2021 Ford Explorer reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 423 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Explorer over 6 years — 51 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Explorer years here — under the median of the other years, which is 61. NHTSA has 26 recalls on file, including Middle or rear assembly, Automatic transmission, and Seat belts.

2020 Ford Explorer — Photo by Benespit, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

423

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (120 of 423), then Engine (48) and Electrical system (42). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 42,508 miles, and the middle half falls between 23,000 and 68,188 miles. Those filings include 14 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 14 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Explorer has 1,215 complaints, 113 per year, and the 2022 has 265 complaints, 43 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Ford Explorer. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (26)

Recall seats, middle or rear assembly 2026-07-14 · NHTSA campaign 26V451000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters explaining the safety risk were mailed August 19, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Lincoln Aviator owner notification letters were mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S52. This recall expands Recall 25V393. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.

Vehicles affected 387,911

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2026-06-24 · NHTSA campaign 26V402000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.

Remedy Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.

Vehicles affected 741,195

Recall Seat belts 2026-03-17 · NHTSA campaign 26V159000

Summary 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. Ford's number for this recall is 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.

Vehicles affected 561

Recall visibility, windshield wiper, motor 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V117000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S14. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.

Vehicles affected 604,533

Recall back-over prevention, software 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V123000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Remedy Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C11. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.

Vehicles affected 889,950

Recall equipment, electrical, engine block heater 2025-10-10 · NHTSA campaign 25V685000

Summary 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.

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.

Vehicles affected 59,006

Recall Fuel pump 2025-07-07 · NHTSA campaign 25V455000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.

Remedy Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S75.

Vehicles affected 850,318

Recall back-over prevention, software 2025-06-27 · NHTSA campaign 25V442000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

Remedy Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Vehicles affected 200,237

Recall seats, middle or rear assembly 2025-06-13 · NHTSA campaign 25V393000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S67.

Vehicles affected 304,662

Recall Driveshaft 2025-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V166000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 23V-199 or 22V-255. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.

Remedy Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S22.

Vehicles affected 4,247

Recall back-over prevention, software 2025-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V159000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V-342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

Remedy Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S27.

Vehicles affected 49,399

Recall Seat belts 2025-02-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V093000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. The seat belt buckle anchor bolts at one or more seating positions may be improperly secured. Additionally, vehicles may have an improperly secured seat belt retractor anchor bolt and/or seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped.

Remedy Dealers will inspect seat belt buckle anchor bolts in all seating positions. Additionally, dealers will inspect the seat belt retractor anchor bolt and seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped. If loose anchor bolts are found, the affected seat components will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S09.

Vehicles affected 240,510

Recall Labels 2024-11-08 · NHTSA campaign 24V852000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Remedy Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

Vehicles affected 27,678

Recall engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2024-08-23 · NHTSA campaign 24V635000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with either a 2.7L or 3.0L Nano EcoBoost engine. The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power.

Remedy Dealers will perform an engine cycle test and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S55.

Vehicles affected 90,736

Recall Engine 2024-08-10 · NHTSA campaign 24V598000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with the Police Interceptor Utility Package. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.

Remedy Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as promptly as possible upon hearing unexpected engine noises, or after experiencing an unexpected engine power reduction, or seeing smoke from the engine compartment. Dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software. In addition, dealers will inspect for connecting rod bearing failure and if necessary, replace the engine long block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S52.

Vehicles affected 85,238

Recall Driveshaft 2023-10-06 · NHTSA campaign 23V675000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.

Remedy Dealers will replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt. They will also inspect the rear axle cover for damage near the bolt hole location and replace with a new cover if any damage is found. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S55.

Vehicles affected 238,364

Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery 2023-09-08 · NHTSA campaign 23V626000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 3.0L PHEV engines. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.

Remedy Dealers will perform a Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) diagnostic test and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford Motor Company's number for this recall is 23S53.

Vehicles affected 2,954

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2023-05-12 · NHTSA campaign 23V342000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

Remedy Dealers will replace the 360-degree camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S23. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 23V-022. Vehicles previously repaired under 23V-022 will need to have the new remedy performed.

Vehicles affected 442,973

Recall back-over prevention, display 2023-04-28 · NHTSA campaign 23V305000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with a 12.1-inch Integrated Computer Screen (ICS). When the Display On/Off Button is used to turn the display to "Off" prior to placing the vehicle in reverse, the backup camera rearview image will not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Remedy Dealers will update the ICS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C14.

Vehicles affected 523

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2023-03-24 · NHTSA campaign 23V199000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L RWD, 3.3L GAS, 3.3L FHEV, or 3.0L ST powertrain. The previous powertrain control module (PCM) update completed under recall 22V-255 did not include the automatic electronic parking brake feature when the vehicle is shifted to park, as intended. In addition, the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.

Remedy Dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 31, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S16.

Vehicles affected 674

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2023-02-10 · NHTSA campaign 23V069000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the park system for damage and repair as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S05.

Vehicles affected 3,674

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2023-01-23 · NHTSA campaign 23V022000

Remedy Dealers will update the image processing module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 25, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S02. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 21V-735. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-735 will need to have the new remedy performed.

