Skip to content

Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2023 Ford Explorer

Verified July 23, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
15
on record
MPG
27
combined

Heavily recalled

15 safety recalls on record. Confirm with the seller that every campaign has been completed.

Vehicle Summary

2023 Ford Explorer

15 recalls
102 complaints
27 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Check all recalls are completed
Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
15
Owner complaints
102
Complaints citing a crash
7

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

15 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

15 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 23V022000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

  • 23V070000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the vehicle has been shifted to "PARK."

  • 23V342000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

  • 23V597000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines. The turbocharger oil supply line may be damaged, which can result in an oil leak inside the engine compartment.

  • 23V686000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with a standard rearview camera. Due to a manufacturing error in the wire harness, the rearview camera may display a blue image on the SYNC screen when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

  • 24V091000high

    Suspension issue

    SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles. The right-front lower fastener connecting the steering knuckle and strut may be loose or missing.

  • 24V852000high

    Incorrect or missing label

    EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

  • 25V159000high

    Backup camera software issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V-342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

  • 25V393000high

    Safety restraint issue

    SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.

  • 25V442000high

    Backup camera software issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

  • 25V455000high

    Fuel pump may fail

    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.

  • 25V685000high

    Engine issue

    EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

  • 26V123000high

    Backup camera software issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

  • 26V159000high

    Safety restraint issue

    SEAT BELTS

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.

  • 26V451000high

    Safety restraint issue

    SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.

Consumer complaints

102 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

102
Total
7
Crashes
2
Fires
9
Injuries

Most reported components

  • OTHER24
  • ENGINE17
  • STEERING11
  • VISIBILITY9
  • ELECTRICAL8

Notable Issues

102 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 9 reports involve injuries. 7 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

miscellaneous issues24
engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)17
steering issues (play, noise, loss of assist)11

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

22

City

34

Hwy

27

Comb

Annual cost
$1,944
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 26V451000

    A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  2. Recall

    Recall 26V159000

    A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  3. Recall

    Recall 26V123000

    An incorrectly displayed rearview image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  4. Recall

    Recall 25V685000

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

  5. Recall

    Recall 25V455000

    An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.