Skip to content

Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2025 Ford Explorer

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

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
19
on record
MPG
27
combined

Heavily recalled

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

Recalls19
Complaints87
Safety
Fuel

Vehicle Summary

2025 Ford Explorer

19 recalls
87 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
19
Owner complaints
87
Complaints citing a crash
6

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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

19 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

19 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 24V634000high

    Fuel system issue

    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.

  • 24V801000high

    Backup camera software issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The rearview camera image may fail when the vehicle speed reaches 10 MPH or greater. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

  • 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."

  • 25V020000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The transmission may be improperly secured due to loose cross member bolts.

  • 25V164000high

    Body/structure issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:VALVES/VALVE BODY

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.

  • 25V239000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer vehicles. The powertrain control module (PCM) may reset while driving, which can damage the park system or cause an engine stall.

  • 25V316000high

    Body/structure issue

    STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. A mounting bolt for the front subframe may have been tightened improperly.

  • 25V344000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Transit, F-150, and Explorer vehicles. The connecting rod and rod bearing components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.

  • 25V371000high

    Brake system issue

    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer vehicles. The bolts securing the front brake caliper may not be tightened properly, which can result in a loss of front brake function and possible wheel damage.

  • 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.

  • 25V543000high

    Lighting issue

    EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. When towing a trailer, the tail lights on the trailer may fail to illuminate due to an improperly manufactured body control module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

  • 25V687000high

    Trailer hitches

    TRAILER HITCHES

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.

  • 25V730000high

    Visibility issue

    VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Lincoln Corsair, Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 205, "Glazing Materials."

  • 26V121000high

    Lighting issue

    EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

  • 26V122000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.

  • 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.

  • 26V165000high

    Backup camera software issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator, 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2025 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The Image Processing Module A (IPMA) may experience multiple unexpected resets, resulting in loss of the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring.

  • 26V343000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.

  • 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

87 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

87
Total
6
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries

Most reported components

  • OTHER18
  • ENGINE17
  • BRAKES13
  • VISIBILITY8
  • ELECTRICAL8

Notable Issues

87 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 3 reports involve injuries. 6 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

miscellaneous issues18
engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)17
brake problems (soft pedal, noise, failure)13

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

Data sources

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Ford Explorer years

Common problems

Ford Explorer problems

8,874 owner complaints analysed

Compare with

Systems recalled

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 26V343000

    A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

  3. Recall

    Recall 26V165000

    Loss of the rearview camera image and certain driver assistance features, can reduce the driver’s ability to detect hazards, increasing the risk of a crash.

  4. Recall

    Recall 26V159000

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

  5. Recall

    Recall 26V121000

    A headlight that turns incorrectly can result in increased glare to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.