2017 FORD EXPLORER Safety Overview

Component: STRUCTURE

"The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side door B-pillar trim detached and was hanging by the wires, which became frayed. The message "Liftgate Ajar" was displayed while the liftgate was closed. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted; however, 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 made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,789."

Component: STRUCTURE

"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 local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part 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 stated that the driver’s side A-pillar trim had detached from the vehicle and the passenger’s side A-pillar trim was loosened. The failure mileage was 130,000."

Component: STRUCTURE

"Recall hasn't been fixed since January when I purchased the vehicle"

Component: ENGINE

"Driving down the highway and checkengine light came on when I was headed to work. The vehicle lost power due to misfire with engine. I check the spark plugs and there is oil all over sparkplugs and the coil packs. This is a serious issue and needs to be addressed by ford immediately, they need to put a new engine in or pay me to get this fixed."

Component: STRUCTURE

"The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger's side B-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The contact stated that the B-pillar trim struck another vehicle. In addition, the driver's side B-pillar trim was fractured. The contact stated that the driver's side B-pillar trim was reattached but was still loosened. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, parts were unavailable for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts would be unavailable until 2027. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000."

Component: SUSPENSION

"New Tow Link replacement from recall 20S62 damage my new Tires. New redesign Toe links are unable to hold alignment and are damaging tires prematurely. I have called the dealer that performed the Service (Citrus Motors in Ontario California) and spoke with Service Manager Cesar. I told him the problem I was having to find a solution, he could not help me. He suggested I pay $280 for a diagnostic and if alignment was the problem that will go towards it. I told him I can not afford to be paying for alignment when the new part can not hold alignment. I request a reimbursement for my new tires for collateral damage from the recall and he said they do not offer reimbursements, they told me to reach out to Ford Customer Service. I reached to Ford Customer Service and they pointed me back to the Dealer. Seems like Ford does not want to take responsibility for they bad replacement parts that do not hold alignment. Seems like there are a lot of customers with this issue and are having to spend hundreds of dollars on replacing the Toe links with after market adjustable Toe Links and installing new tires and having them realigned."

Component: STRUCTURE

"I know there is a current recall, but I have NO idea why FORD is taking almost 2 years now for a remedy. Now the trim piece under this recall is starting to separate from the driver side. This also has electrical functions (keyless entry), and is making driving the vehicle a challenge as who knows when the piece will fully separate from the vehicle. HELP PLEASE, there has to be a faster way to get this recall work done."

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

"The vehicle ACM shorted and caused a fire while driving. My safety was put as risk because the car quickly filled with smoke and unbearable fumes causing me to swerve and attempt to find a safe place to pull over."

Component: STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

"Begin with cliff, I was not wanting to lock or locked or start the vehicle as I was driving. I stopped at the light vehicle started shaking, and as I drove through the light to pull over power steering assist failure, terrain, failure, and control failure."

Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

"My 2017 Ford Explorer is subject to Ford Safety Recall 24S02 / NHTSA Recall 24V031 for exterior A-pillar trim that may detach from the vehicle. I presented the vehicle to an authorized Ford dealer, and the dealer confirmed that my vehicle is covered by the recall. However, the dealer informed me that the required Ford recall replacement part is unavailable and that they have not received these parts for an extended period of time. The A-pillar molding on my vehicle has actually detached and flown off the vehicle while driving on TWO separate occasions. Replacement aftermarket molding has not provided a reliable solution. This is therefore not a hypothetical or cosmetic concern. The failure described in Ford's safety recall has occurred twice on my vehicle. Ford's recall identifies detached A-pillar trim as a potential road hazard that can increase the risk of a crash. Despite the known safety defect and the repeated occurrence on my vehicle, I cannot obtain the Ford recall repair because the authorized dealer cannot obtain the required Ford replacement part. I am requesting that NHTSA review Ford's inability to provide a timely recall remedy for Recall 24S02, including the continuing unavailability of the required replacement parts. My vehicle currently remains subject to an acknowledged safety recall for a failure that has already occurred twice."

Component: ENGINE

"A strong exhaust smell comes through the cabin during acceleration at speeds higher than 35 mph. Worries us for possible co2 exposure coming through if exhaust smell can come through. But ford dealership has said it passes the recall standards. Still uneasy"

Component: SEAT BELTS

"My back seatbelts are not working and my family feels unsafe without being able to put the seatbelts on."

Component: STRUCTURE

"The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The dealer was contacted, and the driver’s side A-pillar trim was taped down to avoid becoming detached. 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 failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000."

Component: STEERING

"The steering wheel sticks when going into a turn then pulls back . It’s been on going . I know they had issues and recalls with steering ."

Component: STRUCTURE

"07/17/2026 [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Attn: Ford Customer Relationship Center / Service Management Ford Motor Company [XXX] RE: IMMEDIATE ESCALATION DEMAND: Safety Recall 24S02 (NHTSA Campaign 24V031000) Vehicle: 2017 Ford Explorer VIN: [XXX] Servicing Dealership: Max Ford of Butler (Butler, [XXX]) To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally demand the immediate escalation and resolution of an open safety recall on my 2017 Ford Explorer. My vehicle is subject to Safety Recall 24S02 regarding the detachment of the exterior A-pillar windshield molding. I have been actively waiting on a dealership backorder list for twelve (12) months. This extreme delay is completely unacceptable for a federally mandated safety defect. The exterior trim pieces on my vehicle are now actively loose. Every day this vehicle is driven, it presents an immediate structural hazard to myself, my passengers, and other drivers on the road should the plastic trim completely detach at highway speeds. Furthermore, despite Ford’s official bulletin instructing dealerships to inspect and apply interim stabilization to loose trim while parts are delayed, my local dealership has failed to offer or complete this temporary safety service. I have been forced to manually tape down my own vehicle’s exterior panels using temporary automotive tape to mitigate the immediate risk of a highway accident. I am demanding the following immediate actions: 1.COPIS Parts Escalation: I demand that Ford Corporate immediately issue a COPIS (Customer Order Processing Information System) critical part inquiry for my specific VIN to manually pull and expedite the delivery of the updated A-pillar replacement kits and retention adhesive to my servicing dealer. 2.Regional Management Intervention: I request that a regional Ford parts and service manager contact me directly within three (3) business days to provide an exact, g INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)"

Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

"I EXPERIENCED BOTH TRIM PANELS ON MY EXPLORER RIPPING OFF AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY POSSIBLY CAUSING THEM TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN TO THE FORD DEALER IN LAS VEGAS TO GET THE RECALL ITEM REPAIRED. THEY INSPECTED IT AND DETERMINED THAT MY DAMAGE WAS COVERED BY THE RECALL. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED OVER ONE YEAR AGO. I RECEIVED AS RECENTLY AS NOVEMBER 2025 A LETTER FROM FORD INFORMING ME AGAIN OF THE RECALL. I CONTACTED MY DEALER SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE RECALL AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT FORD DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIR PARTS AVAILABLE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE REPAIR PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. IT IS NOW APPROACHING TWO YEARS SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FORD TO GET THE REPAIR PARTS AND CORRECT THE DAMANGE TO MY VEHICLE?"

Component: VISIBILITY/WIPER

"There are 2 recalls that have not been acted on by Homer Skelton Ford of Millington, LLC. It has been almost two years and the dealership continues to state they do not have the parts to fix the recalls. The two recalls are not indicated as active, so I’m not sure if they claimed they already fixed them in their system. The recalls are for the rubber around the windshield and the panels near the windshield."

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE

"The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). While driving approximately 60 MPH, the driver's side B-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the residence, inspected, and confirmed that the driver’s side B-pillar trim was missing. The contact stated that the electrical system on the tailgate had stopped working as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was determined that the tailgate would not open because the electrical system was disconnected, and the trim had fallen off. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the dome light remained illuminated and turned off approximately 4-5 seconds later. Additionally, while the vehicle was in reverse(R) on several occasions, the dome light illuminated, and the contact was unable to see out of the rear window. The vehicle was not repaired because parts for the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000."

Component: STRUCTURE

"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 contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a whistling sound of air coming through the A-pillar trim. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and tape was used to seal around the A-pillar trim. The dealer informed the contact that parts for the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the whistling sound became louder after the dealer placed the tape on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 77,303."

Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

"This concern is related to the widespread failure of exterior paint / clear coat with Ford vehicles. What is known as "crows feet" - that is, the cracking of the clear coat - is becoming increasingly apparent on my black 2017 Ford Explorer Sport, which has been carefully maintained and garage kept for at least 50% of its life. The cracks look like sharp edges in the shape of a crow's foot left indentations in the paint. The appearance of the cracking on a metallic paint is difficult to capture with photos, but very apparent to the naked eye. The crows feet started showing-up approximately four years ago, and it was only recently that I learned what it was and that it is a "known" problem with Ford's paint. This problem is endemic of an issue with the paint, primer or hardener used by Ford during the manufacturing process. In other words, the issue is the result of poor materials and workmanship. Furthermore, the issue is widespread and known to have affected countless owners across multiple models and year models."