With 7 recalls and 356 complaints, the 2021 Ford Explorer rates as elevated on the safety concern scale. Always run the VIN through NHTSA's lookup tool before signing.

Recalls

356

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recall Findings

23V0690002023-10-02

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.

A park system that is damaged may not shift into "PARK," resulting in a vehicle rollaway and increasing the risk of injury or crash.

View at NHTSA

23V1990002023-24-03

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L RWD, 3.3L GAS, 3.3L FHEV, or 3.0L ST powertrain. The previous powertrain control module (PCM) update completed under recall 22V-255 did not include the automatic electronic parking brake feature when the vehicle is shifted to park, as intended. In addition, the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.

Without the electronic parking brake applied, the vehicle could rollaway if the driveshaft disconnects. A disconnected driveshaft can also result in a loss of drive power. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA

23V3050002023-28-04

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with a 12.1-inch Integrated Computer Screen (ICS). When the Display On/Off Button is used to turn the display to "Off" prior to placing the vehicle in reverse, the backup camera rearview image will not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

View at NHTSA

View all 7 recalls

23V6750002023-06-10

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.

A disconnected driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power or a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA

24V5980002024-10-08

ENGINE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with the Police Interceptor Utility Package. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.

An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

View at NHTSA

25V1660002025-14-03

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 23V-199 or 22V-255. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.

A disconnected driveshaft can result in vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park without the parking brake applied. A disconnected driveshaft can also result in a loss of drive power. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA

26V1590002026-17-03

SEAT BELTS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.

A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

View at NHTSA

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top Complaint Areas

The 2021 Ford Explorer's biggest weak point? POWER TRAIN. It leads 356 total complaints spanning 1 years. Budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection, especially in that area.

01Power Train72

02Unknown Or Other50

03Back Over Prevention23

04Engine18

05Structure14

356 total across 1 model years (2021–2021)Full data at NHTSA.gov

Ford Explorer Fuel Economy

19–27mpg combined

16-27city

23-28hwy

$1,600-$2,300/yr

Fuel economy for the 2021 Ford Explorer ranges from 19 to 27 MPG combined across 10 setups. The table below breaks it down by trim so you know exactly what you're signing up for.

By Trim

Explorer HEV RWD - Automatic (S10)

27mpg

3.3L 6-cyl · Rear-Wheel Drive

27 city28 hwy~$1,600/yr6/10 Average

Explorer HEV AWD - Automatic (S10)

25mpg

3.3L 6-cyl · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive

23 city26 hwy~$1,750/yr5/10 Average

Explorer RWD - Automatic (S10)

24mpg

2.3L 4-cyl Turbo · Rear-Wheel Drive

21 city28 hwy~$1,800/yr5/10 Average

Explorer RWD - Automatic 10-spd

24mpg

2.3L 4-cyl Turbo · Rear-Wheel Drive

21 city28 hwy~$1,800/yr5/10 Average

Explorer AWD - Automatic (S10)

23mpg

2.3L 4-cyl Turbo · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive

20 city27 hwy~$1,900/yr5/10 Average

Explorer AWD - Automatic 10-spd

23mpg

2.3L 4-cyl Turbo · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive

20 city27 hwy~$1,900/yr5/10 Average

Explorer RWD - Automatic (S10)

21mpg

3.0L 6-cyl Turbo · Rear-Wheel Drive

18 city26 hwy~$2,100/yr4/10 Average

Explorer Timberline AWD - Automatic (S10)

21mpg

2.3L 4-cyl Turbo · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive

19 city23 hwy~$2,100/yr4/10 Average

Explorer AWD - Automatic (S10)

20mpg

3.0L 6-cyl Turbo · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive

18 city24 hwy~$2,200/yr4/10 Average

Explorer FFV AWD - Automatic (S10)

19mpg

3.3L 6-cyl · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive

16 city23 hwy~$2,300/yr3/10 Poor

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Where to Find 2021 Ford Explorer

37States

29%in top 3

The biggest cluster of inventory is in Michigan (12%), but the remaining listings are spread across 36 other states nationwide.

MIMichigan

4,68912%

TXTexas

4,16411%

FLFlorida

2,6097%

PAPennsylvania

2,1445%

CACalifornia

1,8735%

ILIllinois

1,4664%

DEDelaware

1,4424%

GAGeorgia

1,3964%

MOMissouri

1,3573%

NYNew York

1,3413%

NJNew Jersey

1,1703%

OHOhio

1,1383%

NCNorth Carolina

1,0723%

DCWashington DC

9382%

AZArizona

8462%

TNTennessee

8442%

MDMaryland

8122%

COColorado

7382%

MN730

OKOklahoma

6512%

NH546

IN507

WA471

AL443

KY413

WI399

IA376

UT370

OR346

MA311

RI307

VA291

ID287

NV282

NE279

AR256

CT251

Geographic distribution reflects all active listings for this model, not just 2021.

2021 Ford Explorer Buyer FAQ

What to know before you buy

Is the 2021 Ford Explorer a good car to buy?

Here's the short version on the 2021 Ford Explorer. There are 7 recalls to verify before purchase. Dig into the safety overview and pricing trends for recall-by-recall detail.

Are there recalls on the 2021 Ford Explorer?

NHTSA shows 7 recall campaigns for the 2021 Ford Explorer. Before buying, verify all recalls are complete. The dealer must fix them at no charge. See the safety section for the full list.

What's the gas mileage of the 2021 Ford Explorer?

You'll get between 19 and 27 MPG combined from the 2021 Ford Explorer, depending on engine and drivetrain. That's a meaningful difference over time. The fuel economy table shows exactly which configs get what.

What are common problems with the 2021 Ford Explorer?

POWER TRAIN problems top the list with 356 total complaints filed. Not every car is affected, but it's worth asking about and inspecting. Full details in the known issues section.