Complaint volume
694 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
2018 Ford Explorer Complaints
694 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Ford Explorer, grouped by component category.
694 Total complaints
12 Crash reports
7 Fire reports
12 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
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.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 12 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 clue
Mileage is available on 281 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 53,203 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to structure, unknown or other, engine?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Ford Explorer?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Ford Explorer
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Ford Explorer complaints?
12 Crash
7 Fire
12 Injury
0 Fatality
29 Towed
5 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Ford Explorer complaint categories?
STRUCTURE 248
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 113
ENGINE 55
POWER TRAIN 25
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 20
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 18
SUSPENSION 14
BACK OVER PREVENTION 12
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 11
STEERING 10
694 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer and Jarrett Scott Ford of Plant City (2000 E Baker St, Plant City, FL 33563); were made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated upon further inspection, the contact became aware that the front passenger’s side A-pillar trim was loose. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 93,000 |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving 65 MHP on the highway, the pillar A-pillar trim detached and separated from the vehicle. On another occasion, while driving on the highway at 70 MPH, another trim piece detached and separated from the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 82,408. VIN tool confirms parts are not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 82,408 |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I purchased the 2018 Ford Explorer and it worked fine there were no issues when I bought it on 7/8/2024 as of 2/14/25 the coolant leaks and I have been adding coolant like crazy. Are there any defective parts on the 2018 Ford Explorer? I had only a 90 day warranty through CARMAX. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | Roof rails are coming detached in the rear of vehicle which was found at the dealership before purchasing and pointed out to the salesman. He said that the Ford dealership would take care of this problem at a later date after the purchase. I told him of the importance of needing the roof rails secured on the vehicle. He said no problem that the dealership would take care of this with either a pin kit or just replace them. Now that vehicle is in for service and the sales department is saying that they will not cover the price of the fix. I think that this should be part of the roof rail recall or the roof rail recall should be expanded to cover my vehicle. Car was purchased on 11/25/2024. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the A-pillar trim on the passenger’s side of the vehicle was raised up by the slipstream and was blown off the vehicle. The contact stated that the driver's side A-pillar trim was also rising up but had not been blown off the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 130,000 |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the driver's side A-pillar trim had detached. The failure mileage was 150,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 150,000 |
| Feb 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Torque converter failed at 60k miles. Engine failure at 110k miles while driving causing risk of serious injury due to being stranded in the road. Transmission failure at 127k miles causing risk of serious injury or death due to failing while driving. Driver was unable to accelerate vehicle in automatic (rpms would increase to unsafe levels but no speed was gained). Driver able to switch to Sporty mode and manually switch between gears enough to safely exit the highway. This particular model of the Explorer has been a mess and a headache from day one! Attempted to request a buyback from Ford, which was denied. Ford did provide partial assistance with the replacement of the engine, but refuse to provide any assistance with the transmission failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | POWER TRAIN | I bought my 2018 Explorer in July of 2024, End of November 2024 it was completely dead no power what so ever, got it jumped and replaced the battery. Things had been going well until the middle of January I had to jump it every day took it to my dealership they tested the battery and said it had a bad cell, I took the battery back to where I bought it and had it replaced everything went fine again for a week and back to jumping it every single day except this time it would even jump with a jumper pack. There is no lights or warnings on at all indicating at problem | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufactured had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The High-Speed Cooling Fan Motor Relay (Recall 21N01) and the Exterior A-Pillar Apical Molding (Recall 24V031) failed on my vehicle. The cooling fan caused the engine to overheat repeatedly, and the vehicle became undrivable. Unfortunately, I no longer have the vehicle, as it was surrendered to my bank and later sold at auction. However, service records, diagnostic reports, and recall information are available upon request. The overheating engine presented a significant safety risk while driving, as it could have caused the vehicle to stall or catch fire. A AAA roadside technician confirmed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the overheating issue. This defect left me stranded, requiring alternative transportation and creating a hazard for others on the road had I continued driving the vehicle. Yes, the problem was confirmed by a AAA roadside technician, who performed a diagnostic scan and identified that the engine overheating was due to a defective cooling fan relay. The issue aligns with Recall 21N01. The molding defect (Recall 24V031) was not specifically inspected, but it was noted as part of the recall documentation. No, the vehicle was not inspected by Ford or any other representatives after the issues arose. I checked Ford’s website in February 2024 and learned about the recalls, but I was never notified by Ford about these safety defects while I owned the vehicle. AAA provided the only diagnostic assessment before I surrendered the vehicle to my bank. Yes, there were symptoms prior to the failure. The vehicle’s engine temperature warning light came on repeatedly, and the battery required constant recharging. The overheating symptoms first appeared in February 2024, and the vehicle became completely undrivable the next day. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the A-pillar trim on the passenger’s side was loosened at the top of the trim. Additionally, the rubber gasket around the windshield at the bottom of the windshield under the windshield wipers, was loosened and disintegrating. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Feb 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Description In some of the affected vehicles it may be possible that some of the exterior a-pillar applique trim clip attachments are not properly engaged due to improper assembly or repair. If this occurs, the a-pillar applique trim, which borders the right and left side of the windshield, may be loose, missing or become detached. Safety Risk An exterior a-pillar trim part that detaches while driving can create a road hazard for other road users, increasing the risk of a crash. I bought the car Jauary 19, 2024. The parts to fix this was supposed to be here by fall of 2024. This is affecting my job and will not be able to work soon. I do uber and they want this fixed or they will cancel me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | ENGINE | My 2018 Ford Explorer rolled backwards down a hill while in park and engine off. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufactured had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |