"How reliable is the 2009 Ford Explorer?"

"Based on 49 NHTSA complaints, the 2009 Ford Explorer has a median complaint mileage of 67000 miles. The most common issue is Vehicle Speed Control."

"What are common problems with the 2009 Ford Explorer?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2009 Ford Explorer is Vehicle Speed Control, accounting for a significant portion of the 49 total complaints filed."

2009 Ford Explorer: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 49 complaints

Total Complaints

67,000mi

Median Mileage

Vehicle Speed Control

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

42,000 25th Percentile

67,000 Median Mileage

100,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Vehicle Speed Control

Unknown Or Other

Engine

Wheels

Seats

Head Restraint

Seat Belts

Power Train

Tires

Service Brakes

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE HEAD REST PUSHES THE DRIVER'S HEAD TOWARDS THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO ITS PERPENDICULAR DESIGN. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT SOMEONE WITH A SHORT STATURE WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIS/HER HEAD DOWN. IF THE AIR..."

"LIGHT WAS BLINKING ON DASH ON RIGHT SIDE IF YOU TAP IT WOULD COME ON NOW ONLY ONE SIDE OF DASH LIGHTS UP AIR CONDITIONER BLOW OUT FROST ON COMPRESSOR RIGHT SIDE OF TRUCK DOOR LOCK WILL NOT COME UP WHEN YOU PRESS LOCKS DEALER NEEDS TO FIX THIS NOT THE CUST IT MAKES YOU DON'T WANT TO BUY A FORD ANY M..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Vehicle Speed Control 5 complaints

25th: 25,875 mi Median: 46,250 mi 75th: 71,125 mi

Unknown Or Other 5 complaints

25th: 65,250 mi Median: 83,500 mi 75th: 108,750 mi

Engine 4 complaints

25th: 54,763 mi Median: 73,842 mi 75th: 109,873 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 5 WV: 4 MI: 4 NH: 4 FL: 4 IL: 3 CA: 3 TN: 2 PA: 2 NC: 2

Who Files Complaints?

Original Owners

98%

Second+ Owners

Ford Explorer — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1991	764	113,804	Tread/Belt	70
1992	848	125,000	Tread/Belt	54
1993	1151	107,248	Tread/Belt	98
1994	1531	97,541	Tread/Belt	124
1995	1048	125,000	Tread/Belt	107
1996	1818	127,000	Tread/Belt	248
1997	2149	100,000	Tread/Belt	180
1998	2374	100,000	Tread/Belt	219
1999	1737	80,000	Tires	143
2000	1203	77,938	Tires	115
2001	500	90,500	Tires	82
2002	4095	79,000	Automatic Transmission	178
2003	1368	74,000	Automatic Transmission	70
2004	1647	65,000	Automatic Transmission	69
2005	604	70,000	Body	30
2006	788	60,000	Power Train	18
2007	271	69,000	Power Train	14
2008	215	78,000	Electrical System	8
2010	155	48,000	Power Train	13
2011	1481	65,000	Steering	48
2012	1013	62,000	Steering	14
2013	2757	74,000	Steering	61
2014	2011	64,000	Steering	48
2015	2138	54,600	Unknown Or Other	52
2016	2940	45,647	Steering	56
2017	1927	45,000	Structure	53
2018	819	42,000	Structure	23
2019	306	50,000	Structure	2
2020	1544	12,600	Power Train	50
2021	492	38,400	Power Train	21
2022	308	28,000	Power Train	25
2023	126	8,500	Unknown Or Other	11
2024	21	5,080	Unknown Or Other	0
2025	111	2,289	Electrical System	11

Active Recalls (1)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Equipment

Campaign 10E043000 | 03/09/2010

AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.

MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.

General Vehicle Maintenance

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual
Don't ignore warning lights — early diagnosis prevents expensive repairs
Keep records of all maintenance and repairs
Use OEM or equivalent-quality parts for repairs
Address unusual noises, vibrations, or smells promptly

Compare Ford Explorer

vs Chevrolet Tahoe → vs Jeep Grand Cherokee →

Vehicle Rankings

Most complained Worst transmissions Worst engines Worst brakes Most crashes Compare vehicles

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28