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The Ford Explorer, launched in 1990 as a 1991 model, is a top vehicle on the roads these days. The manufacturer claims that the SUV is “the ultimate exploration vehicle.”. But there is a growing volume of complaints from owners beset with problems relating to a faulty powertrain, a dangerous suspension fault, and various structural issues.
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Contents
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2022 Ford Explorer
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power Train | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Suspension | |
| Electrical System | |
| Engine | |
| Steering | |
| Structure:body | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Seat Belts |
Most Common Problems with the 2022 Ford Explorer
Powertrain problems top the list of complaints to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Suspension issues are also high on the list, although two of these are coupled with powertrain problems. There are also several complaints about the structure of the SUV.
In addition to these complaints, which we will look at more closely, there are complaints about 10 other components or structures. These are back over prevention, the electrical system, engine, forward collision avoidance, fuel system/gasoline, seat belts, brakes, vehicle speed control, visibility, and visibility/wiper.
In addition to 21 complaints about the 2022 Ford Explorer to the NHTSA, there are several recalls on file. The most recent of these, issued on September 14, 2022, warns that a fuel line may be loose. It states that, “An improperly tightened fuel line connection may result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of fire.”
A complaint made by an owner in Ohio relates to an Explorer “giving off strong exhaust fumes through the cabin.” This happened on May 14, long before the recall mentioned above. While the dealer confirmed the odors, they couldn’t find leaks and were unable to fix the problem. Perhaps the fuel line was loose. There is no indication of an outcome. Ironically, the complaint was filed on September 5, shortly before the recall was announced.
Powertrain Problems
There are several issues with the 2022 Explorer powertrain, including suspension defects.
An owner from Texas reports that the engine randomly disconnects from the transmission, and the vehicle starts idling. At the same time, it loses motive power while attempting to accelerate. The complaint states that this has happened on six separate occasions, lasting for about four minutes each time. During the failure, the message, “Brake Applied; Power Reduced” displays.
The local dealership replaced the brake sensors, but the failure continues to recur. At the time of the first failure, the SUV only had 1,200 miles on the clock.
In August 2022, an owner from Florida experienced a different problem with the SUV not going into reverse for 3-5 seconds. The complaint states that the “Car rolls forward for those 3-5 seconds, sometimes up to 20 feet depending on the slope.”
The suspension-related recall (see below) states that “a disconnected driveshaft can result in vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in ‘Park’ without the parking brake applied.” So, clearly this was the problem.
Powertrain & Suspension Defects
On April 19, 2022, a safety recall notice, 22S27, was issued by Ford Motor Company to all U.S. Ford and Lincoln dealers. The reason for the recall was “Rear Axle Bolt Fractures.” It warns that some affected vehicles have a rear axle mounting bolt that may fracture during vehicle acceleration. There is a fairly long explanation of what will happen. But, ultimately, “If the parking brake is not applied, the loss of the primary park torque will allow the vehicle to roll in park, increasing the risk of crash and injury.”
Ford warns dealers not to demonstrate or deliver any new vehicles they have in stock if they are involved in the safety recall.
On April 20, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation Enforcement acknowledged Ford Motor Company’s notification of a safety recall of certain 2022 Ford Explorer models from 202 to 2022. The recall potentially affects as many as 252,936 Explorers.
NHTSA Campaign number 22V255000, also mentioned in the previous section, is titled Vehicle Rollaway from Driveshaft Disconnect. The remedy is for dealers to “replace the bushing and axle cover, or update the electronic parking brake software,” depending on the vehicle model.
The problem is that three months after the recall was announced, NHTSA complaints show that parts to do the repair weren’t available.
Consumer Complaints
A complaint about the bolt issue emphasizes the seriousness of the issue. An owner from Virginia complained that Ford was offering “a software tweak to fix a very dangerous physical issue with all 20-22 Ford Explorers.” His argument was that this fixes “a software update that will reduce power to avoid acceleration which will put stress on the bolt. Ford decided to remove the second bolt from all the Explorers which subsequently will put stress on the one bolt they left intact. Ford needs to recall and put that bolt back on the subframe as the vehicle was originally designed to have.”
