"How reliable is the 2018 Ford Explorer?"

"Based on 819 NHTSA complaints, the 2018 Ford Explorer has a median complaint mileage of 42000 miles. The most common issue is Structure."

"What are common problems with the 2018 Ford Explorer?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 Ford Explorer is Structure, accounting for a significant portion of the 819 total complaints filed."

2018 Ford Explorer: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 819 complaints

819

Total Complaints

42,000mi

Median Mileage

Structure

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

14,500 25th Percentile

42,000 Median Mileage

78,948 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Structure

166

Unknown Or Other

153

Body

Engine

Electrical System

Power Train

Fuel/Propulsion System

Suspension

Steering

Engine And Engine Cooling

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY WREAKS OF GAS FUMES (NOT CARBON MONOXIDE) ON THE INSIDE OF THE CARE. THIS PRIMARILY HAPPENS BETWEEN 1/4 TO TO A FULL GAS TANK. THE SMELL ALWAYS OCCURS AFTER A GAS FILL UP. THE GAS TANK IS NEVER OVERFILLED. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN TAKING A SHARP TURN AFTER A STOP SIGN/LIGHT..."

"GO TO FORDEXPLORERNIGHTMARE.COM, READ THE 2 KEY DOCUMENTS, OTHER STORIES AND SHARE YOUR STORY. CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING FROM THESE VEHICLES."

"THE INTEGRATED BLIND SPOT MIRROR ON BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE IS MOUNTED AT THE WRONG ANGLE. IT DOES NOT SHOW THE BLIND SPOT OF THE CAR. YOU CAN NOT SEE ANY PORTION OF LOW PROFILE CARS IN THE BLIND SPOT MIRROR AND YOU CAN NOT SEE THE HEADLIGHTS OF MOST VEHICLES AT NIGHT. IT DOES SHO..."

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.

Structure 166 complaints

25th: 50,000 mi Median: 73,000 mi 75th: 91,000 mi

Unknown Or Other 153 complaints

25th: 225 mi Median: 3,400 mi 75th: 25,000 mi

Body 94 complaints

25th: 10,458 mi Median: 21,000 mi 75th: 54,500 mi

Engine 88 complaints

25th: 8,500 mi Median: 30,000 mi 75th: 81,135 mi

Electrical System 50 complaints

25th: 5,750 mi Median: 25,000 mi 75th: 46,793 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 90 CA: 81 FL: 76 MI: 34 OH: 32 AZ: 31 MO: 30 PA: 29 NY: 26 NC: 25

Who Files Complaints?

0.7%

Original Owners

99.3%

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
2009	49	67,000	Vehicle Speed Control	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
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 (6)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Recliner

Campaign 19V633000 | 28/08/2019

A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Fuel System, Gasoline

Campaign 18V807000 | 14/11/2018

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 7, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S35.

Body

Campaign 21V316000 | 05/05/2021

A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

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 s

Roof And Pillars

Campaign 24V031000 | 19/01/2024

A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.

Engine Block Heater

Campaign 25V685000 | 10/10/2025

An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipat

Rear

Campaign 26V101000 | 20/02/2026

A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

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

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

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Vehicle Rankings

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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