general problems of the 2018 Ford Explorer - part 2

Water pump failed. Coolant is leaking.

Three times within the last 4 years I have had a map sensor failure. I was told the first time, this is rare. I was told the second time, this never happens twice. This time I'm told that they just don't know what is causing it. Must be 3 bad sensors in a row somehow. The engine failure on 3/14/24 was nearly catastrophic and I nearly died. I was going 70mph on a 6 lane highway in st. Louis at 5:15pm. Interstate 270 can be dangerous under the best conditions, this was during dangerous storms along with being at rush hour. The engine completely stalls and I lose all power to drive. The first time it happened in a parking lot in August of 2020. The second time was sept of 2022 and I was in my neighborhood. Sunset Ford has no explanation and have repaired it and sent me on my way once again. There are no signs this will happen - it just suddenly happens and I have no ability to react due to the complete engine stall. I have also had 2 oil system failures with this vehicle. It has only 42k miles on it. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle. I don't understand how this is acceptable at all honestly. How can I feel safe driving my children in this vehicle? 5 major repairs in just over 4 years. Have the repairs been done correctly? I question why more has not been done to ensure that another catastrophic event doesn't happen that could result in death of myself or family. Even my numerous requests for information and service reports were met with resistance and what seems like attempts at hiding information from sunset Ford. Not only could I have been seriously injured or killed, but this could have caused a large scale accident affecting many others on that hwy. This feels negligent by either sunset Ford or by Ford mo CO. This should not happen in a safe and reliable vehicle.

Our 2018 ecoboost Ford Explorer started releasing smoke from the tailpipe when starting in April 2023. I took it in to the Ford of kirkland dealership in early may 2023. They kept my car for 9 weeks, and then said there is nothing wrong with it and gave it back in July 2023. The car kept having the same issue. This was while it was still under warranty about 96,000 miles. Fast forward to February 2024, the car has continued to smoke this entire time since the dealership gave it back in July. In February, I was driving home on the freeway going up hill when the car suddenly decelerated rapidly. I was able to get off the freeway and have my husband come and he got it home. We contacted the dealership (Ford of kirkland) the same one that did nothing in 2023. They trailered it in for a look. The response we got from the service manager was that "the engine needs replaced due to scoring in the cylinder and low compression". We could not afford to pay for an engine replacement, so we wrote a letter to Ford, who responded "thank you for letting us know, but there are no recalls and it is out of warranty, so save your receipts and if a recall comes up you could potentially be reimbursed". I received this response from Ford in June 2024, so basically they were unwilling to help. Imagine my surprise that a recall was just announced today for the exact issue we have with our car in other model years, but not our model year. I would like to know my rights. I am still paying on a car that has a failed engine, with Ford basically having told me they will do nothing. As noted, this issue is confirmed by the Ford of kirkland dealership, which I have in writing from the service manager. The car has not been inspected by the manufacturer directly, but is available for inspection if you would like. The car has been sitting for several months now, while we try to figure out what to do. We don't have $10,000 to replace a motor that we should not need to replace.

On February 9, 2024 I was headed to work as a icu charge nurse. I was driving about 65 mph on the highway and suddenly my engine failed. My engine completely turned off. I wasn’t able to press the gas to accelerate. My steering wheel also locked so I had no control over my vehicle anymore. Eventually, smoke started to come from my engine. I nearly lost my life with no control over my vehicle. Someone could have hit me from the spontaneous failure of the engine. This was extremely traumatic for me. I bought this car from a Ford dealership and get all my services done through Ford. On January 24, 2024 I took my car to Ford for a multi-point inspection, oil change, and tire rotation. I also got a fuel system change. I had no warning lamps, messages, or any symptoms that the vehicle would fail prior to the incident. I got my vehicle towed to the dealership of purchase. They reported that it was an internal failure of the engine from a broken water pump. This is an ongoing issue that Ford is aware of. How does a water pump fail with no indication? why hasn’t there been a recall on Ford’s water pump and engine failure. How many people have to lose their lives before a safety recall is issued. I was lucky to survive that but others may not be. Please help!.

