The Ford Explorer is the best selling three-row SUV in the United States, and its popularity is nothing new. Since making its debut in 1990, the vehicle has done an awful lot to define the midsize SUV as a platform.
Just as the F-150 is the go to truck in North America, many families have seen the Explorer as the go to SUV. It’s pretty reasonably priced, offers solid performance, has a great deal of functionality and it’s “built Ford tough.” Though if we look at recent years, Fords are built about as tough as a tea cup. Which is a bit of an issue.
The Explorer, like many Fords, tops the recall charts
In the last few years, Ford has topped the table when it comes to recalls. So it’s no surprise that the Explorer, one if its best selling vehicles, tops the SUV recall charts in both the total number of recalls and the total number of vehicles recalled.
Major recalls in the year 2025 included a cylinder head oil leak due to a loose or missing ball plug, a windshield delamination issue, loose trailer hitch fasteners, an engine block heater issue that can lead to a coolant leak and subsequent fire, and a powertrain control module issue that can cut all power when the vehicle is in motion. If it looks like these issues are all incredibly serious, that’s because they are.
Despite the fact that 2026 is less than halfway done at the time of writing, the new year hasn’t been much kinder to the Ford Explorer. The vehicle has again suffered from windshield issues which could cause the glass to completely detach during an accident. A recall was issued due to improperly bolted second row seat belt anchors, which is a worry to anyone who bought an explorer as a “safe” family SUV. Missing or mis-installed engine circlips may lead to catastrophic engine failure. The defroster system is also prone to failure, which can result in impaired visibility due to windshield frosting or fogging. And a headlamp control module issue can lead to the passenger side headlight pointing the wrong way and blinding other drivers. Though this is America, and half of the people you encounter on the road are too stupid or lazy to dip their high beams for oncoming traffic anyway.
Consumer feedback on the Ford Explorer isn’t much kinder
The ever-excellent Consumer Reports does an annual vehicle customer satisfaction survey which gauges things like reliability. It’s one of the biggest surveys of its kind, and a great way to gauge how real people feel about what they’re driving.
Unbelievably, the Ford Explorer hasn’t ranked bottom of the overall vehicle charts or even the specific SUV charts. It still scored awfully, and is close to the bottom of the pile, but when it comes to real world use there are still worse options out there apparently.
The Explorer scored 30/100 on the survey, which is every bit as dreadful as it sounds. Respondents pointed towards persistent electronic and build quality issues as the reasoning behind that score.
Five SUVs ranked below the Explorer in Consumer Reports’ latest survey. Those are the GMC Acadia which scored lowest and is apparently plagued with severe powertrain issues, the Mazda CX-90 (both the hybrid and ICE version ranked below the Explorer), the Kia EV9, and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid which is technically a minivan and not an SUV.
The Explorer was beaten to the bottom spot by vehicles that were either less reliable, or had more severe issues than it. But it still isn’t a proud moment for Ford.
So what’s the takeaway from this? If you’re looking for a three-row SUV, ideally one that will keep your kids anchored to the second row in the event of an accident, don’t just go for the popular option. Shop around.
