Ford

Explorer

Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD · model years 1991 to 2027

Includes Explorer 2WD, Explorer 2WD FFV, Explorer 4WD and 5 more as listed by the EPA.

See all 208 Explorer trims All Ford cars

The verdict

Best year: 2027. complaints: 0, below this model's typical 1081; recalls: 2, below this model's typical 7.

Worst year: 1998. complaints: 2085, above this model's typical 1441; recalls: 9, above this model's typical 7.

Year by year

Year by year summary for the Ford Explorer
Year	Trims	MPG	HP	Fuel cost	Recalls	Complaints	Investigations	TSBs	Top complaints
1991	4Gas	16	no data	$3,900	8	609	0	no data	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 17%, TIRES 15%, POWER TRAIN 10%
complaints: 609, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 8, above this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 44 complaints reporting a fire: 63 Score: 18 of 100, where higher is better.
1992	4Gas	16.5	no data	$3,775	4	633	0	no data	TIRES 17%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 13%, POWER TRAIN 11%
complaints: 633, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 4, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 57 complaints reporting a fire: 63 Score: 25 of 100, where higher is better.
1993	4Gas	17	no data	$3,650	6	944	0	no data	TIRES 23%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 21%, STRUCTURE 8%
complaints: 944, above this model's typical 721 recalls: 6, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 140 complaints reporting a fire: 49 Score: 28 of 100, where higher is better.
1994	4Gas	16.5	no data	$3,775	4	1,207	0	no data	TIRES 24%, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 17%, STRUCTURE 12%
complaints: 1207, about 1.7x this model's typical 721 recalls: 4, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 20 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 154 complaints reporting a fire: 82 Score: 1 of 100, where higher is better.
1995	4Gas	16.5	no data	$3,775	5	843	0	no data	TIRES 21%, POWER TRAIN 12%, SUSPENSION 10%
complaints: 843, above this model's typical 721 recalls: 5, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 8 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 110 complaints reporting a fire: 32 Score: 20 of 100, where higher is better.
1996	6Gas	15.5	no data	$4,025	6	1,450	0	no data	TIRES 35%, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 9%, POWER TRAIN 7%
complaints: 1450, above this model's typical 1081 recalls: 6, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 51 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 347 complaints reporting a fire: 37 Score: 13 of 100, where higher is better.
1997	8Gas	15	no data	$4,150	7	1,773	0	no data	TIRES 34%, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 10%, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 10%
complaints: 1773, above this model's typical 1441 recalls: 7, in line with this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 36 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 218 complaints reporting a fire: 59 Score: 13 of 100, where higher is better.
1998	8Gas	15.5	no data	$4,025	9	2,085	0	no data	TIRES 30%, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 12%, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 8%
complaints: 2085, above this model's typical 1441 recalls: 9, above this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 16 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 228 complaints reporting a fire: 116 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
1999	8Gas	15.5	no data	$4,025	9	1,441	0	no data	TIRES 21%, VISIBILITY 13%, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 9%
complaints: 1441, in line with this model's typical 1441 recalls: 9, above this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 133 complaints reporting a fire: 49 Score: 15 of 100, where higher is better.
2000	9Gas	16	no data	$3,900	10	1,026	0	no data	TIRES 18%, POWER TRAIN 12%, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 10%
complaints: 1026, below this model's typical 1621 recalls: 10, above this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 116 complaints reporting a fire: 74 Score: 15 of 100, where higher is better.
2001	4Gas	15	no data	$4,150	8	730	0	no data	POWER TRAIN 11%, SUSPENSION 10%, STRUCTURE 9%
complaints: 730, above this model's typical 721 recalls: 8, above this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 10 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 96 complaints reporting a fire: 41 Score: 18 of 100, where higher is better.
2002	8Gas	16	no data	$3,900	7	3,572	0	no data	POWER TRAIN 37%, STRUCTURE 12%, SUSPENSION 10%
