2018 Ford EXPLORER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
728 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 288 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure is the most frequently named component, appearing in 177 of 728 complaints (24.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 49 | 6.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 36 | 4.9% |
| Steering behavior | 31 | 4.3% |
| Engine operation | 19 | 2.6% |
| Braking behavior | 18 | 2.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 0.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Structure | 177 |
| Unknown Or Other | 167 |
| Structure:Body | 99 |
| Engine | 95 |
| Electrical System | 54 |
| Power Train | 47 |
| Suspension | 23 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 19 |
Structure: 177; Unknown Or Other: 167; Structure:Body: 99; Engine: 95; Electrical System: 54; Power Train: 47; Suspension: 23; Fuel/Propulsion System: 19
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 92 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 51 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 55 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 44 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 40 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 92; 25,000 to 49,999: 51; 50,000 to 74,999: 55; 75,000 to 99,999: 44; 100,000 to 149,999: 40; 150,000 and above: 6
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (92). 440 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 40 |
| 2019 | 41 |
| 2020 | 37 |
| 2021 | 38 |
| 2022 | 41 |
| 2023 | 123 |
| 2024 | 135 |
| 2025 | 190 |
| 2026 | 83 |
2018: 40; 2019: 41; 2020: 37; 2021: 38; 2022: 41; 2023: 123; 2024: 135; 2025: 190; 2026: 83
Pattern summary
Structure leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 49 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 36 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11127949 · 2018-09-06 (September 6, 2018)
MY 2016 EXPLORER HAS 74,000 MILES AND THE RPM NEEDLE IS STICKING. HAD IT EVALUATED AND FOUND TRANSMISSION NEUTRAL OUT ON A 2/3 SHIFT AND A 4/5 SHIFT. FLUID LEVEL IS CORRECT, THIS IS DUE TO EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE IN THE DIRECT CLUTCH. THE FORD DEALERSHIP RECOMMEND OVERHAUL OR REPLACEMENT. REPLACEMENT IS ON BACK ORDER AND WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET. I CALLED THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOT A CASE #CAS15675568. HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE DEALER SHIP AND THEY ARE DISCUSSING AND IT HAS NOW BEEN 48 HRS. WHAT IS DIFFICULT ABOUT MAKING A DECISI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11127949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11191379 · 2019-03-25 (March 25, 2019)
TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR NO KNOWN REASON WITH LESS THAN 3000 MILES AND 4 MONTHS OLD. CANNOT BE FIXED, MUST BE REPLACED.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 11191379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11075153 · 2018-02-26 (February 26, 2018)
FULL ACCESSORY POWER ACTIVE, NEXT VEHICLE SHUT OFF TO SAVE ENERGY THIS HAPPEN FIRST TIME ON DECEMBER 23,2017 ON DECEMBER 24, 2017 HAD TO HAVE IT JUMP, ON DECEMBER 25, 2017 WOULD NOT START AT ALL, DECEMBER 26, 2017 TOWED TO CLASSIC FORD THE STATED BATTERY WAS BAD REPLACE IT UNTIL FEBRUARY 14, 2018 THE SAME STATED AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 15, 2018 THREE TIMES I GOT THE SAME MESSAGE ON THE THIRD ONE A WRENCH CAME ON THE SCREEN THE DEALER CLASSIC FORD HAS HAD WITH NO RESOLVE IN SITE I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE A CASE NO CAS-14137401 HAVE A COMPLAINT…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11075153 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11194311 · 2019-04-06 (April 6, 2019)
THE EXPLORER WILL RANDOMLY NOT START LIKE A DEAD BATTERY, BUT THEN STARTS OTHER TIMES. BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER. SIDE MIRRORS WILL FOLD IN WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT FOLD BACK OUT UNTIL THE CAR IS STOPPED, TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. WHEN THESE ISSUES ARE PRESENT THE SYNC 3 SYSTEM WILL COMPLETELY TURN OFF. THIS IS RANDOM AT THE TIMES IT HAPPENS AND THE DEALER HAS NOT EXPERIENCED IT WHILE ITS BEEN IN THE SHOP. WE PURCHASED THE EXPLORER WITH 500 MILES IT AS A NEW CAR JANUARY 13TH 2019. IT HAS 4200 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN IN THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11194311 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11084258 · 2018-04-10 (April 10, 2018)
