2017 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

The parts subject to the 3 recalls fail and fall off the vehicle under highway driving conditions. They have not made any effort to redesign the parts so they don't fail and they have made no effort to even replace the failed parts with the existing parts. The last time the recall was issued, I was advised by our dealer to use duct tape.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); and later became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V316000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the trims around the windshield, including the driver's side and passenger's side windshield exterior A-pillar trims, were disintegrating and had partially detached. The contact was initially informed by a car wash employee about the trim failures and advised the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive through the car wash. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that there was no early availability to perform the inspection on the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the roof rail cover was partially raised. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

I was driving down the road and my roof driver's side roof rail flew off. The previous owner had the recall addressed in 2023. The previous dealership who fixed the vehicle glued down the rails instead of installing new screws. There is dried glue now exposed where the roof rack use to be. When contacting Ford they claim there is no resolution but for me to fix my own roof rack though it was recalled for this issue. Thankfully no one was behind me when it flew off but it could have hit someone else or damaged my window that it hit when it flew off. The passenger side is also loose and showing the dried glue as well. Ford states that since the warranty period has expired there is nothing they can do. I cannot find the roof rail on the road to put it back and have been told it is $400+ just for the part. This is a safety hazard that was supposed to be fixed and there is no telling when the next one will come off as that is loosening as well.

I am reporting a safety-related defect involving the electric power steering system on my 2017 Ford Explorer. The vehicle displays a “Steering System Fault” warning, and when this occurs the power steering assist is reduced or disabled, creating a safety risk during low-speed driving, turning, and parking. When the ignition is on with the engine off, multiple communication fault codes appear, including U0100, U0131, U0140, and U0151. After the engine is started, these communication codes disappear, but the steering fault warning remains illuminated and no active fault codes are stored. This behavior indicates the steering system enters a fail-safe state during startup and does not recover. The battery was tested and replaced. Fuses, relays, wiring, grounds, and voltage drop during engine cranking were checked and found to be normal. Steering system reset and relearn procedures were performed using diagnostic tools, but the issue persisted. No external electrical or communication network problems were identified. Based on these findings, the problem appears to be an internal failure of the electric power steering rack or its control module. The loss or reduction of steering assist can occur without warning and increases the risk of a crash. This issue is commonly reported on 2016–2018 Ford Explorer vehicles, suggesting a design or durability defect. I am submitting this complaint to request that NHTSA investigate this condition as a potential safety defect.

Safety Recall Notice 24S02/NHTSA Recall 24V031 - Exterior A-pillar applique trim clip attachments may not be properly engaged due to improper assembly. Two-step solution is required: Ford dealer has to check to see if the clips are properly engaged or not, then, if not, must order the correct parts from Ford. I have been trying to correct this issue for over two years, but dealer says the parts are still on back order from Ford and repairs cannot be made.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle, the A-pillar trim on both sides of the windshield was not functioning as designed. The contact also noticed water leaking from the windshield during inclement weather. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and a dealer representative visited the residence to inspect the vehicle. The dealer determined that the A-pillar trim had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while having an Emission test performed on the vehicle to have the vehicle registered, the test discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. Upon purchase of the vehicle, the contact was provided a Carfax report that stated that the mileage was 103,000. The vehicle was a dealer sale purchased on November 23, 2025. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 103,000 and it was later discovered that the mileage was 243,402.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the driver's side A-pillar trim was blown off the vehicle by the slipstream. The contact called a local dealer and was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) in February 2025. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the A-pillar trims on the driver’s and passenger’s side rattled while driving. The contact attempted to repair the A-pillar; however, the front driver's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle while driving. The contact then received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

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 local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, there was an abnormal flapping sound coming from the vehicle. Upon looking through the driver's side mirror, the contact noticed that the driver's side B-pillar trim was loose. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer the next day and was informed by the manager to go back home and glue the part to the door until the remedy was available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer but never received an answer or call back. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.