 of 26 reports; 1 report mentions a fire

Related recalls

Owners mention 16V925000. Check the VIN for it.

Before you buy: Ask whether the water pump has been replaced, watch for low coolant or overheating warnings, and consider a coolant pressure test before buying.

• Recurring check-engine light and hard starts led to a diagnosis of complete engine failure from coolant leaking into the cylinders, needing a new engine. · filed Mar 2026
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  October 2025 check engine light came on, took to mechanic showed misfire in cylinder two and three. Replaced all plugs and coil packs, engine light went off. Engine light came back, hard start on November 26,2025 showed misfire in cylinder 2 and 3. Replaced those coil packs again, engine light off. February 2, 2026 engine light back on, hard start with vibration. Took vehicle to Mtn View Ford in Chattanooga to have diagnostic test done. Received call on February 9,2026 that the engine was in complete failure, coolant leaked into the cylinders, would require a 12,000 new engine at 84,328.6 miles on the vehicle. The vehicle had not been driven more than 50 miles per week in the past two years, had on time maintenance.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11723696

• Engine developed abnormal noise, lost power and jerked into gear; mechanic found coolant intrusion causing engine failure and a failed transmission. · filed Jul 2025
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. In addition, while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle jerked before slamming into gear. The check engine warning light was continuously illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle was leaking oil onto the ground and the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion into a cylinder, which caused the engine failure. The spark plugs were replaced. The mechanic also informed the contact that the transmission had failed. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 52,590.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11676807

• Water pump failed, causing the engine to overheat while idling; coolant reservoir was found nearly empty. · filed Jul 2025
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was almost empty, even though the vehicle had just been serviced. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the water pump. The vehicle was repaired. The contact also stated that the water pump had failed and was replaced in February 2023. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 192,000.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11673805

Owners report the B-pillar trim and door keypad trim loosening, peeling or flying off while driving; in some cases this was followed by liftgate problems, electrical glitches or a door-ajar light.

How common

18 of the 300 complaints we read (6%), roughly 101 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Injury risk: 14 of 18 reports

Related recalls

Owners mention 25V347000, 24V031000. Check the VIN for it.

• Driver's side B-pillar trim detached and hung off the vehicle while driving, exposing wiring; recall parts are not expected until 2027. · filed Sep 2026
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving, the driver's side B-Pillar trim detached and was hanging off the vehicle with the wiring exposed. The contact used a bungee cord to secure the driver's side B-Pillar trim to the vehicle. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the parts to repair the vehicle were unavailable. The contact was informed that the parts were unavailable until July 2027. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 63,500.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11763185

• After the B-pillar trim flew off, the liftgate stopped opening, lights stay on too long and drain the battery, and the trunk stays inaccessible. · filed Jul 2026
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  The trunk does not open. The lift gate error message comes on. The lights stay on longer than they should and the battery is drained. This all resulted after the b pillar flew off on the high way. I have had duct tape on my car for over a year and unable to access the trunk.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11748550

• Driver's side B-pillar trim came loose; dealer quoted over $600 to repair with no refund once recall parts become available, so owner declined. · filed Jun 2026
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  Received recall 25V347 in June of 2025. They still say the parts are not available. The driver side B-pillar trim came loose a few months ago. The dealer (lithia ford, Boise, ID) said I would have to pay over $600 to have them repair it and the money would not be refunded when the recall parts are available. Not having the parts available for over a year is unreasonable.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11746201

Owners report the original Hankook tires wearing out early, with tread peeling, flaking and separating, and some hydroplaning incidents.

How common

12 of the 300 complaints we read (4%), roughly 68 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Safety impact unclear; 1 report mentions a crash

• Owner failed a state inspection due to premature tire wear on the Hankook Ventus tires; despite a service announcement, no Ford dealer would service the vehicle. · filed Dec 2019
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  I RECENTLY FAILED NY STATE INSPECTION DUE TO PREMATURE TIRE WEAR ON MY FORD EXPLORER 2017 WITH 24,500 MILES. THE HANKOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE HAVE A SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING PREMATURE WEAR, HOWEVER NO FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WILL SERVICE MY VEHICLE EVEN AFTER CONTACTING HANKOOK AND PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW KNOWN POORLY MANUFACTURED TIRES ON OUR ROADS.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11286670

• Owner says the original Hankook tires are tearing up under 25,000 miles; Hankook denied warranty coverage and a technician warned they could blow out. · filed Oct 2019
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  I HAVE HANKOOK TIRES ON MY FORD EXPLORER. BOUGHT IT NEW WITH THESE. LESS THAN 25,000 MILES AND THEY LOOK TO BE TEARING UP ALL OVER. HANKOOK SAYS THERE'S NO WARRANTY ON THEIR TIRES. TECHNICIAN SAYS I NEED THEM CHANGED RIGHT AWAY OR THEY WILL 'BLOW OUT.' *JS

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11266310

• Owner says the tires were deemed worn out at just 16,000 miles. · filed Sep 2019
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  TIRES ARE DEEMED WORN OUT AT 16000 MILES.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11255496

Owners report the transmission slamming into gear, lurching on takeoff, grinding, stopping shifting, going into limp mode and losing power while driving, with some transmissions failing completely and being replaced.