complaints: 3572, about 2.5x this model's typical 1441 recalls: 7, in line with this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 210 complaints reporting a fire: 67 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2003	4Gas	15.5	no data	$4,025	2	1,274	0	no data	STRUCTURE 26%, POWER TRAIN 23%, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 6%
complaints: 1274, about 1.8x this model's typical 721 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 3 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 66 complaints reporting a fire: 17 Score: 8 of 100, where higher is better.
2004	6Gas	16	no data	$3,900	0	1,408	0	no data	POWER TRAIN 28%, STRUCTURE 26%, VISIBILITY 6%
complaints: 1408, above this model's typical 1081 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 105 complaints reporting a fire: 16 Score: 55 of 100, where higher is better.
2005	6Gas	15	no data	$4,150	0	568	0	no data	STRUCTURE 24%, POWER TRAIN 15%, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 7%
complaints: 568, below this model's typical 1081 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 20 complaints reporting a fire: 7 Score: 57 of 100, where higher is better.
2006	4Gas	15	no data	$4,150	1	635	0	no data	POWER TRAIN 38%, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 21%, ENGINE 7%
complaints: 635, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 12 complaints reporting a fire: 7 Score: 66 of 100, where higher is better.
2007	4Gas	15.5	no data	$4,025	1	308	0	no data	POWER TRAIN 21%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10%, ENGINE 10%
complaints: 308, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 2 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 19 complaints reporting a fire: 7 Score: 43 of 100, where higher is better.
2008	4Gas	15.5	no data	$4,025	1	171	0	no data	POWER TRAIN 18%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17%, ENGINE 11%
complaints: 171, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 3 complaints reporting a fire: 4 Score: 82 of 100, where higher is better.
2009	4Gas	16	no data	$3,900	0	39	0	no data	VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 11%, POWER TRAIN 9%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9%
complaints: 39, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 0, below this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 5 Score: 89 of 100, where higher is better.
2010	4Gas	16	292	$3,900	1	146	1	22	POWER TRAIN 18%, SEATS 12%, ENGINE 8%
complaints: 146, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 1, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 50 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 14 complaints reporting a fire: 2 Score: 46 of 100, where higher is better.
2011	4Gas	19.5	287	$3,200	6	1,197	4	71	STEERING 50%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8%, STRUCTURE 7%
complaints: 1197, about 1.7x this model's typical 721 recalls: 6, below this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 15 complaints reporting a fire: 4 Score: 36 of 100, where higher is better.
2012	3Gas	20	262	$3,100	5	829	4	81	STEERING 35%, STRUCTURE 14%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10%
complaints: 829, about 1.5x this model's typical 540 recalls: 5, below this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 13 complaints reporting a fire: 6 Score: 42 of 100, where higher is better.
2013	6Gas	19.5	237	$3,200	11	2,235	6	130	STEERING 30%, STRUCTURE 16%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12%
complaints: 2235, about 2.1x this model's typical 1081 recalls: 11, about 1.6x this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 1 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 61 complaints reporting a fire: 11 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2014	6Gas	19.5	237	$3,200	6	1,679	4	121	STEERING 24%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 17%, STRUCTURE 14%
complaints: 1679, about 1.6x this model's typical 1081 recalls: 6, below this model's typical 7 deaths reported in NHTSA complaints: 2 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 38 complaints reporting a fire: 6 Score: 9 of 100, where higher is better. Theft rate: 0.0 per 1,000 produced (federal data, last published for 2014).
2015	6Gas	19.5	237	$3,200	8	1,801	5	116	STRUCTURE 18%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18%, STEERING 15%
complaints: 1801, about 1.7x this model's typical 1081 recalls: 8, above this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 98 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 32 of 100, where higher is better.
2016	7Gas	20	275	$3,100	14	2,461	2	183	STRUCTURE 20%, STEERING 18%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14%
complaints: 2461, about 2x this model's typical 1261 recalls: 14, about 2x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 59 complaints reporting a fire: 14 Score: 5 of 100, where higher is better.
2017	7Gas	20	275	$3,100	13	1,697	2	183	STRUCTURE 32%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18%, ENGINE 12%
