2017 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

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 contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the passenger's side B-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact repaired the B-pillar himself. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the driver's side B-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The contact stated that the trim on the front passenger side A-pillar was loose. 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 issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The adhesive on the keyless entry door trim failed and the trim detached from the door while driving. This could have caused an accident and is a safety issue. There was no warning of any kind prior to the incident. This also caused a mechanical problem where we were unable to open the rear hatch manually or remotely. We took the SUV to be repaired at a dealer. There is currently an open recall for B-pillar trim due to adhesive failure. I contacted Ford as this is the same issue with adhesive failure on trim. They stated it was not yet a recall but they have had reports of this issue. I requested some type of compensation and told them it is a safety issue. They opted to do nothing even though they have known adhesive problems with the trim. We were fortunate that it did not cause an accident for us but needs to be addressed. I was not at all satisfied with Ford’s lack of action.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger's side windshield A-pillar trim started to detach. 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 vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the passenger's side windshield A-pillar trim retention clips had failed and needed to be replaced. 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 made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 121,660. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2017 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 confirm parts not available.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Additionally, the contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for an oil change, the dealer removed the windshield exterior A-pillar trims without the authorization. The dealer informed the contact that the trims were removed because of the recall; however, the contact stated that the vehicle had not experienced the failure prior to the trims being removed. 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The weather stripping/seals around the windshield are crumbling/cracking and fly off the vehicle while driving and when loose create wind noise/rattle. Both sides and base near hood called a cowl I believe. Dealer indicated the cowl and trim could be replaced but would require significant labor and was not part of the A pillar recall. I asked if windshield was at risk or if it was just cosmetic and was advised no safety concern.

Back up camera fails to operate at times when vehicle is in reverse. Potential for backing collision or fatality.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2017 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 driver's side and passenger's side windshield exterior A-pillar trims had detached. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was inspected. 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 made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 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 issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side B-Pillar trim detached. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2017 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 had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side B-Pillar detached and flew off. In addition, the contact stated that the failure caused the keyless entry feature to become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (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 not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 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.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, a piece of the driver’s side B-pillar trim detached. 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 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 failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

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.

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 upon further inspection, the driver’s and passenger’s side B-pillar trims were loose. 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 failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

This pertains to the B-Pillar trim recall. It should be noted that not only does the trim fall off but if it is the trim with the entry keypad, that can cause a short circuit that effects other parts of the car operation. Recently this happened to this vehicle and a fuse blew under the drivers side dash fuse 11 5 amp fuse. This fuse blows and the rear hatch will no longer open. We called about this in June when this happened and the dealer said it was unrelated to the trim that fell off and they would charge us $600 to look at it. After finding the same issue on Youtube and the fix posted we purchased the part and installed ourself for $50. This complaint is stating that the recall needs to have the liftgate included as a symptom.

The car makes a ticking/rattle sound on cold startup. Preliminary diagnosis is the cam phasers. This is a 2017 Ford explorer with 77,000. It is the same 3.5L V6 ecoboost (GTDI) engine that was in Ford Customer Satisfaction program: 21N03. The issue mirrors tgat in the program document, but the Explorer is not covered by the program.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2017 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 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 issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a stop, the vehicle briefly jump and jolted. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. 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 50,000.

The contact owns a 2017 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 and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 repair were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim had detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact used silicone to reattach the trim to the front passenger’s side. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the driver’s side A-pillar trim was loose. The contact added silicone to reattach the trim. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 50 MPH, the B-pillar trim on the driver’s side fractured. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact used silicone to reattach the trim. 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 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 contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 60-70 MPH, the driver's side door exterior B-Pillar trim, where the keyless entry pad was installed, fractured and partly flew off the vehicle, causing the keyless entry pad to remain illuminated or to blink constantly. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced an abnormal battery drainage since the failure. The dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. 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 made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the part for the recall repair would be available by August 2026. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was receiving routine maintenance and an oil and filter change, it was discovered that coolant was leaking into the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 88,762.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the exterior A-pillar trim was loosened on the windshield. There was an abnormal sound of beads detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part 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 made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the A-pillar trim on the passenger’s side 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 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 not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,100. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

faulty front grill

I periodically have unintended acceleration ; it has occurred off and on for the past two years . The Ford dealer said no faults were detected so they can't fix the problem . It most often when I am shifting into reverse then the RPMs increase dramatically and when I put it in neutral they shoot up even more . A few days ago I was putting the car into the garage , waiting for the door to open , with my foot on the brake and the shift in drive when the RPMs started to increase . Feeling the car starting to move I shifted to neutral when the RPMs shot up tremendously . This is a dangerous situation where someone can get injured or killed . Ford should be able to correct the problem !!!

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 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.

The transmission has totally failed at under 69,000 miles while my wife was driving down a 45 MPH road. The vehicle intermittently lost power and she was nearly rear-ended with my child in the car. All warning lamps came on and the engine totally lost power. 2 shops have looked at the car and stated that the transmission failed completely. There were no warning lamps prior to this occurring.

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 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.

The contact's husband owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts to do 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 contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the driver’s side A-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the A-pillar trims were rattling while driving at various speeds. The contact applied duct tape to the driver’s side and passenger’s side A-pillars. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

On May 31st I noticed the front passenger side trim panel that runs alongside the window was detaching. After showing a friend, he told me to put double sided 3m tape, that's used on vehicles, under it. I already had some so did it that day. It still sticks out a little though. Then a few days later, I got an email from nhtsa informing me of a recall on that part. When I checked, it wasn't for my exact vehicle. When I went out to take a picture of it for this complaint, I found the front driver side trim panel also starting to detach. I will need to better adhere both panels this week, myself. I will be driving 1500 miles next week, mostly at interstate speed. I don't want to chance losing those panels.

The contact owns a 2017 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 while driving 70 MPH, the driver's side windshield exterior A-pillar trim separated from the vehicle and flew off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was inspected. 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 made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from the driver's side door. Upon arriving at the destination, the contact noticed that the driver's side exterior B-Pillar trim was loose. The contact used duct tape to hold the trim in place. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the driver's side exterior A-Pillar trim had also become loose, and the contact had used duct tape to hold the trim in place. The contact had received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V347000(Structure) and 24V031000(Structure), which are related to the failures. The contact had been calling an unknown local dealer to check for parts availability, but had been advised that parts were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

Over Memorial Day weekend 2025, the A-pillar exterior trim on my 2017 Ford Explorer detached and flew off while I was driving. This matches the Ford recall (NHTSA Recall No. 25V347, Ford Recall No. 25S53) covering A-pillar trim detachment. Since then, I have been waiting for the replacement part. My dealership confirmed my Explorer is covered under the recall but said they do not know when repair parts will be available. As of late August 2025 (over three months later), no repair has been offered and no estimated timeline has been provided. Safety/Function Concerns: The missing A-pillar trim causes a loud whistling noise while driving, which is distracting and could impact driver focus. Detached trim is a road hazard to other drivers and pedestrians if it flies off while in motion. The vehicle now appears defective and unfinished, raising concerns about quality and value. Attempts to Resolve: Contacted my Ford dealership immediately after the trim fell off. They confirmed the recall but stated no parts are available.I drove over an hour round trip for them to look it over and then send me home and that's all that has happend. Have followed up several times since Memorial Day and am always told “no ETA” for the part. Complaint: I believe waiting months for a critical recall repair is unreasonable. Ford should be required to provide either a timely repair, a safe temporary solution, or other accommodations until permanent replacement parts are available.

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 contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH, the driver's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. Most recently, the keyless entry failed to function as intended. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. 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 85,000.

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 unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that there was a sound of wind coming entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact became aware that the B-pillar trim had detached on the driver's side front door. The contact attempted to secure the trim piece with tape. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact spoke with another dealer, Randy Wise Ford, Inc. (968 S Ortonville Rd, Ortonville, MI 48462), who also confirmed the part was not yet available for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

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 unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the touch pad numbers on the door that light up to indicate the time needed to unlock the door were illuminated even though the key was not being used to unlock the door. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 160,282.

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 manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. 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: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rubbers and trims surrounding the windshield were dry-rotted and were gradually peeling off and detaching from the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the part was not yet available. 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 failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Water pump has gone out, and is a known issue with the explorers, plus they have made these very difficult to to replace and require partial engine tear down.

I brought my vehicle from a used certified dealer at the time of test drive I asked why such a rough transition when going from gear to gear and I was told it was the ECOBoost engine packed with power. Fast forward after multiple repairs and recalls on this vehicle I’ve made it to my breaking point when my SUV shut down as I was turning onto a busy street coming from my son’s school. The engine literally cut off almost causing a head on collision. This idle function is extremely dangerous. I had multiple belts repaired and many things checked after my car overheated and couldn’t find the culprit. One mechanic explained my fan wasn’t working to assist in cooling off the engine and the vents/grill in front of car was shut causing the engine to over heat. After opening the vents and connecting the car to diagnostic machine there were no codes to fix. Over the next month my suv would become significantly worse rattling when I stop at a red light almost drifting into a car in front of me. No longer overheating but now feeling the car physically shifting gears as if I drive a stick shift and I have an automatic transmission. After doing careful research I learned was some recalls on the fan and eco boost engine explaining the same issues that I’am currently having. Don’t mention fixing the recalls because all the certified dealers are 2-3 weeks behind on fixing and diagnosing these same vehicles. They won’t loan you a car while being repaired which is another cost associated with this vehicle. Please look into this ecoboost engine and overheating issues. Also I was told my engine would go soon do the oxygen intake not exchanging enough oxygen causing oil to push into spark plugs and other parts of the engine it doesn’t belong. This SUV is a complete lemon and should be recalled right away before someone dies from this awful feature. Just last week I saw someone on the interstate with my same vehicle stopping mid traffic. This is dangerous!!!

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH after the vehicle had been serviced, the check engine warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant inside the water pump, and the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while seated in the parked vehicle, the rear passenger’s side head restraint became unhinged. The contact stated that the exterior front driver’s side pin paddle had failed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the railings on the rear passenger’s side seats were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,208.