2024 Ford Explorer: Too new to judge

1. Air bags10% · 2 complaints
2. Seats and belts14% · 3 complaints
3. Driver assistance19% · 4 complaints
4. Suspension14% · 3 complaints
5. Steering10% · 2 complaints
6. Visibility14% · 3 complaints
7. Electrical10% · 2 complaints
8. Engine5% · 1 complaints
9. Powertrain5% · 1 complaints
10. Doors and latches5% · 1 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

• NHTSA 26V451000July 2026387,911 vehicles

  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.

  Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 26V371000June 202658 vehicles

  Power train: automatic transmission

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.

  Risk: A park system that is damaged may not shift into "PARK," resulting in a vehicle rollaway and increasing the risk of injury or crash.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect for park system damage and replace the park system components as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 26V159000March 2026561 vehicles

  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.

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

  Fix: Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 26V123000March 2026889,950 vehicles

  Back over prevention: software

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

  Risk: An incorrectly displayed rearview image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge.

• NHTSA 26V012000January 20262,403 vehicles

  Equipment: electrical: engine block heater

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

  Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

  Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied.

• NHTSA 25V687000October 20251,412 vehicles

  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.

  Risk: While towing a trailer, loose trailer hitch bolts can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, or cause the trailer to detach. Either of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 25V442000June 2025200,237 vehicles

  Back over prevention: software

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

  Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge.

• NHTSA 25V393000June 2025304,662 vehicles

  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.

  Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 24V852000November 202427,678 vehicles

  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."

  Risk: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

  Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge.

• NHTSA 24V685000September 202461 vehicles

  Hybrid propulsion system · Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery: cables

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 3.3L Hybrid engines. The 12-Volt battery cable may chafe against the Belt-integrated Starter Generat (BiSG) and short circuit.

  Risk: A short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

  Fix: Dealers will install a tie strap between the battery cable and high voltage cable, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Ford sent NHTSA 103 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2024 Explorer. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

• SSM 55100 · August 2026For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion cover J-clips, lower-level service parts are now available.
• SSM 54720 · April 2026Various 2020-2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with blind spot information system (BLIS) may experience an inoperative blind spot monitoring with a "Blind Spot System Fault" message displayed…
• 25N17 · March 2026Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
• SSM 54313 · October 2025Some 2020-2025 various Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with blind spot information system (BLIS) may experience an inoperative blind spot monitoring with a "Blind Spot System Fault" message…
• SSM 52776 · August 2024Some 2020-2025 Explorer/Aviator vehicles may have a concern where the second row outboard manual/power seats do not fold, exhibit excess effort to fold, or do not slide forward/backward easily.
• SSM 52390 · March 2024Some 2023-2024 Explorer vehicles built on or after 31-Jul-2023 (minor feature code J3KAJ which can be confirmed by double-clicking the VIN on PTS in the upper left corner) are no longer equipped with…
• SSM 55069 · August 2026Some 2020-2025 Explorer vehicles equipped with a power roof opening panel may exhibit a sunshield with localized bunching or binding/inoperative.
• SSM 55060 · August 2026Some 2024-2026 Explorer vehicles built on or before 27-Feb-2026 and equipped with the panoramic glass roof may exhibit an uneven gap at the front edge of the roof opening panel shield when fully…

All 2024 Explorer bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2024 Ford Explorer reliable?

The 2024 Ford Explorer has been on the road for 35 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 0.2× the rate other Explorer years drew in their first 35 months, per vehicle sold. Ratings compare Explorer years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.

What are the most common 2024 Explorer problems?

Owners' complaints most often involve the air bags (10%), the seats and seat belts (14%) and driver-assistance features and cameras (19%). A complaint can name more than one area.

Has the 2024 Ford Explorer been recalled?

Yes. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2024 Ford Explorer, the most recent in July 2026 (seats). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.