complaints: 1697, above this model's typical 1261 recalls: 13, about 1.9x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 51 complaints reporting a fire: 11 Score: 26 of 100, where higher is better.
2018	7Gas	20	275	$3,100	7	732	2 (1 open)	176	STRUCTURE 32%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 19%, ENGINE 11%
complaints: 732, below this model's typical 1261 recalls: 7, in line with this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 13 complaints reporting a fire: 7 open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 53 of 100, where higher is better.
2019	7Gas	20	275	$3,100	6	299	1	127	STRUCTURE 44%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14%, POWER TRAIN 10%
complaints: 299, below this model's typical 1261 recalls: 6, below this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 6 Score: 76 of 100, where higher is better.
2020	3Gas	23	400	$2,700	34	1,232	4 (1 open)	362	POWER TRAIN 29%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%
complaints: 1232, about 2.3x this model's typical 540 recalls: 34, about 4.9x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 38 complaints reporting a fire: 11 open NHTSA investigations: 1 Score: 0 of 100, where higher is better.
2021	6Gas	23	400	$2,700	27	448	3	294	POWER TRAIN 22%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8%
complaints: 448, below this model's typical 1081 recalls: 27, about 3.9x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 20 complaints reporting a fire: 5 Score: 34 of 100, where higher is better.
2022	7Gas	21	400	$2,950	25	269	3	232	POWER TRAIN 16%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11%
complaints: 269, below this model's typical 1261 recalls: 25, about 3.6x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 23 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 37 of 100, where higher is better.
2023	10Gas	20.5	400	$3,025	15	112	0	152	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16%, SUSPENSION 9%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8%
complaints: 112, below this model's typical 1801 recalls: 15, about 2.1x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 9 complaints reporting a fire: 2 Score: 47 of 100, where higher is better.
2024	6Gas	20.5	400	$3,025	10	21	0	94	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15%, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 11%, SUSPENSION 11%
complaints: 21, below this model's typical 1081 recalls: 10, above this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 4 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 67 of 100, where higher is better.
2025	6Gas	21	400	$3,200	22	104	0	161	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12%, SERVICE BRAKES 11%
complaints: 104, below this model's typical 1081 recalls: 22, about 3.1x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 5 complaints reporting a fire: 1 Score: 44 of 100, where higher is better.
2026	4Gas	22	no data	$3,050	15	39	0	no data	UNKNOWN OR OTHER 17%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15%, SEATS 12%
complaints: 39, below this model's typical 721 recalls: 15, about 2.1x this model's typical 7 injuries reported in NHTSA complaints: 3 Score: 58 of 100, where higher is better.
2027	6Gas	20.5	no data	$3,275	2	0	0	no data	no data
complaints: 0, below this model's typical 1081 recalls: 2, below this model's typical 7 Score: 92 of 100, where higher is better.

How the numbers moved

Combined MPG, median1991: 16 to 2027: 20.5

Owner complaints1991: 609 to 2027: 0

How we score each year

We compare each year of the Ford Explorer to the model's own typical numbers, not to other cars. A year reads solid when its recalls, owner complaints, and federal investigations sit at or below what is typical for this model, mixed when some of those numbers run above typical, and avoid when they run far above it. Deaths, reported fires, and an NHTSA advisory to park outside count against a year no matter what this model's baseline looks like.

A year is scored only when NHTSA has both complaint and recall counts for it. Complaint data often lags for the newest years, so a recent year can read not enough data even while its recall count already shows in the table. When the history is too thin, we say not enough data instead of guessing. Service bulletins are routine maintenance guidance from the manufacturer and do not lower a year's score.

Scores run 0 to 100, higher is better. Recall, complaint, and investigation figures come from NHTSA records. Fuel economy, fuel cost, and horsepower figures come from the EPA, shown as the median across the year's trims.

Information is gathered on a best-effort basis from public sources, may be incomplete or out of date, and is not purchasing or financial advice. Verify with the manufacturer or dealer before buying.