2018 Ford Explorer

my transmission, like several others' I have spoken to, is about to lose reverse. The incident happened when i encountered a problem on the road and was UNABLE to put my car in reverse. I have taken it to several dealerships and nothing is ever done, it's been going on for years. Well now it's become more of a safety hazard since I do transport my children in the car.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle veered off the road toward the passenger’s side. The contact turned the steering wheel; however, the vehicle became uncontrollable, crossed into the opposite lane, and drove into a ditch. The vehicle was driven on a back road to the residence and was then towed to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a rear toe link failure associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V101000 (Suspension). The VIN was included in the recall. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied reimbursement for towing expenses.

IN SOME OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THE EXTERIOR A-PILLAR APPLIQUE TRIM CLIP ATTACHMENTS ARE NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OR REPAIR. IF THIS OCCURS, THE A-PILLAR APPLIQUE TRIM, WHICH BORDERS THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, MAY BE LOOSE, MISSING OR BECOME DETACHED. Safety Risk AN EXTERIOR A-PILLAR TRIM PART THAT DETACHES WHILE DRIVING CAN CREATE A ROAD HAZARD FOR OTHER ROAD USERS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the parts to perform the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that in April, the vehicle was taken to a dealer for the recall repair. Although the recall database stated that the parts were available, the dealer advised the contact that the parts were unavailable. The dealer instructed the contact to return at a later date for the permanent repair; however, the dealer marked the recall as completed in the system without performing the repair. The contact had secured the trim pillar to the body of the vehicle using electrical tape. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 140,852.

The contact owned a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a message displayed on several occasions instructing the driver to pull over and shut off the vehicle because the battery would shut off. Upon pulling over and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart and required towing on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where a wiring failure was determined. The dealer attempted to repair the vehicle, but the failure persisted. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the infotainment screen turned blank, and a large wrench warning light illuminated. The vehicle independently accelerated, became uncontrollable, and drifted out of the intended lane. The contact regained partial control as the vehicle continued accelerating toward an embankment. The front driver's side wheel was caught in the gutter of the embankment, causing the driver's side of the vehicle to crash into the embankment. The contact's head struck the driver's side window, which was fractured, allowing branches to enter the cabin. The driver's side curtain air bags deployed for the second and third rows but failed to deploy properly for the front driver's side, causing the contact to hit her head a second time on a sail that had deployed. The contact became pinned between the driver's seat and the driver's side window area, with her hair caught and pulled in the seat belt pretensioner, causing significant pain. EMT personnel cut the contact's hair to free the contact from the vehicle. The contact was assisted from the vehicle, fitted with a neck brace, placed on a stretcher, and transported to the hospital. The contact sustained head and neck injuries, as well as a concussion. Additionally, the contact suffered from pre-existing auto-immune lumbar stenosis L1–L5, osteoarthritis L5–S1 with bone-on-bone contact, and sacroiliac joint disease, and experienced increased pain after missing a scheduled appointment for sacroiliac joint injections due to the crash. A Police report was filed but was not available. The vehicle was towed and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.

Failure in the adhesion of the dash cover and is available for inspection. My safety is at risk due to vision impairment from the white padding reflecting on the inside of the car window. I have not taken my vehicle to a dealer yet. No inspection has happened. The first bit of white in my vision I thought was a reflection of the hood of my car because my car is white. And I thought why as of recently is my view through the windshield all of a sudden being impaired every time I drive, I thought maybe it was sun direction or something like that. Then it worsened and the white gap became worse which is making it more difficult to see through my windshield. And recently I noticed the cause was the padding under the dash cover and the sun reflecting off of it is reflecting on the inside glass of the car.

I purchased this 2018 Ford Explorer from Speedway Motors in Murfreesboro, TN back in July 2026. Within a month I notice that the windshield was whistling. I took it back and they told me that it was a recall on the "A pillar exterior trim." I contacted the Murfreesboro Ford dealership and was told that the Ford dealership in Franklin had done a recall "check" in 2024 and it "passed" the recall. They did NOT replace seal the parts. Now two years later, the recall is supposedly not considered "open" by Ford Manufacturing. When I contacted their customer service to ask how a recall can be closed or ignored, they simply will not answer the question. My understanding is that a recall technically can not be "closed" if it a safety issue. In this case, the trim pieces come loose and become a road hazard. The pieces are not attached correctly or completely and the adhesive comes apart. This allows the trim and even the windshield to come off while driving down the road. There are hundreds of complaints and threats of class action lawsuits on line where people had to wait two years for the dealership to get the parts and replace them. Some people ended up ordering the trim pieces from Amazon and doing the work themselves. I do not feel it is my responsibility to have to fix this issue when clearly it is a safety recall by Ford. They should be held responsible for the repairs. If the windshield or trim were to come off and damage another car or injure someone, I would be held responsible. I am able to provide photos or bring the vehicle to any office for inspection if requested. I am happy to help in any way. Especially if I am able to get a resolution with this situation. I do not have money to fix this and do not want to report it to my insurance. Date of recall was January 2024 as far as I can tell. It was checked by Franklin Ford also in 2024.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for service, the contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V101000 (Suspension). The contact agreed to have the recall repair performed. The contact stated that approximately one month later, the contact discovered that the tread on the rear tires was shredding along the inner sidewalls. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the tire failure was confirmed; however, the dealer stated that the work performed on the vehicle was not associated with the tire failure. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact paid out-of-pocket for two new tires and a rear wheel alignment. The contact stated that after the repair, the OBD2 scanner indicated that the rear wheel alignment was not properly performed. The contact stated that due to the failure, the tread on the new tires had started to shred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

The transmission is actively slipping and dropping out of gear while driving causing unexpected loss of acceleration on public roads. This represents an extreme road safety hazard. The manufacture was notified but refused to offer assistance or grace coverage immediately following a Premium CARE factory contract expiration.