A complaint from an owner in Florida points out that the part required to do the driveshaft disconnect problem wasn’t available 3 months after receiving the recall notification.
Issues with the Vehicle Structure
There are 3 NHTSA complaints filed under the Structure category.
Ford isn’t immune to structure-related issues. It was only a few years back that models contained door latches that were faulty, causing false ‘door ajar’ warnings that caused plenty of panic, especially with children secured in the back. Thankfully, the warnings were a simple malfunction.
Yet another complaint reports that the rear liftgate randomly opens “when standing or walking near the rear, the rear left, or the rear right of the vehicle. In each situation, the key is on my person (pocket or purse) and the key fob is not being engaged in any manner.”
Faulty Latch
The owner of a 2022 Ford Explorer from California had a very nasty experience in his 2-month-old SUV. While driving at 25 mph on a city street, “the hood smashed into my front windshield. I have never opened the hood since purchasing the vehicle and the hood ajar light never lite up until after it smashed into my windshield.”
At the time of the complaint, Ford was reportedly “deferring responsibility.” The owner goes on to say: “Even if I wanted to open the hood, I would have to pull the open lever upwards six inches twice to open (which I never did). And even if I accidentally opened the hood, the door ajar light should have turned on, which it did not. This was very scary and I am very fortunate I did not run into another vehicle or object since it blocked all viability.”
Visibility Issues
Additionally, a complaint filed as Unknown or Other describes how the moonroof of a 2022 Explorer spontaneously shattered while in a parking lot. You can read more about this issue on our page about the class action investigation we have underway.
There is also a complaint filed under Visibility/Wiper that is also essentially a structural problem. An owner from Michigan states, “The windshield just cracked on its own, no rock hit it. I rolled down (the) side window to order food and when I rolled it up it spread all over and now leaking inside (the) windshield. Also, driving with side windows down, the windows vibrate.”
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
We have no idea what percentage of 2022 Ford Explorers are ‘lemons’ but from complaints to the NHTSA it is clear that some are. If you think your Explorer might be a lemon, we will assess your problem and advise you free of charge.
All you need do is fill in our contact form or call our Helpline. Remember that every year, auto manufacturers like Ford replace, buy back, or pay out cash settlements for vehicles deemed to be lemons. Ultimately, the law makes them pay the legal fees when lawyers are involved.
Complaint Data
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Feb 01, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Vehicle's steering wheel moves by it's self. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Feb 01, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The steering wheel moves back and forth by it's self. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Feb 01, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the steering wheel started moving independently from side to side, without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 207,000. |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Jan 31, 2023 |
| State | IL |
| Description | Rear tires when striking a pot hole create a loud noise in the rear of the vehicle on the side the tire strikes the pothole. Ford took me on a test drive on a brand new explorer hybrid with 26 miles on it and related it makes the same noise and at this time there is no fix in place. |
| Category | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera, Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Radar |
| Date | Jan 30, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | In late october, 2022, when reversing in my driveway, I hit a tree. The rear camera alert system did not notify me of the presence / closeness of the tree (lived here almost 6 years, should know of tree but heavily rely on the camera and alerts to let me know if I'm too close). On another day, my husband was in the car with me and as I was reversing - he said "your alert didn't go off, this is probably why you hit that tree." I was unaware until today (1/30) that there is an active recall on my car for this issue. I had the damage fixed in november at gerber collision center in sebastian fl (micco rd). The cost of the fix was 46 out of pocket (did not claim through insurance). Rear-driver side lamp, bumper, quarter panel. Invoice for repairs is included for detail in what all needed to be fixed. Pictures are not great and are after we taped the light on. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 30, 2023 |
| State | MI |
| Description | Driver side axel was out when I took my car in for my oil change and tire rotation. I was unaware of this issue due to this being my first oil change and tire rotation. I have called the dealership service department where I purchased the vehicle and also the dealership service who serviced my vehicle. I then called ford motor to report issue and was advised to contact nhtsa. The claim numbercas-41074552-d5v2y7. I was informed that I would have to wait until my vehicle breakdown in order to be covered or wait for a recall through ford. I was told I would have to pay out of pocket if I seek further service for fixing the issue without fords recall and there is a program that will pay me back if one becomes available. I was advised by taylor ford that they have come across a few of these issues with the exact same problem in the 2022 explorers. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Power Train |
| Date | Jan 24, 2023 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The powertrain failed together with the gearshift was shown in screen. Ther is also problem with the seat harness beacuse of wire problem. The car is available for inspection. There is huge risk in the passenger and others because there almost a lost control in the vehicle while running on the road. It is confirmed by the service center of ford. It was inspected by service center od ford. It is currently there because it is not safe to use. I bought the car as brandnew november 2022 then december in the same year it was started showing in the screen the sign of powertrain malfunction. Now january 2023 I still have the same problem and I left the car in the ford center service. It is not safe to use especially I have my 3months old baby and my wife using it. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 07, 2023 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | While driving uphill on freeway the ford explorer lost all power going about 60mph. The warning of a wrench symbol came on indicating power train malfunction. Our mileage was at only 665 and after 10pm. Thankfully there was an adequate shoulder to pull off the road. It was not duplicated in the dealership. Turning off the power reset everything but now the dealership is replacing the entire transmission per ford motor company. There was a burning smell but wasn't positive it was coming from the explorer or a fire nearby. |
| Category | Seat Belts |
| Date | Dec 26, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | During a 2000 mile road trip, the front passenger seatbelt was nearly cut through at the point where the seatbelt exits the tensioner above the passenger's right shoulder. The location of the cut along the length of the webbing aligns with the position of the webbing when the seatbelt was in use by the front passenger. Based upon the location and nature of the cut, it appears that some surface within the assembly was sharp enough to cut through the section of belt. There were no injuries associated with this incident. The vehicle was parked as soon as we reached our destination and no passengers are allowed to sit in the front right passenger seat until the issue is corrected. The seat belt tensioner / pre-tensioner assembly was examined by the ford dealership in taber, ab, canada on 22 dec 2022. The dealership confirmed that the issue was a warranty repair, but they were unable to provide a replacement part in the amount of time we had left in taber as we were still in transit. When we reached our destination in pierceland, sk, I ordered the replacement tensioner from / through the nearest ford dealership (cold lake, ab). I have an appointment to have seatbelt assembly replaced tomorrow (27 dec 2022) at that dealership. The seat belt tensioner assembly |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Dec 23, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | When trying to shift from drive to reverse, the transmission delays going into reverse for 3 seconds. While this is going on, the car is basically in neutral. After three seconds it goes into gear. Does not happen when going from park to reverse! Dealer checked it, he says, and they didn't find anything wrong on scanning it. Explorer has hard shifts in the lower gears and today I gave it some gas to accelerate and it kept accelerating when I took my foot off the gas pedal. This has been going on for quite some time. What if I have to backup to avoid someone hitting me at a light or stopped in traffic? |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Dec 13, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Power liftgate does not close properly, resulting in the hatch automatically reopening after attempting to close. This has also resulted in the liftgate actually opening while the vehicle was in motion. |
| Category | Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes |
| Date | Dec 10, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | While waiting on red lights and brake pedal has applied pressure the car will still keep rolling forward. Car is new less then 30 days. Dealership confirmed andhas had my vehicle over 50 days. Dealership will not provide me a service record to date after multiple requests in writing and verbally. Car dropped off at dealership 10/24 and to date is still there 12/10. Pursuing lemon. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 04, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Ford explorer xlt 2022. Wind noise at highway speed 55 mph up. Both front doors. 1fmsk7dhxnga12761 |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Nov 29, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | 4 days after purchase car started shutting off after cranking. Sometimes it would be just once and sometimes it could be up to 4 times within the first 1-2 min of attempted driving. It would re-crank easily each time but by the time you would reach for seatbelt, it would stall. Sometimes you could put it in gear and drive a few yards and it would stall. This only happened with me in the mornings and no more through the day. It has now been with the local ford dealership for 3 weeks. They replaced a vapor valve that they believe was stuck open within the first day of having it. When I picked it up and cranked it, it shut off again. Twice while I was at dealership so I left it again. Have not gotten back as of today which is 3 weeks now. |