How common

12 of the 300 complaints we read (4%), roughly 68 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Can affect control: 11 of 12 reports

• Vehicle hesitated and stalled while driving 60 mph on the highway; a mechanic determined the transmission needed to be replaced. · filed Apr 2026
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH on the highway, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 176,000.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11733322

• While driving 65 mph, the vehicle whined and showed a wrench warning, then failed to accelerate, nearly causing a crash; the transmission failed and needs replacement, but Ford says the car is out of warranty. · filed May 2025
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound. The message to "See Owner’s Manual" was displayed with a wrench symbol. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate, nearly causing a crash. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon shifting from park(P) to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to Matt's Repairs, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered because the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11658548

• The transmission failed a second time after being replaced three years ago under a customer satisfaction program; the car now stalls, hesitates, and will not start, and repair would cost over $7,000. · filed Feb 2025
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  the transmission has gone out for a second time 3 years ago the transmission was replaced as part of fords customer satisfaction and after 3 years of driving the car started acting weird stalling or not wanting to go- now it will not start after taking to the ford dealership they informed me it was the same problem they had previously fixed, and it was no longer under warranty I would have to pay for a whole new transmission- to be honest I still owe money on this car and could not afford a repair of over 7000 -It was already fixed just 3 years ago how is the Transmisson faulty for a second time? there needs to be recall on this part/

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11645302

Owners report roof rail end caps, covers and roof trim coming loose or flying off on the freeway, including after earlier recall repairs, and roof rails separating from the roof.

How common

9 of the 300 complaints we read (3%), roughly 51 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Injury risk: 7 of 9 reports

Related recalls

Owners mention 21V316000. Check the VIN for it.

• Roof rack cover clips broke and both covers came completely off the vehicle while driving, similar to a recall that excludes this trim level. · filed Jun 2026
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  The silver roof rack cover on both sides of vehicle completely came off of vehicle while driving. The clips broke off just like the problems listed in another recall for the same year Explorer. There is a recall for all models of the same year and make, however the Limited is excluded from the recall. If someone was behind me it could've resulted in a crash. This recall for this part needs to be for all models.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11742587

• The passenger's side roof rack detached and flew off while driving; owner says a similar recall repair was done in 2021, but Ford offered no help this time and the roof rack was not replaced. · filed May 2025
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger's side roof rack detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was confirmed that the roof rack had detached. The contact was informed that the roof rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that an unknown recall repair with a similar failure was performed on the vehicle in 2021. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer confirmed the unknown recall repair was performed on the vehicle in 2021. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11659582

• A roof trim piece flew off while driving and nearly struck the car behind; the other side looks loose, and the dealer says no recall covers this roof trim. · filed Mar 2025
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  The Roof trim piece flew off while driving and almost hit the car behind me. The other side looks loose as while. I know the A pillars have an open recall on them as while but they said those parts arent available. I already talked with the dealer but they said no recall is available for this Roof trim and I think there should be.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11650313

Owners report the transmission shuddering, roaring or hesitating when accelerating or cruising, traced to a failed torque converter or broken mounts in some cases.

How common

7 of the 300 complaints we read (2%), roughly 39 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Can affect control: 3 of 7 reports

• Torque converter has failed repeatedly over several years, along with the flywheel; owner says the dealer dismissed it as normal wear and tear. · filed Apr 2026
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  I purchased 2017 ford explorer from Mark Ficken. It was still under warranty. The transmission went out in a week something with the torque converter. They replaced the transmission free of charge. Two years two months outside of the warranty the transmission fails again due to the torque converter. I explained how ridiculous this was and they gave me a discount for replacing the transmission which I still had to pay thousands of dollars. Another two years and two months later outside of the warranty and the tourqe converter is bad again. Since they helped the last time they could not help again. They said it was normal wear and tear which is impossible because normal wear and tears on the same part within the same time frame is a faulty transmission period. I will NEVER purchase another vehicle from them as they wouldn’t even acknowledge that was a problem. This experience with Ford has been horrible. This Ford dealership took no accountability and the corporate division didn’t seem to care that this dealership allows stuff like this to happen with the Ford name. I ended up taking my vehicle to a outside mechanic, he replaced the fly wheel, that repair lasted about 6 months until fly wheel has now broken again with in 3 months. Now my mechanic is saying he will no longer honor the warranty on the fly wheel because he keeps having to replace it too much and he insists that ford knew something else was going on with the vehicle and its not normal to have to replace this many transmissions and fly wheels with in this time frame. Has anyone else had this problem?

