2018 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the A-pillar trim on both sides of the windshield started to detach. 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 not 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 failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The Ford dealer inspected the trunk lip's rust but refused to submit it to Ford Consumer Support for a corrosion warranty extension claim. The rust must have existed long before the corrosion warranty expired and was not detected for a month after. In 2023, the hood had rust bubbles around the edge and was repaired. I would like to have the rust of the Ford Explorer reviewed for a manufacturer recall.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started vibrating excessively and the vehicle hesitated with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that while driving uphill the message "Hill Start Assist Not Available" was displayed. The contact was able to drive uphill; however, the failure recurred after driving a short distance. The transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle was not able to pull into the driveway. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that there were metal shards found in the engine and that the transmission had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the A-pillar trim detached and separated from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated the A-pillar trim struck the vehicle that was behind the contact’s vehicle. On a separate occasion while driving approximately 60 MPH, the other side of the A-pillar trim detached and separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

2018 Ford Explorer in SEP 24 loss of driving power, complete, would not shift into any gear approximately 10k miles after a new transmission. Limped to dealer and they confirmed a replacement for the transmission, torque converter in particular. April 2025, engine warning light comes on, transmission torque converter failed again.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was black smoke coming from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the battery was faulty. The battery was replaced. The contact stated that while driving, there was black smoke coming from under the hood, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was replaced. Later, while driving again, the black smoke was again present coming from the hood of the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine and turbo were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to vibrate excessively. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

I am writing to express my frustration and concern regarding a recall for my vehicle that ha remained unresolved for over a year. Despite numerous attempts to have the necessary repairs completed, I have been informed multiple times by my vehicle's manufacturer that the required parts are unavailable. This delay is a serious safety concern, as my vehicle remains subject to a recall that has not been addressed due to the lack of parts. I have contacted the dealership on several occasions over the past year to inquire about the availability of the necessary parts and have been informed each time that they are on backorder with no clear resolution in sight. This prolonged delay is causing me significant concern, as I have no way of knowing when or if the necessary repairs will be made. As this issue continues to affect my safety and the safety of others, I am seeking your guidance on the steps I can take to ensure that my vehicle is repaired promptly, in accordance with the recall notice. Additionally, J would appreciate any advice on whether there are any regulatory actions that the NHTSA can take to expedite this process and ensure that the manufacturer fulfills its obligation to address the recall in a timely manner. I look forward to your assistance in resolving this matter as quickly as possible. Thank you for your attention to this important safety issue.

In February 2024, I received the enclosed safety recall notice from Ford Motor Company regarding my 2018 Ford Explorer. The notice described a problem with A-pillar applique trim clip attachments that could cause the pillar trim become detached. In March 2024 while driving home from Pittsburgh PA, my left side pillar trim did blow off while I was traveling south on [XXX], and its final resting place is unknown to me. I notified my local Ford dealer (Mike Castrucci Ford, 1020 SR 28, Milford, OH) where I bought the car new about what happened. They said they were aware of the recall, but that as per the recall notice, replacement parts would not be available until the latter half of 2024. Well, it is almost end of the first quarter of 2025, and I have not received any positive responses to my follow up requests to the car dealer as to when I can expect have this issue resolved. Castrucci Ford's responses have been that the parts are on back order. My attempts to contact Ford Motor Company have also been pointless. Therefore, I am contacting the NHTSA, as per the recall letter, to see if Ford can be motivated to expedite getting my vehicle fixed. Thirteen months from the date of the initial recall notice to today should have been ample time to replace these pillars. As a member of the public, I'm wondering if Ford thinks that if they delay fixing the problem long enough, people will finally give up. FYI, I won't. Thank you for investigating my complaint. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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 contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was wind entering the cabin of the vehicle from the windshield. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.