2018 Ford EXPLORER - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2018 Ford Explorer has an outstanding overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 based on the various crash tests conducted. This SUV excelled in front crash tests, side crash tests, and rollover tests, with high ratings in all aspects. Additionally, it is equipped with standard electronic stability control, providing an extra layer of safety on the road. While forward collision warning and lane departure warning are optional features for this model, they can further enhance the safety of the vehicle.

Despite its strong safety performance, it is worth noting that there have been 326 complaints reported for the 2018 Ford Explorer. Additionally, there have been 3 recalls and 2 ongoing investigations. It is important for car owners to stay informed about these issues and promptly address any safety concerns to ensure the continued safety of the vehicle.

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Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

326

Recall Count

3

Investigation Count

2

Safety Rating

5/5

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Safety Features

2018 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2018 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

Optional
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

Optional

2018 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2018 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2005 Score 2018 Score 2022 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated 5 Not Rated
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 4 4 Not Rated
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5 Not Rated

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2005 Score 2018 Score 2022 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 5 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated 5 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated 5 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2005 Score 2018 Score 2022 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated 4 4
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5

Complaints for the 2018 Ford EXPLORER

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"i have a 2018 explorer that may be involved in the ford recall for the windshield trimpieces that may come loose. i may not have that issue but i have an issue with trim pieces separating from both the drivers and front passenger doors."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-03-12
Complaint:
"was driving on the high way and the b pillar trim detached and was hanging by the wire. no damage was done to this area prior and appears the adhesive gave out. due to incident back lift gate is inoperable and displays as open."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-12-01
Complaint:
"on the exterior this car has a plastic a-pillar cover on both sides of the windshield, i already had one fly off on expressway ( luckily didnt hit anyone or cause an accident) i replaced the one, but now the other side is coming loose as well, not sure if its a defect in the clips or the design , but the dealer doesnt acknowledge this to be a problem, there happily charging 600.00 to replace each a-pillar and they keep coming loose"
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-03-12
Complaint:
"i was driving on the freeway when one of my a pillers flew off and cause the person behind me to loose control of their car. about 5 min later the other a piller flew off almost causing an accident with a semi and trailer."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-09-01
Complaint:
"the passenger windshield trim piece blew off my vehicle on the interstate yesterday and caused the vehicle behind me to swerve to try to avoid it. looking through my rear view mirror, the driver appeared to lose control due to over correction. the driver avoided a collision and crash, but it looked hairy for a few moments. the driver's side trim piece blew off my vehicle last year. after googling, i see that this is a very common problem that should be addressed, in my opinion, with a recall due to safety."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-10-01
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2018 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the passenger’s side trim detached from the vehicle. the trim struck the front windshield of another vehicle, causing the other driver to lose control of the vehicle and the vehicle spun out. the contact was unsure if the front windshield was cracked due to the impact. there were no reported injuries. the contact called the local dealer and was referred to a collision center for assistance. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the collision center was contacted and provided an estimate for the repair. the manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred the contact to the nhtsa hotline. the failure mileage was approximately 99,800. the vin was not available."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-08-12
Complaint:
"windshield cowl (trim) had deteriorated, possibly due to common heat and sun damage. 1. we do not know whether or not the deteriorated cowl will affect windshield stability or water leaks. if windshield stability is affected, it would affect safety. 2. other complaints have noted that pieces of deteriorated cowl/trim have impacted safety of nearby vehicles. 3. the vibration, humming, and buzzing are irritating to drivers and passengers. // this observed deterioration occurred when the vehicle was 5 years old, however, we know of the same problem occurring in a 2019 explorer at about 3 years. // the local ford dealer stated it would cost over $650 to replace the cowl."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-01-08
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2018 ford explorer. the contact stated that while her husband was reversing from the garage, the liftgate malfunctioned and opened. the driver opened the driver's side door and struck the door frame. the door frame was damaged. there were no warning lights illuminated. additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the liftgate failed to open. the contact had to place the vehicle in the park position for the tailgate to open. the contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. the failure mileage was approximately 24,000."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2025-07-10
Complaint:
"the nhtsa has opened an investigation into 2011-2019 models experiencing an issue with the windshield trim panel. the trim panels are cracked and disintegrating and pieces are missing posing a hazard while the vehicle is being operated at highway speeds."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2025-03-10
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2018 ford explorer. the contact stated that while self-inspecting the vehicle, he noticed the paint on the front of the hood was corroded and peeling. the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer informed the contact that his vin was not included in an unknown recall. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file the complaint with the nhtsa hotline. the failure mileage was approximately 12,000."
Components Involved: STRUCTURE
Date of incident: 2024-10-09

Recalls for the 2018 Ford EXPLORER

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 f-150 and 2019-2020 f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 super duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 ford explorer, 2019-2020 expedition, and 2020 escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. also included are certain 2020 ford explorer and lincoln aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. the recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. as such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) numbers 202, "head restraints" and 207, "seating systems.""
Consequence:
A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy:

Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Component(s) Involved: SEATS > FRONT ASSEMBLY > RECLINER
Date of incident: 2019-08-28

FORD Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

FORD ranks 1 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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