The high-speed cooling fan motor relay (recall 21n01) and the exterior a-pillar apical molding (recall 24v031) failed on my vehicle. The cooling fan caused the engine to overheat repeatedly, and the vehicle became undrivable. Unfortunately, I no longer have the vehicle, as it was surrendered to my bank and later sold at auction. However, service records, diagnostic reports, and recall information are available upon request. The overheating engine presented a significant safety risk while driving, as it could have caused the vehicle to stall or catch fire. A aaa roadside technician confirmed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the overheating issue. This defect left me stranded, requiring alternative transportation and creating a hazard for others on the road had I continued driving the vehicle. Yes, the problem was confirmed by a aaa roadside technician, who performed a diagnostic scan and identified that the engine overheating was due to a defective cooling fan relay. The issue aligns with recall 21n01. The molding defect (recall 24v031) was not specifically inspected, but it was noted as part of the recall documentation. No, the vehicle was not inspected by Ford or any other representatives after the issues arose. I checked Ford’s website in February 2024 and learned about the recalls, but I was never notified by Ford about these safety defects while I owned the vehicle. Aaa provided the only diagnostic assessment before I surrendered the vehicle to my bank. Yes, there were symptoms prior to the failure. The vehicle’s engine temperature warning light came on repeatedly, and the battery required constant recharging. The overheating symptoms first appeared in February 2024, and the vehicle became completely undrivable the next day.

The vehicle experienced multiple defects, including: overheating due to a malfunctioning cooling fan motor relay. Exterior a-pillar trim detachment. Persistent starting issues, even after replacing the battery. The vehicle is no longer in my possession due to repossession, so inspection may not be possible. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the overheating issue posed a risk of engine failure while driving. The detached a-pillar trim could have caused a road hazard for other drivers if it fell off while in motion. The starting issues left me stranded on multiple occasions, which could have been dangerous in certain environments. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, the dealership confirmed the issues but stated the vehicle needed to meet specific conditions (e. G. , 100 miles for certain repairs) and required costly repairs that I couldn’t afford. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? the vehicle was inspected by the dealership, but Ford motor company has not performed any direct inspections to my knowledge. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? for the overheating issue, the engine temperature warning light appeared intermittently. For the starting issue, there were no warning lights; the vehicle simply failed to start on multiple occasions. The a-pillar trim issue was visibly apparent, but no specific warning messages were displayed.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing coolant, but there was no indication of a coolant leak. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was cool air coming from the heater vents. The contact called an independent mechanic for orange coolant, who informed the contact that the coolant was on backorder. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a routine oil change and diagnosed that the water pump was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to shift to revere, the vehicle jerked and hesitated before shifting into reverse. The contact stated that after shifting to drive, the rpm revved; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact released the accelerator pedal, shifted to neutral and back to drive while slowly depressing the accelerator pedal for the vehicle to operate as needed. The contact stated that afterwards while driving 20 mph or more, the vehicle sputtered and was making an abnormal grinding sound. While idling, the vehicle started shaking violently. The contact stated that the “wrench” and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to identify the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission had failed due to failed spark plugs and filters. The mechanic also stated that there was a significant amount of rust on the engine. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact became aware of a customer satisfaction program: 10181988 (power train) and technical service bulletin 10184634 (engine and engine cooling, power train) and linked the TSB and csp to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall, customer satisfaction program 10181988 (power train), and technical service bulletin 10184634 (engine and engine cooling, power train). The manufacturer opened a case for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.

Torque converter issues as outlined here: https://static. Nhtsa. Gov/odi/tsbs/2020/mc-10184634-0001. Pdf almost was in accident due to loss of power and slow take off from issue with transmission torque converter. Engine shaking bad when in drive or reverse while stopped. Caused two motor mounts to be damaged. One split open and leaked fluid. Those have already been replaced. Less than 60k miles this should not be an issue.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 80mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that she was able to coast the vehicle off the road to safety. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be duplicated however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning when a message flashed on the instrument panel “full accessory active”. The contact stated that the following day, she attempted to start the vehicle, but the engine failed engage. The contact stated that she had to wait approximately 30 minutes to an hour, she was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where the failure could not be duplicated. The failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number and advised to contact the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 79,008.

As I was driving on to the grocery store on a stop light I heard a rattle sound deflecting to another vehicle, the other vehicles driver heard the noise and noticed a puddle of water,and notified me. Emediatly I pulled over. Indeed, there was leak, unfortunately couldn't tell where it was coming from . I called my mechanic, and a tow truck. My mechanic called me today October 11,2023 to notify me that the water pump had failed. He asked me if there had been any warning sings or temperature change,I responded no. He told me that if the incident had happened on the highway, I might have caused damage to the engine and potentially the vehicle might have shut off do to over heating. Keep in mind that my 2018 Ford Explorer only has 70,000 miles. Now I'm stuck with a bill of 1,400 dollars. Im gonna get an update tomorrow October 12,2023 on my vehicle status, if there was anything else damaged do to the water pump failure. No lights or warning sings were lid on my dashboard.

