2018 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was 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 stated that the driver’s and passenger’s side A-pillar trims had detached. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

As you drive you can hear air coming from around the windshield on the drivers side.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the A-pillar trim on the passenger’s side windshield started to detach. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer sent a technician to the contact's residence and the vehicle was diagnosed and it was determined that the A-pillar trim retention clips had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts for the recall repair 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 failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that occasionally while shifted into reverse(R), the rearview camera failed to properly display the image behind the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had progressed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,265.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on the interstate, the exterior A-pillar trim detached from around the front windshield. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was 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 made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

I am writing to formally report a significant mechanical issue involving the water pump in my 2018 Ford Explorer with the 3.5L V6 engine. This vehicle recently experienced a sudden failure of the internal water pump, a problem I have since learned is common across this model and others using the same engine design. In my case, the water pump failure occurred just outside of the vehicle’s extended warranty coverage, leading to engine overheating and a substantial repair cost. What makes this issue particularly concerning is the design flaw in which the water pump is located internally, driven by the timing chain. When the pump fails, it can leak coolant internally, potentially leading to catastrophic engine failure without warning. This design not only makes the part extremely costly to repair (often $2,000–$4,000 or more), but it also introduces a serious safety risk—drivers may experience engine overheating or seizure while on the road, with minimal to no warning. This poses a clear hazard, especially at highway speeds or in high-traffic situations. I understand that many other Ford owners have reported similar failures, yet no recall or Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) has been issued to address the problem. Given the frequency of these incidents and the potential danger involved, I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether this condition qualifies as a safety-related defect. I have included my vehicle details below for your reference: Make/Model/Year: 2018 Ford Explorer Engine: 3.5L V6 (non-EcoBoost) Mileage at Failure: 101345 Failure Description: Internal water pump failure leading to coolant leak and overheating Repair Estimate: $4511.19

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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 contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

On Thursday, June 14, 2025, the check engine light illuminated on my 2018 Ford Explorer, which has fewer than 75,000 miles. I promptly contacted my trusted local mechanic, Bananno Automotive, to schedule an oil change and requested that they also inspect and diagnose the cause of the warning light. During their inspection, they performed a diagnostic scan and identified stored engine code P0430 – Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 2), which corresponds to the catalytic converter on the left side of the radiator. Concerned that delaying the repair could lead to increased emissions and potential damage to the engine, I authorized the necessary repairs. All work was completed by June 23, 2025. It was only after the repairs were finalized that I reviewed the Ford Warranty Guide and discovered that this issue is, in fact, covered under warranty. Unfortunately, Ford has denied reimbursement solely because the repairs were not performed at a Ford dealership. This is deeply disappointing, especially considering the repair cost exceeded $1,800, and no alternative solution or support has been offered. My intention in sharing this is to ensure that other Ford owners are not similarly affected by this type of parts failure and warranty denial.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated, with the warning light illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle and refilled the coolant reservoir. In addition, the contact stated that the coolant reservoir was repeatedly refilled weekly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant pump failure and a slow coolant leak. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant pump failure. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

B pillar trim behind passenger door (vertical pillar) is peeling from the top. May fly off and cause a safety issue on roadway if unaddressed. Similar to existing recall of A pillar trim for same year and model as well as an existing recall for 2011-2017 B pillar trim (same issue as mine, but adjacent model years).