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 believing the safety defect had been corrected. After returning home, I began experiencing rear-end instability. The vehicle would sway when driving over even small bumps. I took the vehicle to another authorized Ford dealership, which confirmed the original recall repair had not been performed correctly. The dealership found problems with the rear suspension and alignment that required extensive corrective repairs, including replacement of rear suspension components and correction of the rear suspension alignment. Both rear tires had also developed severe, uneven wear and were determined to be unsafe, requiring replacement despite being only about two months old. No warning lights or messages appeared before or during this condition. I was unaware that the recall repair had been performed incorrectly and unknowingly drove approximately 1,200 miles with a compromised rear suspension after being told the safety recall had been completed. I am submitting this complaint because an improperly performed safety recall repair may have exposed me, my passenger, and others to the same safety risk the recall was intended to prevent.

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 A-Pillar trims detached and struck the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the remaining A-Pillar trim was removed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,600.

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 manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

July 12, 2026 I returned home and parked about 10 ft from my garage. I put my car in park, turned off the motor, and went to get out, when my husband started yelling at me that the car was moving. I pumped the brake, and heard a clicking sound. The car wouldn't stop, it ran into my house. Cracking my left headlight and denting my bumper. The car was in park, and I was unable to move the steering wheel. I had no control of the car. Thank goodness no one was standing in front of me. If it had happened just a short time before when I was at a splash pad full of children, it could have killed people. I contacted Ford Motor Company on Monday and the Customer Service representative did not offer any comfort, but simply stated that "she spoke for Ford Motor Co., and there was no financial compensation programs at this time." I never asked for money. I just want to know if my car is going to act possessed again, if there is a recall, if Ford would stand by their product (my 3-4th Ford car). She was rude, and not helpful at all. I took it to my dealership, and they said that they ran multiple tests on it, and it showed nothing. However, when my husband took it into the shop, he ran the black box, 2 days before and after, and it showed several erratic messages. None of which were mentioned today, when they announced that my car was available for pick up. Mind you, my headlight is cracked and bumper is dented. It looks like there might be a similar recall: NHTSA campaign number: 23V675. Ford’s own number for this recall is 23S55 - I don't know what to do about this. The dealership seemed interested in getting to the bottom of it, but may be dropping the ball. Is it possible that this recall would be on my car?? Please advise. I wanted Ford to take care of it, however it looks like I will need to file a report with my insurance company. I would say that there was a problem with the parking system, the brake system?

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the driver's side front seat belt failed to click securely into the buckle. The seat belt warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V093000 (Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

This vehicle was inspected by a certified Ford dealership (Premier Ford, Service Advisor: Harry). Ford Motor Company’s Consumer Affairs Department subsequently reviewed the case under Complaint ID: XXX. In their official written response, Ford explicitly admitted the root cause, stating: "the vehicle experienced a failure to the harness for the alternator which melted due to heat from the exhaust." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Dealership is not honoring active recalls due to body damage causing car to be deemed total loss by dealership and is in process of being rebuilt

The windshield wiper motor failed, causing the windshield wipers to stop operating properly. At the same time, the windshield washer system is unable to spray washer fluid onto the windshield. This significantly reduces visibility during rain and when the windshield becomes dirty, creating a safety hazard. No warning lights were displayed

While driving at highway speed on a 2-lane highway with three children under the age of [XXX] in the vehicle, my 2018 Ford Explorer experienced sudden complete engine failure with no prior warning. No warning lights, no temperature gauge change, no unusual sounds. The vehicle went from operating normally to catastrophic failure instantaneously, forcing me to sharply cross active traffic to exit the roadway. The vehicle came to rest near a train track. The root cause was internal water pump failure. Ford's design places the water pump inside the engine, causing coolant to leak internally with no external indicators and no dashboard warning until catastrophic damage has already occurred. Ford did not install a coolant level sensor in the reservoir, and the only coolant warning available is an overheating alert, which never triggered. I had taken every reasonable precaution. Two thousand miles prior, an oil change showed no coolant contamination. One week prior, I physically checked the coolant level and it was within safe range. Ford's design gave me zero opportunity to detect or prevent this failure. This is a known recurring issue. Over 86 engine complaints have been filed with NHTSA for this model year alone and Ford has been aware of this defect since at least 2007. Despite class action litigation in both Canada and the United States, Ford has not issued a U.S. recall. Repair costs exceed $9,000. I am requesting NHTSA open a formal investigation and compel Ford to issue a U.S. recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence and then to an independent mechanic shop, where a full diagnostic inspection was not performed; however, the mechanic suspected that coolant bubbled internally and the contact was informed that the head gasket might need to be replaced. The mechanic was unable to disassemble the engine for further inspection. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, who diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V101000 (Suspension), and the recall repair was completed. The contact stated that immediately after the recall repair, while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the rear end of the vehicle fishtailed, and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer on several occasions; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact was advised that the tires needed to be replaced. The contact purchased and replaced the tires and had a four-wheel alignment performed, but the failure persisted, although not as severe. While the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the tread on the rear tires was extremely worn. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.