2026 Ford EXPLORER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
33 owner complaints analyzed
13 distinct recall campaigns
3,600 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2026 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 33 complaints (27.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 9.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 6.1% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 6.1% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 6.1% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 6.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 6.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 9 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Seats | 5 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 4 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 2 |
Unknown Or Other: 9; Electrical System: 8; Engine: 6; Seats: 5; Visibility/Wiper: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Power Train: 3; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 29 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 |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 33 |
2026: 33
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 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 11728173 · 2026-03-31 (March 31, 2026)
Bought the vehicle brand new on March 13, 2026, and the battery light came on in less than 200 miles driven. The vehicle is currently in Ford's possession.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11728173 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11749586 · 2026-07-10 (July 10, 2026)
Purchased brand new vehicle two months ago, only has 2000 miles on it. We took it on vacation 14hours from home. Made it to our destination and started getting “vehicle communication errors” on the screen. Jumped the vehicle, notifications went away. We scheduled an appointment with a local ford dealer who told us to bring it in. On the way to the dealership and while driving on the road, the vehicle screen listed the same “vehicle communication error” indicator and every single vehicle service light was on. We lost all electrical power. No bli…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11749586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11754880 · 2026-08-05 (August 5, 2026)
Put vehicle in drive to pull out of driveway started moving when all of a sudden the explorer started rolling in reverse and the the D on the transmission knob blinked green the E brake did not work I ended up in my garage door and in the back of an ambulance for neck pain and whiplash.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11754880 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11762692 · 2026-09-08 (September 8, 2026)
On several occasions when trying to drive from a stopped position I press the gas and the car will move slowly but not shift into gear and then after turning off it struggles to restart. The check engine light is solid but goes away by the next day. This has happened after sitting idling in a parking lot most often but recently it happened 2 times as I was turning left onto a street where I luckily was able to slow roll to the side and not get hit. I brought it in once for service and they struggled to find the issue for hours and eventually sa…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11762692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11743994 · 2026-06-14 (June 14, 2026)
I purchased this new car from Bell Ford on XXX. Since I have owned it, it has been under Ford’s care for almost 2 weeks at 2 different service departments. (I have owned for 90 days.) The car sputters and stops when putting on the gas from a start position. I ended up stalling in a busy intersection on [XXX] All the dash lights come on and then the engine light comes on. Says, take to dealer. They are replacing the fuel pump now and trying that. This car has less than 4900 miles on it. The car they have given me to use is not comparable. INFOR…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11743994 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11748926 · 2026-07-07 (July 7, 2026)
This 2026 Ford Explorer has stopped, stalled, hesitated and jerks after fuel fill-ups. It stopped twice for myself in busy intersections. The dealer has had it for weeks and when driving the vehicle back to me, stalled and hesitated for Ford Service dept. twice. They told me I could not have my car back for safety reasons.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11748926 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11762297 · 2026-09-05 (September 5, 2026)
On XXX around 6:30pm: Car would not go into reverse. Upon pressing the gas a 2nd time, a loud pop was heard from the back of the car. The car was then able to drive forward, however, when pressing on the brakes, the rear end of the car would wobble, and the brakes were rubbing and making a loud noise. I contacted Rich Ford, explained that my car is brand new (2 months), with less than 4,000 miles, and this should not happen. I was told that “someone would call me the following morning around 7am”. I drove to work the next morning, XXX, avo…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11762297 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11733462 · 2026-04-23 (April 23, 2026)
While driving my new Ford explorer, with 638 miles on it, on the highway I heard a loud pop, and lost power steering. I was barely able to pull the vehicle over to the shoulder to get off the highway. If I would have been on an interstate or a busier highway it could have been very dangerous. I believe that this has put me in danger having to maneuver the vehicle to the side of the highway and sit there while waiting for a tow truck. The Vehicle was towed to the dealership where we bought it. the service manager told us that the engine had blow…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11733462 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11759096 · 2026-08-24 (August 24, 2026)
I am reporting a potential safety defect involving the upper steering column shroud and the driver-facing Driver Status Monitor Camera on my 2026 Ford Explorer equipped with BlueCruise. The upper steering column shroud became extremely loose and will not remain securely attached. The driver-facing camera is mounted in this area. Ford states that BlueCruise uses the driver-facing camera to monitor the driver’s eyes and head position during hands-free operation. I personally observed the shroud and camera assembly loose while BlueCruise remaine…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11759096 at NHTSA ↗