DURING STARTUP ON COLD MORNINGS (NOT ALWAYS) I HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE FAILURE WARNINGS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER STEERING, TURN SIGNALS, OR WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE WARNINGS ARE: 4WD OFF, CHECK PARKING AID, SEE MANUAL, SERVICE ADVANCETRAC, STEERING ASSIST FAULT, ABS LIGHT, AIRBAG LIGHT, PARKING BRAKE LIGHT IS ON EVEN THOUGH PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ON. ALSO THE CLIMATE CONTROL STILL SEES THE TEMPERATURE AS THE LAST TEMPERATURE FROM THE PREVIOUS DRIVE. SO IF IT WAS 80 OUT AND NOW 40, THE A/C BLOWS COLD AIR EVEN THOUGH IT IS COLD …
Owner-reported narrative. 749 miles reported. Look up ODI 11084258 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11185453 · 2019-03-08 (March 8, 2019)
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILURE TWICE. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,339 miles reported. Look up ODI 11185453 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11312251 · 2020-02-29 (February 29, 2020)
ELECTRIC SHORTAGES, SMELL BURNING WIRES, STALLS VEHICLE WAS REPURCHASED BY FORD AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE ITS REPORTED AS A LEMON AND NOT RESOLD FOR SAFETY OF OTHERS
Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11312251 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11355386 · 2020-09-16 (September 16, 2020)
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ACCELERATION/TRANSMISSION CONCERNS, WHERE THE VEHICLE ESSENTIAL STALLS AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS, THE COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION APPEAR TO 'SYNC' AND THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE, BUT THE ISSUE WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPEN, I WAS IN A COSTCO PARKING LOT, SO I DID NOT THINK MUCH OF IT. THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPEN, JULY 12TH, 2020, I WAS CROSSING A BUSY ROAD OF TRAFFIC NEAR MY HOME AND WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS AC…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11355386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11072324 · 2018-02-12 (February 12, 2018)
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, AND WHEN BRAKING SWIFTLY. LIVING IN A NORTHERN CLIMATE, THE GAS SMELL GETS TO BE SO BAD, THAT WINDOWS NEED TO PERIODICALLY BE OPENED IN ORDER TO VENT THE VEHICLE OF GAS SMELL. THIS DOES NOT GO OVER WELL WHEN IT IS ZERO OUTSIDE. WITH OVER 3500 MI…
Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 11072324 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11081989 · 2018-03-29 (March 29, 2018)
MY WIFE AND I LEASED A 2018 FORD EXPLORER PLATINUM LAST SATURDAY. WE WANTED TO UPGRADE TO THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. I FAILED TO ASK SPECIFICALLY IF THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE WENT TO ZERO MPH FOR STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE WINDOW STICKER SAID IT HAD "ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL". I HAVE HAD TWO CARS WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE AND THEY HAVE BOTH WORKED DOWN TO ZERO MPH. DURING OUR FIRST DRIVE USING THE SO-CALLED "ADAPTIVE CRUISE", WE WERE FOLLOWING A CAR ON THE FREEWAY GOING 70MPH. RATHER SUDDENLY, THAT CAR SLOWED. OUR FORD WAS SLOWING DOWN BEAUTIFULLY; YOU COUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 125 miles reported. Look up ODI 11081989 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11282968 · 2019-11-30 (November 30, 2019)
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, THE INSIDE OF MY VEHICLE FILLS WITH A STRONG SMELL OF GAS. THIS IS AN ONGOING AND REOCCURRING ISSUE. I BELIEVE IT MAY BE THE CAUSE OF MY 6 YEAR OLDS CHILD'S FREQUENT HEADACHES AND BOUTS WITH NAUSEA THAT BEGAN AT THE SAME TIME I STARTED NOTICING THE GAS SMELL ISSUE.
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11282968 at NHTSA ↗