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Nov 22, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary and idling in a pharmacy drive-thru line with the auto hold parking feature activated, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove forward driving over a median divider and crashing into a parked vehicle. The contact indicated that the auto-hold parking feature was activated but malfunctioned. During the crash, no air bags were deployed and no injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 6,500. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Nov 21, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds in the rain, the windshield wipers were engaged but failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the windshield wipers were not wiping water off the windshield as the rubber on the wiper blades were defective. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the nhtsa hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 500. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Nov 21, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds in the rain, the windshield wipers were engaged but failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the windshield wipers were not wiping water off the windshield as the rubber on the wipers was defective. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the nhtsa hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 500. |
| Category | Engine, Power Train, Service Brakes |
| Date | Nov 03, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine randomly disconnected from the transmission and the vehicle started idling while losing motive power while attempting to accelerate. During the failure the message "brake applied; power reduced" was displayed. The contact indicated that the failure occurred on six separate occasions and lasted approximately four minutes each time. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the brake sensors, but the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 1,200. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Nov 02, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Suv not going into reverse for 3-5 seconds. Car rolls forward for those 3-5 seconds, sometimes up to 20 feet depending on the slope. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Oct 07, 2022 |
| State | UT |
| Description | The vehicle is not engaging properly when putting vehicle in reverse. There is major lag in time from car is put into reverse and the car actually engaging in reverse. The car will roll until reverse kicks in. This is happening intermittently, but becoming more frequent. We are taking it to dealer to see what they say. It's been happening since july 2022 to present |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 05, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Navigation system started to re route my waypoint making me go to a location that was not enter in the system. Car has been access remotly apparently by the ford pass app. My location has been disclose and my security put at risk several times. Automatic emergency braking will activate at any moment even when not necessary. There is a big security risk and concerns on ford pass app and ford security system is totally vulnerable. Car is been inspected by the insurance company car unsafe to drive car was taken to ford dealership and they where unable to identify the issues. After that car was taken to a insurance location for deep inspection. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 05, 2022 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Brand new 2022 ford explorer timberline purchased may 14th of this year. While accelerating, our vehicle is giving off strong exhaust fumes through the cabin. The fowl odor coming through the vents made a carbon monoxide monitor go off. The smells have been intermittent and have no rhyme or reason when this occurs, but only when we are driving wether it's on the freeways, or through residential areas. This has been a consumer safety concern while driving my family around in fumes, since we purchased the vehicle, and to include we've made 8 trips to the dealership and they've attempted to pin point and rectify our complaint and unfortunatley haven't been successful. It has been to another dealership for a second opinion, and they have too, smelled the odors while driving but didn't inspect further. The vehicle only has 5700 miles on it and is not safe to drive. It is back at the dealership we purchased it from, and further diagnosing has been conducted, but the service manager claims they have found no leaks. They also replaced two components under warranty that haven't been related to our complaint. |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Aug 31, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | I have not had an incident but I was told by a ford dealership that a recall would be applicable to my 2022 ford explorer st-line, 2. 3l engine. The dealer stated that the rear suspension cross member only has one bolt. Ford put out notification to all dealers several months ago that that one bolt may fracture possibly causing the vehicle to not stay stopped while in park. A fix was to have been provided to dealers in june. I have not received any recall notification as of this date, 31 aug. Please research this to see if my vehicle is indeed affected by this issue. Thank you. |
| Category | Back Over Prevention: Rearview System Braking, Back Over Prevention: Warnings, Electrical System |
| Date | Aug 23, 2022 |
| State | NM |
| Description | Apim module failure at 148 miles on a brand new 2022 explorer xlt. Sync display went black. No response to touch. No warning lamps or alerts. Radio still plays and can be controlled by steering wheel controls. Contacted dealer and they said to disconnect negative battery terminal for more than 30 minutes. Performed requested action. Display is still dark. No reverse camera or safety (adas) functions. Took it to dealer again and they ran diagnostics to determine apim module failure. So now I have a brand new explorer with reduced safety features and no center console display. I cannot control any adas or radio features. Dealer has no estimated timeline for repair. Dealer also stated that they are getting apim module failures daily. |
