The Ford Explorer has been one of America's best selling three row SUVs for decades, and it remains a common choice for families cross shopping midsize SUVs on the used market. But not every model year has aged the same way. Certain generations carry well documented issues ranging from exhaust odor entering the cabin to expensive internal water pump failures and all wheel drive component problems. None of this means every Explorer from those years is a bad buy, but it does mean a shopper needs to know what to check before handing over money. Below is a rundown of the Explorer's most common problem areas by generation, which years tend to be safer bets, which years deserve extra caution, and how to verify the history of any specific Explorer you are considering.
Common Ford Explorer Problems by Generation
Ford has built the Explorer across six generations since 1991, and while the overall design has held up reasonably well against rivals like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, a handful of recurring issues show up often enough in owner complaints, technical service bulletins, and repair shop data to be worth flagging before you buy. The fourth generation ran from 2006 to 2010, the fifth generation from 2011 to 2019, and the current sixth generation began in 2020 with a switch to a rear wheel drive based platform shared with the Lincoln Aviator.
| Problem | Affected Years or Generation | Symptoms | Rough Repair Cost |
|---|
| Exhaust odor, possible carbon monoxide entering cabin | 2011-2017 (fifth generation) | Exhaust smell inside the cabin, especially at idle, low speed, or during acceleration | $200-$1,500 depending on cause (seals, exhaust manifold, liftgate seal) |
| Internal water pump failure (3.5L V6) | 2011-2019 models with the 3.5L engine | Coolant mixing with oil, milky residue on the dipstick, overheating, potential engine damage if ignored | $1,200-$2,000 (labor intensive since the pump sits behind the timing cover) |
| Power Transfer Unit (PTU) failure | AWD models, especially 2011-2015 | Whining or grinding noise near the front differential, fluid leaks, vibration under load | $1,000-$2,200 to replace |
| Transmission hesitation or rough shifting | 2020-2021 (early sixth generation, rear drive platform) | Hesitation on acceleration, delayed or rough shifts, occasional stalling reports | $150-$4,000+ (software update up to full transmission replacement) |
| Door latch and window regulator faults | 2011-2017 | Doors that will not latch or lock properly, windows that are slow or fail to move | $150-$450 per door |
| Infotainment and electrical glitches | 2013-2019 | Backup camera dropouts, touchscreen freezing or rebooting, unexplained battery drain | $100-$600 |
Most Reliable Ford Explorer Years to Buy
If reliability is the top priority, the later years of each generation tend to be the safer bet, since Ford typically works out early production issues through running changes and technical service bulletins. The 2018 and 2019 Explorers arrived after most of the fifth generation exhaust and door latch fixes had been rolled into production, which makes them a reasonable pick as long as the specific vehicle's service records show any relevant recalls or bulletins were addressed. On the current sixth generation platform, the 2022 and 2023 model years are generally considered more settled than the 2020 launch year, since Ford issued software updates and hardware revisions to address the early transmission hesitation complaints. The Explorer Hybrid, introduced for 2020, adds battery complexity but has not shown a distinct pattern of problems beyond the issues shared with the rest of the platform. As always, a well maintained, higher mileage Explorer with a full service history can be a smarter buy than a low mileage example with gaps in its paperwork, since consistent maintenance matters more to long term reliability than the model year alone.
Ford Explorer Years to Avoid or Approach with Caution
The 2011 through 2017 model years, and especially 2011 through 2015, are the ones worth researching most carefully. This is the generation tied to the exhaust odor and possible carbon monoxide complaints that prompted a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation and led Ford to extend warranty coverage on certain exhaust related components and offer inspections or repairs on affected vehicles. If you are looking at an Explorer from this era, ask whether any related recall or service action work was completed, and have a mechanic check for exhaust smell in the cabin before you buy. These same years also carry the highest concentration of water pump and PTU complaints on 3.5L V6 and AWD models, so a cooling system inspection and a listen for whining noises from the front differential area are worthwhile on any pre-purchase check. On the newer end, the 2020 model year, the first of the redesigned rear drive platform, drew a notable number of complaints about hesitation and rough shifting shortly after launch. Ford addressed much of this through software updates, so a 2020 Explorer that has already had those updates applied is a lower risk purchase than one that has not.
Is a Used Ford Explorer Worth Buying?
None of this means the Explorer is a bad SUV to own. It offers a comfortable ride, a genuinely usable third row compared with many competitors, and strong towing capacity on V6 models, which makes it a practical family vehicle when it is running right. The problems above are common enough to show up repeatedly in owner forums and complaint databases, but they are not universal, and plenty of Explorers rack up well over 150,000 miles with routine maintenance. The key is going in with realistic expectations: budget for the possibility of a water pump or PTU repair on an older AWD V6 model, confirm exhaust related recall work was completed on any 2011-2017 vehicle, and have the SUV inspected by an independent mechanic before you buy. A clean pre-purchase inspection combined with documented service history goes a long way toward avoiding an expensive surprise down the road, and it can also give you leverage to negotiate the price if a repair is likely in the near future.
How to Check a Specific Ford Explorer Before You Buy
Generation wide problem patterns only tell part of the story. The individual vehicle you are looking at needs its own paper trail, especially since the Explorer is a popular choice for police departments, rental agencies, and corporate fleets, which can mean harder use than a typical private owner puts on a vehicle. Before you buy, run the vehicle's 17-character VIN and look for the following:
- Title brands such as salvage, rebuilt, flood, or lemon law buyback
- Reported accidents or airbag deployments
- Odometer readings that jump or do not match the vehicle's condition, a possible sign of rollback
- Open, unresolved recalls, including exhaust and powertrain related service actions
- Evidence of prior fleet, rental, or police use, which can mean a harder life even on a clean looking title
A CarWorthIt VIN check pulls this information into one report, so you can see title status, salvage or auction damage records, odometer readings over time, open recalls, and prior fleet or rental use before you commit to a used Explorer. It is a quick way to confirm the SUV in front of you has not inherited one of the more expensive problems on this list, and it gives you real information to negotiate with if it has.
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