2021 Ford Explorer problems and complaints
Owners have filed 445 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Explorer. The most-reported areas: Power Train (126), Unknown Or Other (86), Engine (49).
Key takeaways
- 445 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 14 involve a crash, 5 a fire, 17 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 126 | 28% |
| Unknown Or Other | 86 | 19% |
| Engine | 49 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 47 | 11% |
| Back Over Prevention | 36 | 8% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 27 | 6% |
| Structure | 25 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 23 | 5% |
| Visibility | 20 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 19 | 4% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 19 | 4% |
| Seats | 17 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Ford Explorer SUV 4WD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 Ford Explorer SUV RWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Structure - filed 2026-10-15
The right rear passenger door of my 2021 Ford Explorer ST repeatedly becomes unlatched and physically opens while the vehicle is in motion, including at highway speeds of approximately 72 mph. This occurs almost every time the vehicle is driven and creates a serious safety hazard. The door visibly separates from the ve...
Visibility/Wiper - filed 2026-10-14
Never really used sun roof , but accidentally hit button to open … then closed….. not realizing that the cover didn’t close it SAG down behind my head… blocking rear view completely. It was dark out and had to pull over and try to fix so I could see out my rear window
Visibility - filed 2026-10-13
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving in rainy conditions, windshield visibility remained poor despite replacing the wiper blades multiple times. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility); however, the part required to perform the recall r...
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More for the 2021 Ford Explorer
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.