AutoUtility currently tracks 720 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 Ford Explorer. Body & Structure issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 287 complaints (39.9% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 15 filings cite a crash, 7 cite a fire, 12 report one or more injuries.
- • Total NHTSA Complaints: 720 reports
- • #1 Reported Problem Area: Body & Structure (287 reports • 39.9% of submitted complaints)
- • Secondary Problem Areas: Engine & Cooling (113), Electrical System (57)
- • Crash-Citing Complaints: 15 filings
- • Fire-Citing Complaints: 7 filings
- • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 12 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Most Reported Problems for 2018 Ford Explorer
Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records
Body & Structure
NHTSA records list 3 official safety recall campaigns for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #24V031000 STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
- Campaign #26V448000 STRUCTURE:BODY
- Campaign #25V685000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
Engine & Cooling
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #25V685000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
Electrical System
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #25V685000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
Powertrain & Transmission
Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Ford Explorer
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"The contact owned a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a message displayed on several occasions instructing the driver to pull over and shut off the vehicle because the battery would shut off. Upon pulling over and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle..."
"Failure in the adhesion of the dash cover and is available for inspection. My safety is at risk due to vision impairment from the white padding reflecting on the inside of the car window. I have not taken my vehicle to a dealer yet. No inspection has happened. The first bit of white in my vision I..."
"I purchased this 2018 Ford Explorer from Speedway Motors in Murfreesboro, TN back in July 2026. Within a month I notice that the windshield was whistling. I took it back and they told me that it was a recall on the "A pillar exterior trim." I contacted the Murfreesboro Ford dealership and was told..."
"The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for service, the contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V101000 (Suspension). The contact agreed to have the recall repair performed. The contact stated that approximately one month..."
"The transmission is actively slipping and dropping out of gear while driving causing unexpected loss of acceleration on public roads. This represents an extreme road safety hazard. The manufacture was notified but refused to offer assistance or grace coverage immediately following a Premium CARE..."
Complaint History for Ford Explorer
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Ford Explorer | 1773 | 37 | 9 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Ford Explorer | 2441 | 38 | 15 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Ford Explorer | 1687 | 33 | 14 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Ford Explorer Current Page | 720 | 15 | 7 | Current |
| 2019 Ford Explorer | 291 | 2 | 6 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Ford Explorer | 1198 | 35 | 34 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Ford Explorer | 416 | 16 | 27 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Ford Explorer | 257 | 17 | 25 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Ford Explorer | 105 | 8 | 15 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Ford Explorer | 19 | 1 | 10 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Ford Explorer | 95 | 7 | 19 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Ford Explorer | 0 | 0 | 12 | View 2026 Problems → |
Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2018 Ford Explorer
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 99 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Reported Injury Entries | Reported Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 252 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 116 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 57 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System NHTSA category: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment & Accessories NHTSA category: EQUIPMENT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,SEATS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION,EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,TIRES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (2)
Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls
NHTSA is opening this audit query to investigate whether The Hertz Corporation (Hertz) has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act). The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a rental company shall not rent a vehicle subject to a safety recall unless the recall remedy has been performed. 49 U.S.C. § 30120(i).NHTSA is in receipt of information that indicates Hertz rented vehicles to...
Windshield trim molding Item detachment
On January 27, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-001 to investigate allegations of A-pillar trim panel detachment on model year (MY) 2011-2019 Ford Explorer vehicles. At the time of opening, the office had received 164 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) reporting this failure. ODI has received 671 VOQs regarding this failure, including 1 alleged crash and 2 alleged injuries. Some consumers have reported that the failure...
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.