2018 Ford Explorer problems & reliability
716 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Explorer, alongside 7 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
13 complaints report injuries (13 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Ford Explorer vehicles were involved in 129 fatal crashes with 28 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 286 | 40% |
| Unknown OR Other | 162 | 23% |
| Engine | 94 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 57 | 8% |
| Power Train | 46 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 29 | 4% |
| Back Over Prevention | 26 | 4% |
| Suspension | 21 | 3% |
| Steering | 20 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 19 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 55,000 miles (middle 50% between 24,000 and 86,000 miles), based on 261 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“On March 25, 2026, an authorized Ford dealership in Florida performed a safety recall involving the rear suspension toe links. The recall addressed a condition that Ford states can result in loss of steering control and increased crash risk. After the recall was completed, I drove approximately 1,200 miles home…”
Suspension · filed Aug 4, 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 26V448000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, one of the windshield exterior…”
Structure · filed Jul 23, 2026
“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 and stated that parts would be over a year to for the availability. The contact stated that the…”
Structure · filed Jul 22, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Windshield trim molding Item detachment
Preliminary Evaluation PE23001 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Feb 8, 2024 · led to recall 24V031
- Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls
Audit Query AQ22003 · opened Dec 16, 2022 · open
Technical service bulletins
190 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Explorer. The 10 most recent:
NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E10 - Supplement #1 Certain 2018-2020 Model Year F-150 Vehicles With 3.3L Engines and 2016-2019 Model Year Explorer, Taurus, and Flex Vehicles With 3.5L Engines Powertrain…
25E10-S1 · Emissions · issued Jul 2, 2026
Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explorer, 2019-2020 Model Year Fusion, 2016-2018 Model Year Focus RS, 2022-2024 Model…
25B51 · Other · issued May 9, 2026
Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
25N17 · Other · issued Mar 25, 2026
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated…
SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display…
TSB 25-2570 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 26, 2025
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in…
SSM 54366 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 12, 2025
"Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions: • Customer concern of a vibration or rough idle in D or R • Shudder while driving • Lack of engine RPM •…
TSB 25-2005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 24, 2025
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024…
SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 10, 2024
This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ…
TSB 24-2165 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 27, 2024
Some 2018-2019 Explorer and 2018-2024 Transit/F-150/Expedition/Navigator vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0627, P025A, P025B, P00C6, P008A and/or U0109 stored in the…
SSM 52483 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 25, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 Ford Explorer has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 Ford Explorer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 55,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.