The car had catastrophic engine failure. It had zero mechanical issues and all routine maintenance. It started rough a few times. Which I now know was a misfire. It then overheated while driving. Brought to a mechanic who said it was a blown head gasket. The coolant leaked into the oil. Engine had to be replaced at 102,000 miles.

I purchased this used vehicle from carmax 1/2022. Prior to my purchase it was a fleet vehicle. On 09/18/2023 I experienced ecoboost engine failure. Mileage is currently roughly 49k. Incident occured 2 months outside of powertrain warranty. The engine light would come on intermittently when driving. Took the car for a diagnostic to diagnose issue and had #3 ignition coil replaced due to misfire message. Few days later, light would come back on. After 3rd time of me going back and forth to the repair shop because of the light coming back on and vehicle drive not being as smooth as it usually is, I took the car to Ford dealer service center, where I was advised that this is a known issue, but no recall has been issued at this time. In addition, I was told that this engine is on back order and will not ship out until March 2024. A loaner car has not been provided and my extended warranty covers 5 days at $35/day, that is it. I will be without a vehicle for 6 months. Prior to this incident in 2022 I had a transmission issue. Powertrain warranty was still in effect so Ford covered it. I was without a vehicle for about 3 weeks for that repair. This has been a very dissapointing experience for a vehicle that is 5 years old and under 50k miles.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle overheated. The temperature gauge increased to the high engine temperature level. There was an abnormal beeping sound detected. The contact noticed that the coolant reservoir was empty and added coolant. The contact stated that the next day there was coolant on the garage floor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 71,699.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, a message indicating that the vehicle was overheating was displayed and he noticed a burning smell. The contact was able to drive to the nearby residence and parked the vehicle in the garage. The contact then noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground. The contact stated that coolant was added to the vehicle; however, half of the quantity leaked. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle at the contact's residence. The vehicle was diagnosed with water pump failure. The contact was referred to the dealer for the repairs. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that he would be charged a repair fee because the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise. No warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by a dealer and confirmed that the failure was the power take off unit internal failure and leaking fluid. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

Dealer refuses to repair vehicle without issues being present. States they will only fix it once the problem has arisen.

I’ve taken my vehicle multiple times to the Ford dealership due to continuing issues. Every time I’m told nothing is wrong and now I can’t even drive my car 5 feet.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while pulling into a parking lot the warning message saying “engine overheating, low coolant pull over and check coolant” illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and stated the water pump had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 67,707.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while her husband was driving approximately 45 mph, the check engine warning light started flashing. The contact stated that after blinking twice, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The driver coasted to the side of the roadway and had the vehicle towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The certified mechanic explained that coolant had leaked into the engine oil causing the engine to fail. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed the diagnostic result and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

Leaking exhuast fumes into the cab.

This complaint is regarding faulty water pumps in certain Ford vehicles. This is a known issue that Ford refuses to acknowledge. There are several class action lawsuits filed against Ford as well. The water pump is positioned in the engine’s center section, coolant leaks straight into the oil bucket. The coolant leak causes the engine to overheat and seize, prompting a new purchase. An overheated engine results in a blown head gasket, which causes the engine to underperform, worsening the heating condition. Engine failure can happen anywhere and cause danger to occupants or other drivers on the road. I had the best Ford warranty on my 2018 Ford Explorer. It expired when I reached 101,000 miles. At 103,0870 miles, I was in our Ford dealership for an oil change. That is when they found coolant leaking. They said I needed a new water pump. The repair was to cost $3,613. 98. I paid for the repair but also called Ford to see if they had a program to help with the cost of this repair. They said no. I filed a complaint and, of course, nobody contacted me. Luckily, this was found before I lost the engine like a lot of people are experiencing.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed a software update; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Water pump leaking.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started overheating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a faulty water pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.

2018 Ford Explorer water pump failed with little to no warning causing catastrophic damage to the engine. Flashing check engine light came on for less than 30 second and then turned off I conducted a visual inspection everything seemed fine. Next morning as I was driving to the dealership to have the vehicle serviced, check engine light came on and moments later the vehicle stalled unexpectedly in a busy intersection.

