Ford Explorer years to avoid
Across the 2015–2022 Ford Explorer, the 2016 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 2,446, about 3.4× the 727 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the body structure and steering. The 2022 drew the fewest, at 263. Separately, the 2020 carries the most recall campaigns, 33. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2016 Explorer is the outlier of the 2015–2022 Ford Explorer, with 2,446 complaints against the model's 967 median.
Every Explorer model year, ranked
Every Explorer model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 967 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Explorer | 2,446 | 2.5× | 15 | the body structure |
| 2015 Explorer | 1,777 | 1.8× | 9 | the body structure |
| 2017 Explorer | 1,696 | 1.8× | 14 | the body structure |
| 2020 Explorer | 1,207 | 1.2× | 33 | the powertrain |
| 2018 Explorer | 727 | 0.8× | 7 | the body structure |
| 2021 Explorer | 422 | 0.4× | 26 | the powertrain |
| 2019 Explorer | 294 | 0.3× | 6 | the body structure |
| 2022 Explorer | 263 | 0.3× | 24 | the powertrain |
Buying a Ford Explorer? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
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See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the Explorer only. It says nothing about how the Explorer compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Ford Explorer year-by-year questions
Which Ford Explorer year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2022 Ford Explorer, the 2016 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 2,446, about 3.4× the 727 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the body structure and steering. The 2022 drew the fewest, at 263. Separately, the 2020 carries the most recall campaigns, 33. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Ford Explorer year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2022 Ford Explorer, the 2022 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 263, against the model's 967 median. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Ford Explorer is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific Explorer?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.