2025 Ford Explorer reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2025 Ford Explorer holds 100 complaints after 2 years, a rate of 50 per year. It is too early to rank against other Explorer years: a year is compared here only after 3 years on the road. NHTSA has 20 recalls on file, including Power adjuster, Middle or rear assembly, and Internal engine parts.

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

Complaints

100

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (23 of 100), then Powertrain (15) and Service brakes (15). The most filings arrived in 2025 (53 of 100). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 2,645 miles, and the middle half falls between 600 and 7,725 miles. Those filings include 7 that report a crash and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2024 and 2026

The 2024 Explorer has 20 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2026 has 34 complaints, 34 per year.

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 2025 Ford Explorer. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (20)

Recall seats, front assembly, power adjuster 2026-07-21 · NHTSA campaign 26V470000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. An unoccupied driver's seat may recline unintentionally during certain scenarios, such as remote unlock or remote start.

Remedy Dealers will disable the driver seat module (DSM) feature until parts are available. Once available, the motor will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S53.

Vehicles affected 76,748

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 engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2026-05-27 · NHTSA campaign 26V343000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.

Remedy Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S35. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 28, 2026.

Vehicles affected 1,536

Recall back-over prevention, software 2026-03-19 · NHTSA campaign 26V165000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator, 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2025 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The Image Processing Module A (IPMA) may experience multiple unexpected resets, resulting in loss of the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring.

Remedy The Image Processing Module A software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. This is a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 Aviator, 2025 Explorer, 2025 Nautilus notified owners on 4/13/2026. Phase 2 will include 2025 Navigator will notify owners on or about 4/20/2026. Phase 3 will include 2022-2024 Navigator will notify owners on or about 6/8/2026. Phase 4 will include 2024 Nautilus will notify owners on or about 6/22/2026. Owner notification letters were mailed April 13, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S21. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 25, 2026.

Vehicles affected 254,640

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 exterior lighting, headlights 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V121000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Remedy The headlight control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C12. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.

Vehicles affected 35,772

Recall engine and cooling, exhaust system, emission control, EGR valve 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V122000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.

Remedy Dealers will replace the EGR valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.

Vehicles affected 47,804

Recall visibility, windshield 2025-10-24 · NHTSA campaign 25V730000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Lincoln Corsair, Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 205, "Glazing Materials."

Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 6, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C60. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 27, 2025.

Vehicles affected 56,841

Recall trailer hitch 2025-10-10 · NHTSA campaign 25V687000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

Vehicles affected 1,412

Recall exterior lighting, tail lights 2025-08-22 · NHTSA campaign 25V543000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. When towing a trailer, the tail lights on the trailer may fail to illuminate due to an improperly manufactured body control module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Remedy Dealers will replace the body control module C on vehicles with less than 9,000 miles. For vehicles over 9,000 miles, dealers will perform a functional check on the body control module C and replace it as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Aviator 2025 owner notification letters were mailed October 13, 2025. Explorer 2025 owner letters were mailed November 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C42.

Vehicles affected 213,121

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 engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2025-06-13 · NHTSA campaign 25V344000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Transit, F-150, and Explorer vehicles. The connecting rod and rod bearing components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the connecting rods and replace the engine long block assembly as necessary, 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 25S55.

Vehicles affected 156

Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, disc, caliper 2025-06-03 · NHTSA campaign 25V371000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer vehicles. The bolts securing the front brake caliper may not be tightened properly, which can result in a loss of front brake function and possible wheel damage.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and tighten the bolts as necessary. If bolts are missing, the brake caliper and pads will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S60.

Vehicles affected 3

Recall structure, frame 2025-05-09 · NHTSA campaign 25V316000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. A mounting bolt for the front subframe may have been tightened improperly.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and tighten the subframe bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Owner notification letters were mailed May 21, 2025. Ford's number for this recall is 25S43.

Vehicles affected 206

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, control module, software 2025-04-11 · NHTSA campaign 25V239000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer vehicles. The powertrain control module (PCM) may reset while driving, which can damage the park system or cause an engine stall.

Remedy Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S35.

Vehicles affected 24,655

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, fluid, valve body 2025-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V164000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.

Remedy Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.

Vehicles affected 269

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2025-01-17 · NHTSA campaign 25V020000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The transmission may be improperly secured due to loose cross member bolts.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission cross member bolts as necessary, free of charge. If the cross member bolts are missing, dealers will replace the cross member and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S03.

Vehicles affected 259

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 back-over prevention, software 2024-10-25 · NHTSA campaign 24V801000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The rearview camera image may fail when the vehicle speed reaches 10 MPH or greater. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Remedy The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated through an over-the-air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C34.

Vehicles affected 391

Recall gasoline fuel system, fuel injection, injectors 2024-08-23 · NHTSA campaign 24V634000

Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.

Remedy Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.

Vehicles affected 24

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

Complaints by component (100 total)

Electrical system

Powertrain

Service brakes

Forward collision avoidance

Visibility and wipers

Steering

Engine

Structure

Speed control

Air bags

Exterior lighting

Fuel and propulsion system

Lane departure

Seats

Suspension

Visibility

Back-over prevention

Communication

Engine and engine cooling

Hydraulic brakes

Latches, locks, and linkages

Seat belts

Wheels

Show 15 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Of the 14 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 2,645 miles. The middle half fall between 600 and 7,725 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"A recent over-the-air (OTA) software update deployed by Ford Motor Company to my 2025 Ford Explorer ST introduced a primary safety hazard and severe system latency. PASSENGER MIRROR FAILURE: Approximately 10% of the…"
Electrical system, Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-09-18
"I was making a left hand turn with incoming traffic. I had pleanty of time to make the turn. Next thing I know my forward pre collision alarm goes off, locks up breaks, alarms started going off. It only lasted a couple…"
Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-18
"the rear passenger door flew open while I was driving on a public road, with absolutely no warning or dashboard alert to indicate it was unlatched"
Electrical system · filed 2026-09-17
"Just dropped off my [XXX] and [XXX] to elementary school drove to get gas and the passenger backseat behind the driver side fell forward and slid forward. I put it back in place drove again. It did it again and it is…"
Seats · filed 2026-09-15
"The contact owns a 2025 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V122000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact scheduled an appointment at the local dealer after being notified of…"
Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-09-03

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2025 Ford Explorer HEV SUV 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2025 Ford Explorer HEV SUV RWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2025 Ford Explorer SUV 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2025 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	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	18	25	20 MPG	$3250
Explorer all-wheel drive	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Part-time four-wheel drive	18	25	21 MPG	$3100
Explorer all-wheel drive	2.3L, 4-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Part-time four-wheel drive	20	27	23 MPG	$2800
Explorer rear-wheel drive	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	18	25	21 MPG	$3100
Explorer rear-wheel drive	3L, 6-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	18	25	21 MPG	$3100
Explorer rear-wheel drive	2.3L, 4-cyl	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-wheel drive	20	29	24 MPG	$2700

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.

Compare

Previous year 2024 Ford Explorer Next year 2026 Ford Explorer See every Ford Explorer model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Ford Explorer reliable?

What are common problems with a 2025 Ford Explorer?

Is the 2025 Ford Explorer more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2024 Explorer has 20 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2026 has 34 complaints, 34 per year.

Has the 2025 Ford Explorer been recalled?

The 2025 Ford Explorer has 20 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 2025 Ford Explorer?

Owners have filed 100 complaints about the 2025 Ford Explorer with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2025 Ford Explorer get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2025 Ford Explorer is 21.7 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.