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2017 Ford Explorer
13 recall campaigns and 316 complaints are on NHTSA's register for the 2017 Ford Explorer; the recalls concern structure, suspension and equipment.
The component named most often is unknown or other: 370.8 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 127 per 1,000 across all 2017 model-year vehicles and against 54.7 per 1,000 for the Ford Explorer line as a whole.
That is fewer than the average of 526.7 complaints per model year across the 45 Ford Explorer model years on this register; 11 complaints reported a crash and 2 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2017 (139); the most recent in the file is dated 14 May 2019.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 2 investigations naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: 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 recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 26S54).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 26S08).
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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 will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 25SA4).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Explorer vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
Consequence: Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will repair the B-pillar trim, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S53.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 25S53).
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 24S02).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
Consequence: A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 21S32).
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 21S22).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
Consequence: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 20S62).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with power front seats. The seat frames may have sharp edges.
Consequence: Occupants my contact the sharp edges when reaching between the power front seat and center console, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective tape on the exposed inside edge and tab of the power seat frames, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S29.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 19S29).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Consequence: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 19S17).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Explorer, Taurus and Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan vehicles. The steering gear heat shield fasteners may corrode, allowing the heat shield to detach.
Consequence: If the heat shield detaches, the steering gear may overheat, increasing the steering effort required by the driver, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers to inspect and replace the heat shield fasteners as needed, free of charge. The recall began on September 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S23.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 17S23).
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles equipped with a manual driver's seat back recliner mechanism. In the event of a crash, the seat back frame may not restrain the occupant due to having inadequate welds. As such, these vehicles may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202a, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence: If the occupant is not adequately restrained in the event of a crash, they have an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began on June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C08.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 17C08); components: seats:front assembly:recliner; seats.
- 16V925000ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGERReported 22 Dec 2016 · 1,163 units
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.
Consequence: An oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S46.
Filed by Ford Motor Company (manufacturer campaign 16S46).
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2017 Ford Explorer (black) against all 2017 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2017 | Explorer line | All 2017 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 370.8 | 54.7 | 127 |
| Engine | 184.1 | 35.3 | 134.3 |
| Wheels | 81.8 | 14.5 | 30.1 |
| Structure | 51.2 | 83.7 | 46.8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 51.2 | 14.8 | 52.3 |
| Tires | 35.8 | 138.9 | 6 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 145 | 370.8 | 54.7 | 127 |
| Engine | 72 | 184.1 | 35.3 | 134.3 |
| Wheels | 32 | 81.8 | 14.5 | 30.1 |
| Structure | 20 | 51.2 | 83.7 | 46.8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 20 | 51.2 | 14.8 | 52.3 |
| Tires | 14 | 35.8 | 138.9 | 6 |
| Electrical System | 13 | 33.2 | 48.9 | 109.6 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 33.2 | 61.5 | 2.6 |
| Power Train | 11 | 28.1 | 146.1 | 107.4 |
| Steering | 9 | 23 | 60.8 | 60.8 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 9 | 23 | 3 | 29.5 |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 20.5 | 16.8 | 16 |
| Air Bags | 8 | 20.5 | 26.1 | 44.7 |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 12.8 | 6.1 | 69.3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 10.2 | 56.8 | 49.3 |
| Seats | 3 | 7.7 | 18.6 | 10.6 |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 5.1 | 10.9 | 24.1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2.6 | 15.6 | 2 |
| Suspension | 1 | 2.6 | 52 | 34 |
| Visibility | 1 | 2.6 | 38.9 | 5.1 |
316 unique complaints, 391 component mentions; 25 injuries and 0 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE23001 | Preliminary evaluation | Windshield trim molding Item detachment | structure:body:roof and pillars | 27 Jan 2023 | 8 Feb 2024 | 24V031 |
| EA17002 | Engineering analysis | Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab | engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe | 27 Jul 2017 | 17 Jan 2023 | — |
Other Ford Explorer model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 NHTSA | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1984 NHTSA | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1985 NHTSA | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1986 NHTSA | 0 | 3 | — |
| 1987 NHTSA | 0 | 3 | — |
| 1988 NHTSA | 0 | 4 | — |
| 1989 NHTSA | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1990 NHTSA | 0 | 12 | — |
| 1991 | 8 | 608 | 1,915,500 |
| 1992 | 4 | 633 | 1,267,784 |
| 1993 | 6 | 936 | 2,574,157 |
| 1994 | 4 | 1,206 | 2,024,373 |
| 1995 | 5 | 842 | 5,837,982 |
| 1996 | 6 | 1,447 | 5,543,470 |
| 1997 | 7 | 1,729 | 6,792,376 |
| 1998 | 9 | 1,955 | 9,567,644 |
| 1999 | 9 | 1,340 | 12,178,996 |
| 2000 | 9 | 936 | 10,560,697 |
| 2001 | 6 | 373 | 10,104,564 |
| 2002 | 4 | 3,266 | 5,511,406 |
| 2003 | 2 | 1,124 | 959,406 |
| 2004 | 0 | 1,285 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | 487 | — |
| 2006 | 1 | 616 | 199,942 |
| 2007 | 1 | 200 | 11 |
| 2008 | 1 | 133 | 1,497 |
| 2009 | 0 | 30 | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 97 | 33,256 |
| 2011 | 6 | 657 | 3,609,175 |
| 2012 | 5 | 410 | 3,607,517 |
| 2013 | 11 | 984 | 5,100,891 |
| 2014 | 6 | 660 | 4,260,351 |
| 2015 | 8 | 635 | 5,716,171 |
| 2016 | 14 | 717 | 5,832,874 |
| 2017 | 13 | 316 | 6,354,133 |
| 2018 | 7 | 52 | 3,905,452 |
| 2019 | 6 | 1 | 3,848,705 |
| 2020 | 33 | 0 | 6,198,017 |
| 2021 | 26 | 0 | 5,838,416 |
| 2022 | 24 | 0 | 4,646,746 |
| 2023 | 15 | 0 | 3,599,589 |
| 2024 | 10 | 0 | 1,814,933 |
| 2025 | 20 | 0 | 1,434,649 |
| 2026 | 14 | 0 | 571,142 |
| 2027 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 76,748 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Ford Explorer model years · Ford: 201 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2017 Ford Explorer have?
13 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 26V448000, was reported to NHTSA on 14 Jul 2026 and concerns structure:body. Across all model years the Ford Explorer line has 142 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2017 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 2 actions naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2017 Ford Explorer complain about most?
Unknown or Other: 145 of 391 component mentions (370.8 per 1,000). Next is engine with 72. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.