U.S. public vehicle records

2021 Ford EXPLORER HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

7 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

59,074 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2021 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-02 (October 2, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 7 complaints (28.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	1	14.3%
Electrical and battery issues	1	14.3%
Steering behavior	1	14.3%
Fuel system concerns	1	14.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags

Electrical System

Fuel/Propulsion System

Power Train

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Seat Belts

Steering

Unknown Or Other: 2; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Power Train: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1; Seat Belts: 1; Steering: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 5 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2023

2026

2023: 4; 2026: 3

Pattern summary

Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11501484 · 2023-01-12 (January 12, 2023)

The 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 i…

Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11501484 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11513540 · 2023-03-24 (March 24, 2023)

I 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.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11513540 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11556088 · 2023-11-20 (November 20, 2023)

A 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 …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11556088 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11556636 · 2023-11-24 (November 24, 2023)

The 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 Campa…

Owner-reported narrative. 96,147 miles reported. Look up ODI 11556636 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11754258 · 2026-08-02 (August 2, 2026)

On 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 …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11754258 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11761721 · 2026-09-02 (September 2, 2026)

While 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.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11761721 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11763480 · 2026-09-10 (September 10, 2026)

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11763480 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

22V255000 · Power Train:Axle Assembly | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft

Reported: 2022-04-14 (April 14, 2022)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer Police FHEV, Explorer Police 3.3L, and 2020-2022 Explorer 2.3L RWD, 3.0L PHEV, 3.3L FHEV, and 3.0L ST GAS vehicles. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.

Consequence: A disconnected driveshaft can result in vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in 'Park' without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the bushing and axle cover, or update the electronic parking brake software. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2022, and March 10, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S27.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

7 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-02.

28.6%Usable mileage2 / 7 records

100.0%Valid incident date7 / 7 records

100.0%Valid filing date7 / 7 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates7 / 7 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2020	2021	2022	2023	2025	2026	2027
Unknown Or Other	150.0% ODI 11383331 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOP MAKING NECESSARY REPAIRS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WENT UP IN FLAMES INSIDE THE GARAGE OF THE INDEPENDENT SHOP. NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. A POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE IS AWAITING INSURANCE ADJUSTOR INFORMATION FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE THAT OCCURRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAM… Look up ODI 11383331 at NHTSA ↗	228.6% ODI 11556088 A 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 … Look up ODI 11556088 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Power Train	150.0% ODI 11732065 I was driving the vehicle through a neighborhood and there was a clunk noise and it sounded like my brakes were metal on metal. I stopped to ensure my brakes were okay. Then I continued to drive home when there was a louder clunk and the reared on my vehicle locked up and the car would no longer move. The reared differential unit had failed and exploded parts and put holes in the unit causing fluid to exit onto the street and lock up the drive tires. The vehicle was stranded in the middle of the street and could not move. There was no warning o… Look up ODI 11732065 at NHTSA ↗	114.3% ODI 11556088 A 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 … Look up ODI 11556088 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Steering	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 11513540 I 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. Look up ODI 11513540 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 11767893 Twice the car has blown the main 80 amp fuse for the electric power steering after one of the front wheels hit something that caused the wheel to jerk slightly. I did not think either of these bumps should have caused the power steering to go out. one of them occurred at very low speed maybe two or three miles per hour. Neither of them were sufficient to cause any damage to any of the mechanical parts. But in both cases the power steering completely went out which makes the car very difficult and dangerous to drive. I suspect this is a common p… Look up ODI 11767893 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Air Bags	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 11754258 On 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 … Look up ODI 11754258 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Back Over Prevention: Warnings	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 11574254 Vehicle was within 3 feet of curb in our parking space at home. Vehicle suddenly surged forward and crashed into our building. This happened October 20,2023. the Vehicle has been in the shop since October 21,2013. Statefarm Insurance paid for investigation in the the black box. Investigation yielded no conclusive results. Upon further investigation the vehicle surged for the investigator as well. Which led to the problem with the wire harness and the accelerator being identified. Look up ODI 11574254 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 11556636 · 96,147 mi The 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 Campa… Look up ODI 11556636 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 11574254 Vehicle was within 3 feet of curb in our parking space at home. Vehicle suddenly surged forward and crashed into our building. This happened October 20,2023. the Vehicle has been in the shop since October 21,2013. Statefarm Insurance paid for investigation in the the black box. Investigation yielded no conclusive results. Upon further investigation the vehicle surged for the investigator as well. Which led to the problem with the wire harness and the accelerator being identified. Look up ODI 11574254 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 11574254 Vehicle was within 3 feet of curb in our parking space at home. Vehicle suddenly surged forward and crashed into our building. This happened October 20,2023. the Vehicle has been in the shop since October 21,2013. Statefarm Insurance paid for investigation in the the black box. Investigation yielded no conclusive results. Upon further investigation the vehicle surged for the investigator as well. Which led to the problem with the wire harness and the accelerator being identified. Look up ODI 11574254 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Electrical System	Too few reports for a range	96,147 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11556636 · 96,147 mi The 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 Campa… Look up ODI 11556636 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	Too few reports for a range	22,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11501484 · 22,000 mi The 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 i… Look up ODI 11501484 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Complaints	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	1	None	ODI 11754258 On 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 … Look up ODI 11754258 at NHTSA ↗
2026-09	2	None	ODI 11761721 While 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. Look up ODI 11761721 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11763480 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 … Look up ODI 11763480 at NHTSA ↗
2026-10 (partial)	0	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2022: 0 complaints · 2023: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2022	0	0	0
2023	1	1	1

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2022	1	0	0
2023	2	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Unknown Or Other	Air Bags	Electrical System	Fuel/Propulsion System	Power Train	Power Train:Automatic Transmission	Seat Belts	Steering
Unknown Or Other	—	0	0	0	1 ODI 11556088 A 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 … Look up ODI 11556088 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0
Air Bags	0	—	0	0	0	0	1 ODI 11754258 On 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 … Look up ODI 11754258 at NHTSA ↗	0
Electrical System	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Fuel/Propulsion System	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Power Train	1 ODI 11556088 A 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 … Look up ODI 11556088 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Seat Belts	0	1 ODI 11754258 On 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 … Look up ODI 11754258 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	0	—	0
Steering	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

2 patterns with matching reports.

Hard or delayed shifting

1 mentions · 14.3% of complaints

Median mileage: 22,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 11501484 · 22,000 mi

Look up ODI 11501484 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

Stalling or loss of power

1 mentions · 14.3% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11763480

Look up ODI 11763480 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Complaints over time data
Category	Count
2023	4
2026	3