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All cars · Ford Explorer · Transmission

Ford Explorer transmission problems by year.

Worst years for transmission complaints per car sold: 2002 (1,273 complaints), 2020 (364 complaints), 2006 (267 complaints). Fewest since 2010: 2024, 2025, 2023.

Ford Explorer
Photo shows a 2011 Ford Explorer. Vauxford, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Transmission complaints owners filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) for each model year, per 100,000 cars sold. A complaint counts when it's filed under the transmission, or under the power train and the owner describes the transmission (shifting, slipping, gears, CVT). It's an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and older years have had longer to collect complaints.

200011726.3 per 100K sold2001368.7 per 100K sold20021,273293.4 per 100K sold200326972.1 per 100K sold2004429126.4 per 100K sold20058334.6 per 100K sold2006267149 per 100K sold20075137 per 100K sold20082531.9 per 100K sold200923.8 per 100K sold20101829.7 per 100K sold20112115.5 per 100K sold2012148.8 per 100K sold20135430.3 per 100K sold20144322.7 per 100K sold20153816.9 per 100K sold201611352.2 per 100K sold20179740.7 per 100K sold20183917.1 per 100K sold20192816.6 per 100K sold2020364160.9 per 100K sold20216328.7 per 100K sold20223315.9 per 100K sold202384.3 per 100K sold202410.5 per 100K sold202594 per 100K sold

What owners describe

Hard or jerky shifting18%
Slipping14%
Transmission replaced11%
Delay or hesitation10%
Lost power while driving8%
Shudder5%

Share of this model's transmission complaints that mention each symptom. One complaint can mention several.

Transmission and power train recalls

  • 2025 2025

    The transmission may be improperly secured due to loose cross member bolts.

  • 2025 2025

    The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.

  • 2025 2025

    The powertrain control module (PCM) may reset while driving, which can damage the park system or cause an engine stall.

  • 2024 2026

    An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.

  • 2023 2023

    The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the vehicle has been shifted to "PARK.".

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. Check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

In owners' words

O/d drive flashing and check transmission light is on, very noise on the back of vehicle,the truck only 58,000 on it.

2002 Ford Explorer owner · NHTSA complaint

My 2002 ford explorer xls, 85,000 miles, started without warning to flash the o/d light and the transmission failed.

2002 Ford Explorer owner · NHTSA complaint

Quick answers

Which Ford Explorer years have transmission problems?

By transmission complaints filed with NHTSA per car sold, the worst Ford Explorer years are 2002, 2020, 2006.

What are common Ford Explorer transmission problems?

Owners most often describe hard or jerky shifting, slipping, transmission replaced.

Which Ford Explorer years have the fewest transmission complaints?

Since 2010, the Ford Explorer years with the fewest transmission complaints per car sold are 2024, 2025, 2023.

See every problem, not just the transmission: Ford Explorer reliability by year. How we count

Updated

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