Ford Explorer vs Ford Explorer Sport
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Ford Explorer
- Total complaints
- 34,267
- Avg per model year
- 857
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 116
- Most complained year
- 2002 (3,294)
Top problems: Power Train, Structure, Steering
Ford Explorer Sport
- Total complaints
- 708
- Avg per model year
- 74
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 5
- Most complained year
- 2001 (188)
Top problems: Structure, Power Train, Engine and Engine Cooling
Complaints by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer | Ford Explorer Sport | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 497 | 5 | ||
| 2004 | 1,304 | 18 | ||
| 2003 | 1,131 | 65 | ||
| 2002 | 3,294 | 133 | ||
| 2001 | 375 | 188 | ||
| 2000 | 952 | 71 | ||
| 1999 | 1,348 | 93 | ||
| 1998 | 1,959 | 121 | ||
| 1997 | 1,731 | 37 | ||
| 1993 | 939 | 5 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.