2017 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

Issue: Rear liftgate window on my 2017 Ford Explorer Sport spontaneously shattered without any impact. Conditions: Occurred in cold weather (approx. 5 F) within 30 minutes of starting the vehicle. Description: The glass failed suddenly with an explosive sound and scattered fragments inside and outside the vehicle. There were no prior cracks, chips, or external forces. Safety Concern: Sudden loss of rear visibility, risk of injury from flying glass, and potential hazard to pedestrians or nearby vehicles. Pattern: Multiple owners of 2017 Explorers report the same issue—rear window shattering in cold weather or during defroster use—suggesting a possible systemic defect in the rear glazing or defroster system. Request: Please review this incident as part of a potential defect trend and assess whether an investigation is warranted.

I am filing a safety defect complaint regarding my 2017 ford explorer. The B pillar has broke in half a couple of years ago and nearly struck a vehicle behind me and if the remaining trim piece detaches, it could become a serious risk of collision, injury or property damage. it states NHTSA works to prevent unsafe traveling which is why I'm writing this. I have contacted Ford customer service and dealerships multiple times with no luck of anything. I have had to continuously tape the area to door which is not ordeal nor a forever fix. The b pillar is held on by wires that are slowly breaking. The wires lead to a hole that is inside my door. the opening exposes from the outside, meaning if it rains or snows, it is getting inside the hole, into my car door. If the recall piece ever came in, my door has already experienced neglect and issues. I'm concerned this will lead to corrosion, electrical complications and additional mechanical failures. Also, if it is not taped up correctly, air blows directly into the car door, into the cabin while driving onto my feet causing extreme cold exposure and physical harm and making it hard to operate the vehicle. It's very painful and also not ideal, especially when I also have a full time job and 3 kids to worry about. I currently owe 12k still on the vehicle and want to replace it with a safer vehicle. I should not have to be miserable every single day and put me and my kids in danger and also let my vehicle deteriorate while i wait for this recall piece on top of having to pay the remaining balance of this vehicle. I respectfully request that nhtsa review this complaint and investigate before anymore physical, emotional, financially harm is done.

The windshield wipers activate by themselves, even when it is not raining and there is no water.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 ( Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the driver's side door exterior B-Pillar trim had detached, causing the mounted keypad to detach. The failure left a hole in the mounting area of the keypad. The contact stated that the B-Pillar trim was hanging by the keypad wires, and the keypad wires had fractured. Additionally, there was a cold wind entering the vehicle with the B-pillar trim not securely taped to the vehicle, causing the contact's feet to become painfully cold. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact informed the dealer of the failure. The contact stated that the dealer took pictures of the failure but declined to test-drive or inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Regarding ***IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL*** 25V347. The B-pillar trim appliqués on my 2017 Explorer have detached completely from the vehicle - both of them, before the recall notice was received in June 2025. It’s now the end of January 2026 & still no fix for this SAFETY recall! How is a car piece detaching from a vehicle & becoming a projectile on a busy highway not a priority!!! Now I’m reading that there won’t be a fix until the end of 2026-absolutely outrageous. And yes, Ford dealer workers at 2 separate dealers confirmed that they are ‘waiting on Ford’ to supply the parts.

I went to open my hatch and the bolts have completely rusted through to the point of detaching the rear hatch/trunk on the left side due to rust corrosion. Car is in a shop but I am told this might be a ford defect. I have had multiple people tell me of huge rust issues from the rack into the rear trunk/hatch door.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: (24V031000 (STRUCTURE) and 25V347000 (STRUCTURE); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the driver's side B-pillar trim was loose. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the front driver's side B-Pillar trim had detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were not available, and an inspection could not be performed. The contact stated that the battery was drained due to the failure. The vehicle was inoperable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

While the car seat was properly installed and being used under normal conditions, the top tether strap pulled free from the anchor point. This caused the car seat to no longer be safely secured. The top tether is a critical safety component intended to limit forward movement of the car seat. Once the tether pulled free, the child’s safety was put at risk due to loss of proper restraint performance. The car seat has not been physically inspected by the manufacturer or other parties. The incident was reported to the manufacturer, but the manufacturer declined to evaluate the failure.