| Category | Back Over Prevention, Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance |
| Date | Aug 22, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the forward collision avoidance system activated without incident. The contact also stated that the back over prevention camera would display several errors while in use. Additionally, the thermostat would indicate the wrong vehicle temperature causing the engine hot warning message to appear on the instrument panel. The thermostat and the back over prevention camera sensors were both replaced. The forward collision avoidance sensors were also replaced; however, the failure returned a month after repair. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 7,700. |
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal |
| Date | Aug 12, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated while his fiancé was at a complete stop, the auto-hold mode designed to maintain the brake pedal depressed was engaged. However, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly and crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front of him. There was no warning light illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated it was a minor crash. The contact's fiancé did not sustain any injuries. The driver of the other vehicle sustained unknown injuries and sought medical assistance. A police report was filed. The contact's fiancé was able to drive the vehicle. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 9,980. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 29, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Today, in my 2 month old 2022 ford explorer st. The latch that holds/locks the hood (over engine) broke while driving 25 mph on city street and the hood smashed into my front windshield. I have never opened the hood since purchasing the vehicle and the hood ajar light never lite up until after it smashed into my windshield. I took the car to ford service and they are deferring responsibility. Even if I wanted to open the hood, I would have to pull the open lever upwards six inches twice to open (which I never did). And even if I accidently opened the hood, the door ajar light should have turned on, which it did not. This was very scary and I am very fortunate I did not run into another vehicle or object since it blocked all viability. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jul 25, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v255000 (power train) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 19, 2022 |
| State | WA |
| Description | On july 10th, 3:45 pm, after being parked in a parking lot for an hour in the sun, I opened the rear driver side door, the moonroof made a "pop" sound, then glass showered down. The glass popped up, not down, and we were not in motion. Nor had we heard any impacts while driving at any time previously. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 11, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | While at a gas station I opened the hood to check the oil, and the hood folded backwards far enough to contact, and destroy the windshield. My wife was cleaning the windshield at the time, and narrowly avoided having her hand/forearm severely injured by the hood. This is not supposed to happen. Whatever mechanism that is meant to prevent an incident like this was either defective, or non existent. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Jun 28, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | On four occasions over the past 30 days the vehicle has simply lost power while driving. No acceleration and the vehicle coasts to a stop and will not restart. On a few occasions it restarted after some time. Just shutdown while driving down the road. The third time it happened we took to the dealer and they claimed to fix a fuel pump module. It happened again a few days later. Took it back to the dealer and they claimed it was just low on gas even though it's happened four times and there was gas in the tank. Took it home from the dealer a second time and simply ran it in the driveway for ten minutes and the engine stopped. Tried a second time and same result. Wouldn't start again for 10 minutes. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 22, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | Purchased car 5/31/22 from apple ford, 8800 stanford blvd, columbia md 21045. Started hearing sounds of rodent infestation 2 days later. Sporadic scurrying sounds that seemed to be coming from metal frame area above headliner in the car. Have recorded the sounds and attempted to share this verification of infestation with dealership, to no avail. As disabled vet w/anxiety/ptsd, scurrying sounds are unnerving, rodents are known to cause wiring damage which affects vehicle safety, sudden emergence of rodents when operating vehicle is additional safety hazard to myself, my passengers and others. Dealership removed headliner and stated no indication of rodents found. I repeatedly notified dealer the sound is one of clawing/scurrying on metal and that I have video evidence that verifies rodent infestation. So far, there are no warning lights, etc or other symptoms of the problem. |
| Category | Structure:body:tailgate |
| Date | Jun 09, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | Rear liftgate intermittently and randomly opens when standing or walking near the rear, the rear left, or the rear right of the vehicle. In each situation the key is on my person (pocket or purse) and the key fob is not being engaged in any manner. I purchased my vehicle in january 2022 and it has happened more than a dozen times since I purchased it. I have concerns if it opens and I don't realize it and when my pets are in the back in case they were to jump out. It doesn't seem to matter whether the vehicle is locked or unlocked. It has happened while pumping gas and the vehicle was unlocked, it has happened while walking to the driver side rear passenger door to retrieve an item when the car was locked. On more than one occasion, it has randomly closed on me when standing under the liftgate while removing items from the back of the vehicle and hit me on the head. While researching this problem, it seems to be a common problem with any vehicle that has an electronic liftgate going back many many years. Multiple makes and models have reportedly had the same issue. I don't want it to open while driving as one other person reported as happening to them. The dealership had no idea how to fix the problem. |
| Category | Seat Belts |
| Date | May 11, 2022 |
| State | MN |
| Description | The passenger side front seatbelt was not bolted to anchor. |
| Category | Visibility |
| Date | May 02, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle and attempting to roll up the window, the rear passenger's side window failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the wiring harness needed to be repaired, the window was very hot, and the battery needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,420. |
| Category | Fuel System, Gasoline |
| Date | Apr 28, 2022 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 ford explorer. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 22v088000 (fuel system, gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and an appointment was scheduled to determine whether the vehicle was safe to drive. 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 and informed the contact that they were focusing on repairing the unsold vehicles first. The manufacturer referred the contact to the nhtsa for assistance. The contact stated upon refueling in the vehicle, the fuel shut-off valve failed to stop fuel from being pumped when the gas tank was full, causing a fuel leak. The failure mileage was approximately 1,400. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Power Train, Suspension |
| Date | Apr 23, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | This is my second submission. I will continue to submit to attempt to have nhtsa find out why ford will only offer a software tweak to fix a very dangerous physical issue with all 20-22 ford explorers. Ford provided advance notice 22s27 to dealers dated 4/19/22 advising them to stop delivery of any in stock explorer due to a possible bolt fracture on the rear subframe which if cracked will disable the vehicle. Their "fix" is a software update that will reduce power to avoid acceleration which will put stress on the bolt. Ford decided to remove the second bolt from all the explorers which subsequently will put stress on the one bolt they left intact. Ford needs to recall and put that bolt back on the subframe as the vehicle was originally designed to have. Please, please address this issue with ford to make them fix the physical issue! |
| Category | Power Train, Suspension |
| Date | Apr 20, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | Ford released a bulletin - 22s27- to all dealers to immediately stop demo/delivery for all new explorers in stock as of 4/19/22. At issue is a possibility of a fractured bolt that causes the differential to separate and cause "severe vibration" rendering the vehicle disabled. No fix was mentioned other than a software update possibly by the end of june 22 (2d qtr). This is serious if dealers are told to stop delivery! I just got mine in the beginning of april. Ford needs to step up and address this to all owners and not just dealers. It appears that ford is waiting for failure of the parts before allowing any repairs. So far, only software is mentioned which supposedly throttles the engine to avoid putting stress on the rear end. This of course does not address the physical issue with a fractured bolt. Apparently, ford redesigned the differential to use only one bolt vs two they had used earlier. Please pursue this as soon as possible with ford to make them put out an emergency recall to resolve this very serious defect in manufacturing. Normally, recalls are for something that can be addressed eventually based on reported issues. However, there have not been that many incidents. For ford to issue this notice to dealers indicates the seriousness or expected seriousnes. Thank you for your attention! |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Apr 19, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The windshield just cracked on its own no rock hit it. I rolled down side window to order food and when I rolled it up it spread all over and now leaking inside windshield. Also driving with side windows down the windows vibrate very shaky it doesn't do that in any other vehicle f150 doesn't vibrate at all. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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We bought a brand new Ford explore xlt turbo and we went to leave the house and warning lights came on engine coolant overheated transmission went into limp mode engine started shaking real bad anyone else have this issue
bought 22 explorer king ranch instrument cluster not working have no idea what lights are on what information is happening no speedometer, it came with hitch rear foot hands free doesn’t work. remote start doesn’t work. been told that the dashboard is just a computer update issue, they haven’t fixed it yet..
My dad bought a 2022 Ford Explorer cash. He drove it one day and the electrical problem started. He has been in a rental for over 2 weeks now, and they say that that they are having trouble getting the part (with no estimate on when it will be fixed). What a ridiculous situation.