Complaint volume
398 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
2021 Ford Explorer Complaints
398 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Ford Explorer, grouped by component category.
398 Total complaints
13 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
13 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 power train, unknown or other, back over prevention. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 13 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 13 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 93 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 43,564 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to power train, unknown or other, back over prevention?
- 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 2021 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.
2021 Ford Explorer
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Ford Explorer complaints?
13 Crash
5 Fire
13 Injury
0 Fatality
24 Towed
8 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Ford Explorer complaint categories?
POWER TRAIN 78
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 54
BACK OVER PREVENTION 23
ENGINE 20
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17
STRUCTURE 15
VISIBILITY/WIPER 15
SEATS 10
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 9
VISIBILITY 9
398 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I was driving and pressed the button to open my sunroof (which has a powered sunshade) but the sunshade dropped down on top of the 2nd row seats, blocking my view through my rear view mirror and rear window completely. I made an appointment with my Ford dealer the next day. The dealer had my vehicle for over 30 days waiting for parts to fix the tensioner system that pulls the powered sunshade back in order for the sunroof to open. I've seen in multiple forums online that this has happened to a lot of other people that has this option on their Ford Explorers (2020-2024) models. This was definitely a safety hazard as I was unable to see anything behind me while I was moving and luckily I didn't panic. I pulled over slowly to the soft shoulder in order to try and get the sunshade to at least go back to it's "closed" state which it finally did after trying for a few minutes. I think Ford needs to make this a recall because of the safety issues of this blocking the view of the driver. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The auto/stop start system is malfunctioning. When I stop at a stop sign, or to turn left, the vehicle stops, but then does not turn on again when I press the gas pedal. Instead, I have to place the car in park and manually restart the engine. This has happened four times over a 2-month period. Sometimes it takes me 30 seconds to turn the car back on. This is harrowing when I am suddenly stuck in the middle of the road. I took my vehicle to the Ford Dealership after it happened three times. They had my vehicle for 3 weeks but could not find anything wrong, and the incident did not happen again. I’ve had my vehicle back for 6 days, and it happened again today at a stop sign. Suddenly, there was a message on my screen to place my car in park and restart the engine. There were many other cars waiting for me to turn. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | Automatic roll up sun shade for the sunroof sags and does not retract anymore, causing visibility issues as it droops down. Car is out of factory bumper to bumper warranty, currently 52k miles, and the aftermarket warranty does not cover the shade. Ford quoted over $2000 for fix, when this is a manufacturer's defect and many cars are affected. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was sticking on three occasions. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in a parking lot, the contact had to raise the brake pedal with her foot after the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that it felt like the parking brake was engaged. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power brake booster was inoperable. The part: L1MZ2005K - Ford Power brake booster was on back order for a month. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who repaired the brakes, and informed the contact that the required parts were on back order for three months. The contact called the manufacturer, who confirmed the status of the parts, and that there was no release date for the parts. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 85,000 |
| Aug 2025 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | My vehicle is equipped with a panoramic sunroof, furthermore the panoramic sunroof has a sliding screen to block out the sun when the owner prefers to block the sun. The issue is with the panoramic sunroof screen, this particular screen also slides on rails below the glass window from the panoramic sunroof. The sliders from the screen part seem to break and cause the screen to sag downward blocking the view from the rear view mirror. In which case it’s a safety hazard for the passengers and public due to limited visibility. Furthermore, it also blocks the view of monitoring the rear passengers in which in this case they are toddlers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Sunroof shade did not retract properly when opened and sagged down low enough to block visibility to the rear of the vehicle while driving. Not only was rear visibility entirely cut off, rear passengers are affected as the shade hangs down well into the back seat area. I will be taking this to the dealer, problem is reproduced as well as documented by many online. There were no warnings prior to failure. This is clearly an issue with the design and a recall should be issued to all affected. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Center console cup holder base failure causing items to fall through and into the interior of the console. My key fob fell through the bottom and required nearly an hour to be retrieved. The problem is persistent with anything placed into the cup holder. This issue is common and well documented on forums and social media. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The transmission failed. The electrical component also failed | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Panoramic sunroof fail for 2nd time repair is close to 2000$ I’m not going to paid again this is a ford design issue not a owner fault Panoramic roof have some plastic click that hold the shade and they got brake or damage by itself causing the shade felt, ford rapair is close to 1.8k$ I paid one when I first bought the car now after the Texas freeze when I was closing the system I heard the clicks braking and then we have the same issue with the panoramic shade got weak and there is no way to fixed just the deal and the price is close to 2000$ for a internal design there is several people with this same issue this is a internal fault design not a owner fault | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS,ENGINE | Recall Action Soon Issue Since 06-20-2025 Unrequested second-row seat movement For More Information Telematics Generated Issue | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Recall Action Soon Issue Since 06-20-2025 Unrequested second-row seat movement Unrequested second-row seat movement Recall incomplete Recall service not available right now. We have a remedy but parts are not available right now. We will inform you when the service is available. Or, you can contact your dealer. Contact Dealer Issue Date 2025-06-13 Campaign 25S67/25V393 Description On your vehicle, it is possible that the easy entry seat fold switch on the second-row outboard seats may bind or stick if its surrounding trim bezel was installed incorrectly. If the button is stuck in the down position, the seat may unlatch, fold and or slide unexpectedly, potentially while driving. Safety Risk A seat that unexpectedly folds or slides while driving could increase the risk of injury, particularly in a crash. Remedy Ford Motor Company is working to provide parts for this repair. When the remedy becomes available, Ford Motor Company will notify you via mail to schedule a service appointment with your dealer for repairs to be completed free of charge. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-30 MPH, the vehicle stalled, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 55,000 |
| Jul 2025 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | my explorer has a 10 speed transmission, and its REALLY heavy on shifting like it is missing shifts or slipping, it will shoot up in rpms to the 7-8k mark and jerk forward, this will happen every few minutes when varying speed, driving through residential areas or normal trafficways not including the highway, however on the highway it has a tendency to feel as if it loses power and regains it, dropping rpms and shooting back up to 4-5k rpm, and dropping back down to around 2k. today i had the incident where the car jerked hard after a shift, gave me prompts on the dash about seeing the manual, and that drive modes are not available. this has happened in the past month before multiple times, however this time i lost all power to acceleration going down the road, ended up just coasting to a stop on a road that speed limit is 55 mph. this made me panic, because i could have possibly been rear ended, or in any other case could have been hit if my car would not have properly been able to accelerate. the car has had similar problems reported from previous owners and they have been taken into a dealership for repairs of which did not fix the problem or the problem is reoccurring. there are no warning lamps prior to the jerkiness of shifting and loss of acceleration because of it. it will jerk a handful of times and eventually give me the "see manual" prompt after the initial problem was noticed, i decided to look online for answers as to what was wrong and it seems like this is a reoccurring problem with vehicles similar to mine. Hopefully it hasnt caused and injuries, but it definitely has the possibility to from what i have experienced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Fabric for sunroof shade sags making the rearview mirror un usable due to the fabric sag obstruction. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating and decelerated unintendedly. The contact stated that the failure mostly occurred during the warmer weather months. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 55,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 55,000 |
| Jul 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | I was stoped at a red light with cars in front of me and behind me when with my foot on the break the car accelerated forward like my foot was on the gas pedal but my foot was not on pedal, the car surged forward and came close to hitting the car in front of me I pressed the break and got stopped didn’t happen again but sometimes I can feel the car wanting to keep surging forward when breaking. If there is a problem this could cause me to hit someone in the rear or even worse could hit a pedestrian in the crosswalk please check this out | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her fiancé was driving 76 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 39,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 39,000 |
| Jul 2025 | LANE DEPARTURE | 2021 Ford Explorer •Problem: Blind Spot Detection / Sensor Malfunction •Description to copLeft-side blind spot sensor fails intermittently. It shows no warning when vehicles are in the blind spot, creating a risk during lane changes. I found Ford TSB 23-2048 confirms the issue. Dealer quoted $1,200 but this is a known factory problem and safety issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | SEATS | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V393000 (SEATS); 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 stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear passenger’s seat moved forward unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 80,000 |
| Jul 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Backup camera has failed again aftyer being programmed twice and replaced once under recall's. But now it's out completely. It has worked off and on since new. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that there was a gap between the body and the frame on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 74,000 |
| Jun 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission failed while driving leading to a sudden loss of power. Vehicle was hard to control after incident causing other vehicles to swerve around. Vehicle was taken to Ford dealership where it was recommended for a total transmission replacement due to internal transmission components that failed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | POWER TRAIN | 10 speed Transmission malfunction, needs replacing, | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | SEATS | The passenger 3rd row seat if the fold button is hit it can lock and pin a passenger. It wont release itself unless you try and hit the reset holding the 2 buttons simultaneously. Currently for safety reasons I taped that seats button and won't let anyone out in the 3rd row | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | AIR BAGS | The airbag burnt a hole in a cotton shirt and then left 2nd and 3 degree burns on my side. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |