2019 FORD EXPLORER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
293
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
23
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2019 FORD EXPLORER
The 2019 FORD EXPLORER has received a total of 293 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 15 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS, STRUCTURE:BODY. 23 technical service bulletins have been issued by Ford Motor Company for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Structure (93 complaints), Unknown Or Other (41 complaints), and Structurebody (33 complaints).
Recalls for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER
NHTSA has recorded 15 recalls for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER, potentially affecting up to 10,205,617 vehicles.
Recall 24V031000 — STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
| 1,889,110 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
Consequence: A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
View full details →Recall 24V031000 — STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
| 1,889,110 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
Consequence: A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
View full details →Recall 21V316000 — STRUCTURE:BODY
| 616,967 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1,...
View full details →Recall 21V316000 — STRUCTURE:BODY
| 616,967 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1,...
View full details →Recall 21V316000 — STRUCTURE:BODY
| 616,967 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1,...
View full details →Recall 21V316000 — STRUCTURE:BODY
| 616,967 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1,...
View full details →Recall 21V316000 — STRUCTURE:BODY
| 616,967 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1,...
View full details →Recall 21V316000 — STRUCTURE:BODY
| 616,967 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1,...
View full details →Recall 21V316000 — STRUCTURE:BODY
| 616,967 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1,...
View full details →Recall 19V633000 — SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
| 639,137 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
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...
View full details →Recall 19V633000 — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
| 639,137 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
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...
View full details →Recall 26V012000 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
| 2,403 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will...
View full details →Recall 26V012000 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
| 2,403 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will...
View full details →Recall 26V101000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 412,774 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
Consequence: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an...
View full details →Recall 26V101000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 412,774 vehicles affected
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
Consequence: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER
293 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
Accelerator stuck wide open while entering freeway. I also have a safety recall notice 24S02/NHTSA recall 24V031
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the windshield. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that the exterior A-pillar trim retention clips were loose and needed to be replaced, and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, parts for the recall were not yet available. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failur,e and the contact was provided the same information from the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 64,000.
The contact owns a 2019 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.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side door exterior B-Pillar trim clip attachment detached. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the dealer informed the contact that the driver's side door exterior B-Pillar trim failure was not listed in the recall. The contact was informed that the B- Pillar Trim needed to be replaced at the owner's expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.
The contact owns a 2019 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.
Safety Rating for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER
The 2019 FORD EXPLORER received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER
Ford Motor Company has issued 23 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
20B27 S1 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Certain 2015-2019 MKC and 2016-2019 Explorer Vehicles Equipped With the 2.3L Engine and 6F35 Transmission Powertrain Control Module Reprogram Submitting Owner Letters
SSM 50346 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Some 2018-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit inoperative remote features via the Ford Pass/Lincoln Way mobile app, incomplete user authorization, no modem electronic serial number (ESN) displayed or DTCs U2100 and/or B156D in the telematics control unit (TCU). These symptoms may persist even after performing a TCU software update...
21B13 — POWER TRAIN
Certain 2017-2019 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle and Toe Link Replacement This program is a proactive investigation by Ford Motor Company to obtain field parts for testing. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to replace both rear toe links and wheel knuckles on vehicles always registered and always...
20N07-S2 — POWER TRAIN
This program extends the warranty coverage of the automatic transmission torque converter for twelve (12) months from the RO date of Powertrain Control Module reflash under Customer Satisfaction Program 20B27.
20N11-S1 — STRUCTURE
A new 3M adhesive is now available, allowing a longer working time, along with mixing nozzles and applicator. 3M Universal Adhesive Black Part Number 08223, 3M Static Mixing Nozzles Part Number 08193 This program provides a one-time repair for the roof rail covers and retaining clips to 10 years of...
20N07-S1 — POWER TRAIN
In some of the affected vehicles, customers may experience adverse NVH, vibration and/or rough idle in Drive or Reverse, low performance/lack of acceleration during launch, sluggish vehicle operation and shudder while driving
20N11 — STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
On some of the affected vehicles, the roof rail covers can become loose, which can lead to a visible gap between the cover and roof rail base assembly, rattling, and potential detachment.
20N11 — EQUIPMENT
On some of the affected vehicles, the roof rail covers can become loose, which can lead to a visible gap between the cover and roof rail base assembly, rattling, and potential detachment.
20B32 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In some of the affected vehicles, Hill Start Assist (HSA), a driver convenience feature, is not enabled due to a software issue in the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module. The HSA feature makes it easier to pull away from a stop when a vehicle is on a slope. HSA should...
SSM 48876 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
For 2013-2019 Ford Explorer vehicles that require rear wheel knuckle and bushing assembly repairs, dealers are advised to follow Workshop Manual (WSM) Procedures and use service parts recommended by Ford only. Ford has received reports of toe link failures after the installation of non-OEM cross-axial ball joints (aka bushings) in...
Showing 10 of 23 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2019 FORD EXPLORER
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the FORD EXPLORER
- 2014 FORD EXPLORER — 1,997 complaints
- 2015 FORD EXPLORER — 2,105 complaints
- 2016 FORD EXPLORER — 2,925 complaints
- 2017 FORD EXPLORER — 1,893 complaints
- 2018 FORD EXPLORER — 801 complaints
- 2019 FORD EXPLORER (current)
- 2020 FORD EXPLORER — 1,519 complaints
- 2021 FORD EXPLORER — 481 complaints
- 2022 FORD EXPLORER — 297 complaints
- 2023 FORD EXPLORER — 124 complaints
- 2024 FORD EXPLORER — 21 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD FUSION — 28,243 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints
- FORD MUSTANG — 11,551 total complaints