Vehicles affected 382,759

Recall suspension, rear 2021-11-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V870000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. Incorrect rear suspension module components may have been installed due to a labeling error.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the rear suspension module, and replace any incorrect parts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S47.

Vehicles affected 20

Recall back-over prevention, software 2021-09-22 · NHTSA campaign 21V735000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Corsair, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with 360-degree cameras. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

Remedy Dealers will update the Image Processing Module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S44.

Vehicles affected 228,297

Recall air bags, side and window, curtain 2021-08-23 · NHTSA campaign 21V652000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag attachment weld studs could detach during the deployment of the side air bag, resulting in an improper deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214, "Side Impact Protection".

Remedy Dealers will replace the side air bag assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C19.

Vehicles affected 592

Recall Engine 2020-12-17 · NHTSA campaign 20V788000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened, and may loosen over time.

Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and replace the right hand motor mount fasteners, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S72.

Vehicles affected 1,405

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (423 total)

Powertrain

120

Engine

Electrical system

Back-over prevention

Structure

Visibility and wipers

Forward collision avoidance

Service brakes

Fuel and propulsion system

Visibility

Speed control

Suspension

Seats

Engine and engine cooling

Exterior lighting

Fuel system, gasoline

Air bags

Steering

Lane departure

Wheels

Hydraulic brakes

Seat belts

Carry handle, shell, and base

Chest clip, buckle, and harness

Equipment

Other or not sure

Tires

Air brakes

Fire-related

Latches, locks, and linkages

Parking brake

Show 23 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 101 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 42,508 miles. The middle half fall between 23,000 and 68,188 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"I had a very serious safety failure of my 2021 Ford explorer. On Monday, XXX my 2021 Explorer suffered an unprompted, catastrophic failure matching recall 26S48, but Ford is denying coverage based on build dates. After…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-17
"The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the electronic seat back adjustment malfunctioned, causing the right side of the seat to rise while the left side failed to respond, resulting in extreme…"
Seats · filed 2026-09-15
"The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 26V117000 (Visibility) and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts to perform the recall repairs were unavailable.…"
Powertrain, Visibility · filed 2026-09-15
"The shade on the sunroof as come out of track and when you let the shade back it drops down in the car blocking vision out the back glass"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-14
"The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that…"
Powertrain · filed 2026-09-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2021 Ford Explorer HEV SUV 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2021 Ford Explorer HEV SUV RWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2021 Ford Explorer SUV 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2021 Ford Explorer SUV RWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Explorer all-wheel drive	2.3L, 4-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Part-time four-wheel drive	20	27	23 MPG	$2800
Explorer all-wheel drive	2.3L, 4-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	20	27	23 MPG	$2800
Explorer all-wheel drive	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	18	24	20 MPG	$3250
Explorer flex-fuel all-wheel drive	3.3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	16	23	19 MPG	$3400
Explorer hybrid all-wheel drive	3.3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	23	26	25 MPG	$2600
Explorer hybrid rear-wheel drive	3.3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	27	28	27 MPG	$2400
Explorer rear-wheel drive	2.3L, 4-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	21	28	24 MPG	$2700
Explorer rear-wheel drive	2.3L, 4-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	21	28	24 MPG	$2700
Explorer rear-wheel drive	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	18	26	21 MPG	$3100
Explorer Timberline all-wheel drive	2.3L, 4-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	19	23	21 MPG	$3100

Specs and fitment

6th generation, 2020–present

Body styles SUV

Oil 5W-30 synthetic (2.3L/3.0L EcoBoost); 5W-20 synthetic (3.3L V6/hybrid) , 5.2 qt capacity

Tire size 255/65R18 (Base) to 275/45R21 (Platinum/ST)

Known issues for this generation

Three NHTSA recalls address the same defect on 2020-2022 Explorers: the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect, which can result in a loss of drive power or a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied. Recall 22V-255 covered 252,936 vehicles, with dealers either replacing the bushing and axle cover or updating the electronic parking brake software depending on the model. Recall 23V-199 then covered 674 vehicles whose powertrain control module update under 22V-255 had not included the automatic electronic parking brake feature, fixed with a further software update. Recall 23V-675 covered 238,364 vehicles with a hardware remedy: dealers replace the subframe bushing and rear axle bolt and inspect the axle cover for damage near the bolt hole. All repairs were free of charge.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Ford Explorer reliable?

What are common problems with a 2021 Ford Explorer?

Is the 2021 Ford Explorer more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2021 Ford Explorer been recalled?

The 2021 Ford Explorer has 26 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Ford Explorer?

Owners have filed 423 complaints about the 2021 Ford Explorer with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Ford Explorer get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Ford Explorer is 22.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is my Ford Explorer?

2011-2019 is the 5th generation, built on a unibody platform, and 2020-onward is the 6th generation, which switched to a rear-wheel-drive-based platform shared with the Police Interceptor Utility.

Are there rear axle problems on the 6th-generation Explorer?

Yes. 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles were covered by recalls 22V-255, 23V-199, and 23V-675 for a rear axle horizontal mounting bolt that may fracture and disconnect the driveshaft, risking a loss of drive power or a rollaway.