Complaint volume
711 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
711 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Ford Explorer, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
711 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are structure, unknown or other, engine. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 14 crash reports, 7 fire reports, 12 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 284 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 53,609 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
711 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHEN CLIMBING HILLS AND ENGINE AT HIGH RPM I CAN SMELL EXHAUST IN THE CABIN PORTION OF MY VEHICLE. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER WHEN I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH THE HILLS AGAIN. SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, CLIMBING HILLS AT A HIGH RPM. SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. THE SMELL WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IF I WAS WALKING BEHIND THE CAR IN THE MORNING AFTER STARING THE ENGINE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,000 |
| Jan 2020 | SEATS | REACHING UNDER DRIVER SEAT AND CONTACTED SEAT FRAME SHARP AND CUT FINGER. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 | 10,000 |
| Jan 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | CONSTANT SMELLS OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN MY VEHICLE ALMOST EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE ABOVE 3500 RPM. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO DEALERSHIPS MORE THAN THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH NO SOLUTION. EVERY TIME I GET IN MY VEHICLE I DREAD SMELLING THIS STUFF AND HOPE IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME OR A LOVED ONE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 38,000 |
| Jan 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2018 FORD EXPLORER IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018. AROUND OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 I STARTED HAVING A LOT OF DIZZY SPELLS AND PANICKED ATTACKS WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE EXPLORER. I WAS IN AND OUT OF DRS WEEKLY SOMETIMES MORE THAN WEEKLY FOR THESE EPISODES. DRS THOUGHT IT WAS ANXIETY SO WOULD INCREASE MEDICATIONS, OR CHANGE MEDICATIONS AND I CONTINUED WITH SAME SYMPTOMS. I DROVE THE EXPLORER NUMEROUS TIMES A DAY AS I HAVE KIDS AND WOULD FEEL THIS WAY 90% OF MY DAY EVERY DAY. I WENT THRU PHYSICAL THERAPY, MENTAL THERAPY AND ALSO SENT TO A HEART DOCTOR UP UNTIL 2 MONTHS AGO WHEN WE PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND I NEVER HAD A ISSUE WHILE DRIVING THAT. MY FIANC DROVE THE EXPLORER ONE DAY WHICH HE NEVER DID AS IT WAS MY VEHICLE AND HE HAD HIS VEHICLE AND HE SMELLED A GAS SMELL AND QUESTIONED ME ABOUT IT BUT I HAD BEEN SUFFERING RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES DURING THIS TIME AND COULD NEVER SMELL ANYTHING SO I NEVER NOTICED THE SMELL. MY SON WAS HAVING VOMITING SPELLS NUMEROUS TIMES A WEEK AND DRS SAID IT WAS A GENERALIZED VOMITING ISSUE. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED THE EXPLORER AT AND THEY CAME AND PICKED IT UP. ONCE THEY CHECKED IT OVER THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THEY HAD TO ORDER A WHOLE NEW MUFFLER SYSTEM AS IT WAS LEAKING CARBON MONOXIDE INTO THE CABIN OF MY EXPLORER. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT IN WHICH THEY DID BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE I HAD BEEN SUFFERING PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY FOR A YEAR AND DUE TO THE PAN NICK ATTACKS WHILE DRIVING I COULD BARELY DRIVE MOST DAYS AND STILL STRUGGLE DUE TO THE FEAR I'VE ENCOUNTER BEHIND THE WHEEL. FORD BASICALLY SAID I COULD TRADE IT OR KEEP IT THAT'S ALL THEY WOULD OFFER ME. I WANTED THEM TO BUY IT BACK AS I COULDN'T GET BACK IN IT. I'VE HAD NO ISSUES SINCE I STOPPED DRIVING IT NEITHER HAS MY SON. I DIDN'T GET ANY PAPERWORK WHEN IT WAS FIXED SO I CAN'T GIVE U THAT. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2020 | ENGINE | WARNING SIGN SAYS CHECK ENGINE OIL PRESSURE, THE WARNING SIGN ONLY APPEARS WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 34,962 |