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11729682

• Torque converter went out on the interstate, causing the whole vehicle to shake and shudder while idling in drive or reverse; a Ford mechanic confirmed a related TSB. · filed May 2024
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  Took a trip and the torque converter went out while driving down the interstate. Got off at an exit and as soon as we stopped the whole car starting shaking, you could feel it and hear it through the whole car, could see the hood shaking. Pulled into a parking lot thinking the car might cool down and it would be fine again. It did not stop, it has progressively sounded worse, only if the car is idling while in drive or reverse. Had a Ford certified mechanic look at the vehicle and he immediately said it was the torque converter, and that there is a TSB for this problem. TSB 20-2271

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11588533

• Vehicle shuddered while stopped with the brake applied and failed to accelerate as expected; dealer found the torque converter had failed and transmission needed replacing. · filed Feb 2024
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while at a complete stop and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle started shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove to the residence. Additionally, the contact stated that her husband had informed her that the vehicle had failed to accelerate as intended while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the torque converter had failed, and the dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,600.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11573964

Owners report the steering suddenly becoming hard to turn, sticking or seizing, and losing power assist at various speeds.

How common

5 of the 300 complaints we read (2%), roughly 28 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Can affect control: 3 of 5 reports

Related recalls

Owners mention 17V530000. Check the VIN for it.

• Owner reports difficulty steering the vehicle around corners. · filed Apr 2026
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  Difficulty in steering around corners

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11729367

• The power steering wheel sticks when turning. · filed May 2025
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  Problem with the power steering. When turning, the wheel sticks.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11660163

• The steering wheel seized and would not turn during a low-speed turn; the dealer said it was the power steering unit, but it was never diagnosed or repaired. · filed Nov 2024
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his sister was driving 5 MPH making a right turn, the steering wheel seized and failed to turn as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver was able to continue driving to the residence. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the failure was due to the power steering unit. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11625395

Owners report a blown or cracked head gasket leaking coolant into a cylinder, with a check engine light, rough running or overheating, and mechanics saying the engine may need replacement.

How common

4 of the 300 complaints we read (1%), roughly 23 of all 1,691 on file

Safety

Safety impact unclear

• The engine misfired with oil in the spark plugs and coolant in a cylinder; the mechanic said the head gasket keeps failing even after replacement and a new engine is needed. · filed Jan 2025
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  Car was misfiring, oil in the spark plugs. Took it to our mechanic and basically told us we need a new engine. The car in a 2017 with 143,000 miles. There was coolant in cylinder 1 of the engine. Mechanic said cylinder walls are not properly sealed causing the head gasket to fail repeatedly even after replacement.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11637118

• Engine overheating message appeared while driving; two mechanics independently found a cracked head gasket and said the engine needs replacement. · filed Aug 2024
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  The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, a message that the engine was overheating was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket was cracked. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where a Ford certified mechanic diagnosed the vehicle. The mechanic made the same assessment and determined that the head gasket and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11608435

• Engine ran rough at startup with the check engine light on; a shop found a misfire code and a coolant leak from the head gasket. · filed Nov 2023
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  My 2017 Ford Explorer XLT - eco boost (72,524 miles) vehicle was misfiring (running really rough) at startup the last week or so and the engine light came on and stayed on. The vehicle was serviced in July of this year and there was no mention of the problem. Upon paid inspection today (11/10/23) and diagnosis at my local AAA Car repair service they reported the following: Engine code P0303 - no 3 misfire. The no 3 plug is very clean, which is not good (as it likely means a leak of coolant from head gasket). Upon pulling the number 3 plug, it was confirmed that there was a coolant leak from the Head Gasket. AAA car repair indicated that this was not normal for a car with this low of mileage and shouldn't happen this soon. They said they did not do this type of work and advised I check with Ford corporate to see if there was a recall or extended warranty. I called Ford Corporate, and they did not see any recalls or information that could help with the repair, and they advised I reach out to the NHTSA to see if there might be other reports or investigations underway and if not, to open one. The vehicle has only been inspected by the AAA Service garage and is now back home in my garage and available for inspection upon request. NOTE: in researching this issue on line, I did find several articles and links of videos with this problem. There are safety issues, especially when pulling out in traffic or accelerating, as the vehicle sputters and does not run smoothly or go as fast as expected and could cause an accident.

  NHTSA complaint ODI #11554574