The Lemon IndexAll cars · Ford Explorer · 2018
2018 Ford Explorer. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Engines and drivetrains 5
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | Auto (S6) | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 | Regular | $2,850 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | Auto (S6) | AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 | Regular | $2,950 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Auto (S6) | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 | Regular | $3,100 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Auto (S6) | AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 | Regular | $3,450 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | Auto (S6) | AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 | Regular | $3,450 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 16,200 and 82,800 miles. Median 50,000, from 289 complaints with a mileage.
| System | Median | Middle half | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body structure | 61,000 | 40,000–87,900 | 123 |
| Engine | 30,000 | 8,400–83,100 | 29 |
| Electrical | 35,000 | 7,000–73,500 | 18 |
| Transmission & drivetrain | 86,000 | 45,000–107,300 | 19 |
| Engine | 71,700 | 29,000–93,100 | 25 |
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Body structure | 16% |
| Engine | 15% |
| Electrical | 7% |
| Fuel or ev drive system | 5% |
| Steering | 5% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 734 | 16 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 33 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 7
26V448000 Jul 2026 Structure / Body
Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
Risk. A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 28, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this r
26V101000 Feb 2026 Suspension / Rear
Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
Risk. A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 21V537. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning February 25, 2026.
25V685000 Oct 2025 Equipment / Electrical / Engine Block Heater
Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy. Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters
24V031000 Jan 2024 Structure / Body / Roof And Pillars
Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
Risk. A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
21V316000 May 2021 Structure / Body
Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Risk. A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S22.
19V633000 Aug 2019 Seats / Front Assembly / Recliner
Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to co
Risk. A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
18V807000 Nov 2018 Fuel System, Gasoline
Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L or 3.5L GTDI engine. Due to an assembly error, the fuel pressure sensor may leak fuel.
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 7, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S35.
NHTSA investigations
| Status | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Hertz/vehicles rented with open recalls | 2022 | – |
| Closed | Windshield trim molding item detachment | 2023 | 2024 |
Manufacturer communications 191
Ford filed 191 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- Illuminated MIL with DTC
- Inoperative remote features via Ford
Crash ratings by version
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Safety equipment
| Electronic stability | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Optional | Optional |
YouTube repair topics
100 videos about the 2011–2019 Ford Explorer, 25.8M views.
| Topic | Videos | Views |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling system | 1 | 1.2M |
| Windows, doors & mirrors | 6 | 669K |
| Intake, EGR & engine sensors | 5 | 668K |
| Steering & suspension | 4 | 485K |
| Infotainment, battery & electrical | 4 | 416K |
| Heat, A/C & blend door | 1 | 390K |
| Death wobble & steering | 2 | 371K |
| Gauges, lights & wiring | 2 | 361K |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated
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