Complaints about the 2021 Ford Explorer Hybrid peaked in 2023, with 4 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
SUV, hybrid, 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Jan 12, 2023 to Sep 10, 2026.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22V-255 | Apr 14, 2022 | Rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect | Powertrain | 252,936 | Software update |
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
7 complaints on file, page 1 of 1.
I am filing this complaint to report an unreasonable and hazardous delay by the manufacturer regarding NHTSA Campaign 25V455000 (Ford Recall 25S75) for a low-pressure fuel pump defect. As the original owner of a 2021 Ford Explorer Platinum Hybrid, I received notice of this critical safety recall 14 months ago. The defect causes a sudden, unpredictable engine stall while driving, creating an immediate highway collision hazard. Despite the passage of well over a year, Ford has failed to provide a remedy, engineer a fix, or make replacement parts available to dealerships. I am being forced to drive an inherently dangerous vehicle daily without a resolution timeline. Ford has failed to execute this warranty and safety repair within a legally reasonable timeframe to mitigate the ongoing risk to my family.
NHTSA complaint 11763480While taking groceries out of the back of the SUV, the hatchback closed without a sound warning and hit the top of my head causing a concussion and neck injury.
NHTSA complaint 11761721On July 8, 2026, I was traveling westbound on Highway 7 when another vehicle pulled right out in front of me from southbound Orchard Road, attempting to cross the highway. We collided and I struck the other vehicle at a 45° angle. My seatbelt was buckled. The impact caused me to be thrown forward into the windshield which I broke with my skull. I suffered a broken neck. The seatbelt did not operate properly to keep me secure in the seat. There's no way I should've struck the windshield if the seatbelt would've worked. Not only did the shoulder belt not work, but the lap belt did not work either because I came up and out of the seat. Also, the airbag did not prevent me from striking the windshield. There is something wrong with the seatbelt operation as well as the airbag. I have contacted Ford to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was inspected by the Harrisonville Missouri Police Department.
NHTSA complaint 11754258The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer Hybrid. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, there was a burning odor present. The message "Pull Over Possible Powertrain Damage" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who determined that the high voltage junction box had overheated and was burned. The high voltage junction box and high voltage junction box wiring harness were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and indicated that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V626000 (Electrical System). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 96,147.
NHTSA complaint 11556636A Police Officer's Ford Explorer Interceptor Hybrid SUV while driving had a vehicle malfunction where the rear wheels began to wobble/vibrate and while driving in a straight line with front wheels facing straight caused the vehicle to fishtail out of the control (loss of control to the rear wheels) and slam into a tree at approximately 50mph injuring the officer. Officer's injuries were broken left leg and two knee fractures. Upon further research, this incident may have been caused by the "rear bolt" fracture issue Ford is having with these specific Ford Explorers. This specific vehicle is under recall per the VIN. The Officer's safety was put at risk because the vehicle was most likely not recalled and fixed per the recall. The vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer or any qualified/certified individual. No other issues or symptoms were present prior to this incident. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request with the BART Police Department in Oakland, CA.
NHTSA complaint 11556088I was making a slow speed u-turn to stop a speeding motorist. As I came out of the u-turn, the wheel did not come back to center and I continued the turn going up a curb and striking a chain link fence. When I realized what was occurring, I manually began to turn the steering wheel to the right to get back on the roadway. There is patrol car dash cam footage of this collision. Police report# 23-688.
NHTSA complaint 11513540The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the electronic "lift gate ajar" warning was activated; however, the liftgate was not open. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who adjusted the liftgate striker, and the failure was remedied; however, the failure reoccurred. Additionally, while driving at speeds between 5 - 20 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and vibrating with the RPM’s extremely elevated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not identified. The dealer indicated that the jerking and vibration were normal for a hybrid vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 22,000.
NHTSA complaint 11501484Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall.