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Owner complaints, NHTSA recalls and a reliability grade for each model year, from public NHTSA data. Pick a year:
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the Ford Explorer are highest for the 2016 model year (2,460) and lowest for 2024 (21). The worst three-year run in this table is 2015–2017, with 5,972 complaints. The complaint area that most often tops a year’s list is Structure (5 of 11 years). Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare years of a similar age.
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Top complaint area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 102 | 20 | Electrical System |
| 2024 | 21 | 10 | Visibility/wiper |
| 2023 | 110 | 15 | Steering |
| 2022 | 268 | 24 | Power Train |
| 2021 | 441 | 26 | Power Train |
| 2020 | 1,228 | 33 | Power Train |
| 2019 | 299 | 6 | Structure |
| 2018 | 732 | 7 | Structure |
| 2017 | 1,708 | 14 | Structure |
| 2016 | 2,460 | 15 | Structure |
| 2015 | 1,804 | 9 | Structure |
Counts are a snapshot of NHTSA data from October 2026 (distinct owner complaints and recall campaigns). Open a year for the current numbers, the recalls and the most common problems.
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