| Dec 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | CARBON MONOXIDE IS GETING INTO THE CABIN. I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER BUT THE CAN FOX IT. ITS BEEN 5 TIMES. TODAS I TURNER BACK TO THE DEALER. HEY BEEN VERY IRRESPONSABLE. CARBON MONOXIDE IS A VERY DANGER GAS AND I DON'T GOOGLE TO EXPOSE MY FAMILY FUE YO TOUR INRRESPOSABILITY. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2019 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,000 |
| Nov 2019 | AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | BOTH. VEHICLES WERE MOVING. THE EXPLORER FRONT HIT THE RIGHT REAR PANEL OF A 2011 FORD RANGER. BOTH VEHICLES WERE GOING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. NO INJURIES SUSTAINED BY EITHER DRIVER. MY FORD EXPLORER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS ON A CITY STREET THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS JUST BEGINNING TO TURN. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Nov 2019 | SUSPENSION | VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON A SMOOTH STRAIT STRETCH OF ROAD WHEN A LOUD BACK WAS HEARD AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING RESULTING IN STRIKING THE CURB AS IT CAME TO A STOP. UPON INSPECTION IT APPEARS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED JUST BEFORE THE BALLJOINT AND HAD BROKEN IN HALF. THIS APPEARS IT'S AN ISSUE ACROSS A RANGE IF EXPLORERS THAT UTILIZE THE SAME CONTROL ARM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,000 |
| Nov 2019 | SEAT BELTS,SEATS | VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A PICK-UP TRUCK DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. UPON IMPACT MY VEHICLE'S FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED INTO THE BACK SEATS CAUSING THE SEAT BELTS TO BE INEFFECTIVE. AS A RESULT THE PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AS THE TRAFFIC WAS AT A STANDSTILL. THE VEHICLE THAT STRUCK MY VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 28,000 |
| Oct 2019 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | STARTING WHIT A NOISE PROBLEM ON ENGINE WE BRING THE VEHICLE TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEM SAID WAS NOT A PROBLEM 2 MONTHS LATER WE ARE HERE ON SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM, BRAKE NOISE, TO MUCH PROBLEMS. WE BUY A NEW CAR TO AVOID THIS PROBLEMS AND ISSUES WASTING OUR TIME. AND MONEY. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2019 | ENGINE | CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF A 2018 FORD INTERCEPTOR UTILITY (A HONEYWELL BWC2R-M CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE HISTORY OF CARBON MONOXIDE ISSUES WITH THESE VEHICLES). ON OCTOBER 21, 2019 TWO OFFICERS WERE PATROLLING IN THE 2018 FORD INTERCEPTOR UTILITY. THE OFFICER WERE ACCELERATING QUICKLY AS THEY ENTERED THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM ACTIVATED. THE OFFICER STOPPED ACCELERATING AND ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS. THE CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM RESET AND NO FURTHER ACTIVATIONS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.(THIS REPORT CAME A MONTH AFTER ANOTHER OF THE CITY'S FORD INTERCEPTOR UTILITY VEHICLES WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A FOUL ODOR AND THE EGR PURGE VALVE WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED BACK IN SERVICE AND WITHIN A WEEK THE CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM ACTIVATED AGAIN. FORD WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE PASSENGER CABIN SO NO REPAIRS WERE DONE.) | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,000 |
| Oct 2019 | TIRES | 2018 FORD EXPLORER. HANKOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2 TIRES. SIZE 255/50 R20 105H NO CRASH. MILEAGE !2,066 MILES. TIRES ARE CRACKING AND SEPARATING WITH CHUNKS FLYING OFF AS I DRIVE. FORD OFFERED ME $500 TOWARDS REPLACING THE 4 TIRES FOR THE SAME BRAND. THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND THAT I FEEL SAFE WITH. I WILL BE RUNNING INTO THE SAME ISSUES. THESE TIRES NEED TO BE RECALLED! | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Oct 2019 | WHEELS | HANKOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2 TIRES IN 255/50R20 ARE LOOSING CHUNKS OF RUBBER AND HAVE 20,000 MILES ON THEM. ORIGINAL TIRES ON 2018 FORD EXPLORER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Oct 2019 | TIRES | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2 TIRES, SIZE: 255/50R20. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRE THREAD WERE PREMATURELY WORN. THE CONTACT HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AND ALSO NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRES ALSO HAD LOOSE THREAD AND CRACKS. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Oct 2019 | STRUCTURE | I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW FORD EXPLORER, THE PASSENGER DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH. RAY SKILLMAN DEALERSHIP HAVE TO "FIX" THE DOOR THAT WAS TWISTED AND WARPED. THEN IT LEAKED. THEY PUT ON A NEW GASKET. IT STILL LEAKS AND SOAKS ME WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR AFTER A RAIN. SO FORD TOLD ME THEY WOULD SEND A FIELD INSPECTOR TO CHECK MY VEHICLE MY EXPLORER SAT AT RAY SKILLMAN FORD A WEEK, NO ONE FROM FORD CAME. NOW THE PATRONIZE ME. I PAY ALMOST 900 A MONTH FOR THIS NEW EXPLORER, AND I NOTICE THINGS ARE SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT, LIKE THE PANELS DOORS, ECT. THE DOOR WAS POPPING OPEN WHILE LOCKED, WHICH SET THE ALARM OFF ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT. THEY WILL DO NOTHING. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS NEW VEHICLE. FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT. I HAVE MADE 12 COMPLAINTS TO THE FORD COMPANY COMPLAINT LINE. THEY DO NOT CARE. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN WHEN THE DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING, THEY HAD IT FOR 3 DAYS, REFUSED TO GIVE ME A RECEIPT FOR WHAT THEY DID. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT | Crash: No Fire: No | 237 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THERE IS A STRONG EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE UNDER MEDIUM/HEAVY ACCELERATION. IT COMES THROUGH THE A/C VENTS AND IS WAY STRONGER IN THE REAR BACK SEATS THAN THE FRONT SEATS. I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS FOR A FEW MILES TO LET IT AIR OUT. ONCE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE SMELL WILL DISAPPEAR UNTIL YOU START CLIMBING A HILL OR STEEP GRADE OR YOU WERE FORCED TO SLOW DOWN AND GET BACK UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DEALER HAS STATED THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE MY CONCERNS. I HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN THAT ALL RIDE IN THE BACK PLEASE TELL ME WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS AT THIS POINT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 350 |
| Sep 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | STRONG SMELL OF EXHAUST AND ROTTEN EGGS ENTERED THE CABIN 5 TIMES DURING A 4 HOUR ROAD TRIP DURING ACCELERATION AND AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE SMELL CAUSED HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE OPENED TO RELIEVE THE SMELL. THE ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP ON THE NEXT POSSIBLE BUSINESS DAY AFTER OCCURRING FOR REVIEW IN A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF THAT DATE. NUMEROUS TSB (FOR PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS 2011-2017) AND COMPLAINTS (FOR MODEL YEARS INCLUDING 2018) FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND IN ONLINE SEARCHES. AT THE TIME OF RECORDING THIS COMPLAINT, MY TRUCK IS STILL WITH THE DEALERSHIP UNDER REVIEW. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,000 |
| Sep 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | HANKOOK TIRES - 255/50R20 105H VENUS S1/S2 - HAD ONLY 2/32ND TREAD AFTER 21,000 MILES. THESE TIRES CAME ON MY 2018 FORD EXPLORER, WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. BOTH FORD AND HANKOOK TIRES KNEW ABOUT THE ACCELERATED WEAR ISSUE WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, BUT NEITHER COMPANY MADE ME AWARE OF IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,584 |
| Sep 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | EXHAUST IN THE CABIN - HAPPENS DURNING AND AFTER ACCELERATION. OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDER STRESS ON AN INCLINE, HILLCLIMB OR PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE.BOUGHT VEHICLE IN NOV. 2018 AND WERE TOLD THAT EXHAUST SMELL PROBLEMS DID NOT EFFECT 2018 OR 2019. SO WE BOUGHT IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,430 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | BECOMING ILL WHILE DRIVING 2018 FORD EXPLORER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AFTER AN HOUR OR SO OF INTERSTATE DRIVING I FELT AS IF I WAS GOING TO PASS OUT, ALSO EXPERIENCED DIZZINESS, HEADACHE, NAUSEA, DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING, AND ANXIETY. SYMPTOMS BECAME MORE SEVERE AFTER EACH TRIP. FINALLY, AFTER MY DAUGHTER ALSO EXPERIENCED DIZZINESS WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, I RESEARCHED OTHER DRIVERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND REALIZED OTHER FORD EXPLORER DRIVERS WERE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR SYMPTOMS FROM CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH AND BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR FORD DEALERSHIP, IT WAS RECOMMENDED INSTALLING A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR. IT WAS INSTALLED AND THE PRESENCE OF CARBON MONOXIDE WAS DETECTED. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALSHIP. THIS CASE IS NOW WITH THE FORD OFFICE OF COUNSEL AND I HAVEN'T HAD ANY INFORMATION OR CORRESPONDENCE FROM FORD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE PROBLEM IS EXHAUST IN THE CABIN... INTERMITTENT AND HAPPENS DURING ACCELERATION. OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDER STRESS ON AN INCLINE OR PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE... CASE NUMBERS; CAS 22351032 CAS 15942505 CAS 22265738 I SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD IT DIDN'T AFFECT THE 2018 MODELS.. SERVICE DEPT CALLED THE FORD TECH HOTLINE AND PERFORMED ALL THE PROCEDURES THE ENGINEERS REQUESTED AND DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | ON HARD ACCELERATION EXHAUST FUME GETS INSIDE THE CABIN EVEN WHEN THE A/C IS ON CIRCULATING MODE. WHEN PARKED ON IDLE WITH A/C CIRCULATING MODE TOXIC SMELL GETS IN THE CABIN TOO. IT CAN BE SMELLED OR DETECTED MORE ON THE RUBBER DOOR SEALS AROUND THE VEHICLE. TOOK IT TO FORD MULTIPLE TIMES BUT THEY CANNOT SOLVE THE ISSUE. IM WORRIED ABOUT MY FAMILY'S HEALTH. FORD USA GAVE ME 40,000 MILES FREE OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION TO MAKE ME FEEL A LITTLE BETTER. I THINK THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM OF FORD EXPLORER. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | STRUCTURE | THE 2018 FORD EXPLORER XLT WITH BLACK PLASTIC ROOF RACKS. I HAVE HAD A RACK BLOW OFF TWICE IN HIGHER SPEED SITUATIONS! THREE TIMES TO DEALERSHIP, REPLACED NOW, TRIED NEW CLIPS, TRIED GLUEING, THEY STILL CANNOT CORRECT, AND ARE UNWILLING TO FULLY REPLACE BOTH RACKS ENTIRELY UNLESS IT FLIES OFF AGAIN. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! I WAS TRAVELING 50MPH WHEN I WATCHED IT LAND IN THE ROAD. HAD A CAR BEEN BEHIND ME AND SWERVED TO MISS IT, ACCIDENT FOR SURE! A MOTORCYCLIST OR HORSE DRAW BUGGY COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FATALITY. THIS IS NOT A SMALL PART, IT'S A LONG LUGGAGE RACK RAIL. ACCORDING TO CUSTOMERS ONLINE, FORD HAS DONE MANY OF THESE REPAIRS ON MANY EXPLORERS AND NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR AT LEAST CHANGED THE PART ? DOES A HUMAN HAVE TO GET INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE SOMETHING GETS ACCOMPLISHED? | Crash: No Fire: No | 17,000 |
| Jul 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THE CAR SAT FOR 7 DAYS (WE ARE RETIRED) AND THE STARTER BUTTON DID NOT RESPOND ON THE FIRST TWO TRIES TO START ENGINE. IT HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS. IF LEFT AT AN AIRPORT, WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN STRANDED. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE IS THE HIGH CURRENT DRAIN FOR THE WIFI AND OTHER ELECTRONICS GOING ON. THE DEALER SAID TO CHECK BATTERY. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR UNLESS THE CAR IS UNUSED FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,300 |