My 2018 Ford Explorer's water pump is leaking and has caused my car to overheat and then shut down on the highway. Having my car immediately begin to overheat and slow down on a fast-moving highway is very dangerous. I have discovered that this is an issue that Ford is aware of for my year's vehicle but does not want to do a recall to fix the part and if I fix it, they will only be able to install a similar faulty pump again.

Water pump is inside engine and apparently known to be faulty. After being stranded in traffic behind an accident in winter in maine it was well below zero and I could not move from the backed up traffic. Had to shut off car and weather was dangerously cold. I brought to dealership I bought it at. Note there was no warning before the car was fully overheated and coolant was empty. They said water pump and told me to go to specifically Ford dealership as I bought used from same family of dealerships but not specifically Ford. After a month of adding fluid daily Ford dealership tells me that water pump is inside engine and costs nearly as much as new engine to repair. They cannot get in for a month quoted two days and 2800 dollars. The delays from both dealerships could result in new engine needed. This is known issue that can destroy the engine as well and should be a recall. Class action lawsuit filed and I believe canada is forcing the repairs to be covered. It is available for inspection and I have to date paid 600 dollars so far for two dealerships to inspect it and not fix the issue.

Water pump leaking on 2018 Explorer with only 72,365. Dealer said it should be replaced or it could fail destroying the engine. This is the 4th major problem I have had with this vehicle. Not that old to have so many problems. Ford picked up some of the cost but still cost me $850.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 55 mph, he heard an abnormal noise emitting from the vehicle without warning. Her husband pulled the vehicle over and upon inspection, her husband saw fluid leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle initially towed to their home where the dealer was notified and instructed him to tow the vehicle to the dealer for an inspection. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a defective water pump. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Vehicle had a major mechanical issue that ignited a fire in the engine compartment. The fire quickly spread to the passenger compartment of the vehicle and totally engulfed the unit causing major damage to the entire vehicle. The vehicle is an obvious total loss.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was parked on an incline, the vehicle failed to restart without warning. Once the contact arrived at the scene, the vehicle restarted and resumed normal operation. The failure recurred four additional times after the initial failure. After the most recent failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where the mechanic failed to duplicate the failure. The dealer replaced the battery; however, the failure returned soon after the replacement. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

My car produces a sulfer/burning smell at hard acceleration. When I am merging into traffic at 3500-4000 and over rmp, an awful smell enters the cabin. I am very concerned that this is unsafe for my family and children in the vehicle, as well as the environment. I have had this vehicle looked by Ford and they claim everything looks normal. It is not normal to have this smell while accelerating.

On may 25th I started my car and the dashboard indicated my engine is at critical stating its overheating. I immediately turned the car off and waited 10 minutes to restart the vechle assuming it was a malfunction because the vechle hasn't been driven since the day before. As I restarted the car no warning indicators lit and the vechle was normal as usual. I drove around the corner and noticed the vechle stalling with a slight jurk. I immediately drove into an auto shop to check what's going on. I told the rep what's happening with the car. They checked the oil and stated the coolant is mixing with the oil and that I need service right away. I asked if I get an oil change will it get me home around the corner. The rep stated it shouldn't be a problem. As I left it was fine, until I reached my driveway and the vechle just shut off. I then asked for help to push the vechle into the driveway by my neighbor and was able to put the car in neutral and moved into my driveway. I searched around to see recalls on Fordpass app, it only stated that it was a new csp on my VIN to upgrade the high speed cooling fan relay and it's components stating it is known to either cause overheating or fire and that the relay will be replaced for vechles with millage at or below 150000 miles. I was in the clear and covered because I was at 126,600 miles. I remembered as I turned my vechle on it stated a critical indication of my engine overheating following me turning off the vechle and waiting 10 minutes and restarting with no warning indicators on. I contacted Ford for service by requesting a tow to brandon Ford. The vechle was towed and the following day a service rep named scott called stating he received the vechle and that it's gonna take a couple of days to get to, I said no problem. The next day I was contacted by scott and was told my engine is seized and that no service is gonna be performed and to come pick my vechle up. I found recalls for 2019 and 2020 Ford vechles but not 2018.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, there was black smoke coming from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the battery was faulty. The battery was replaced. The contact stated that while driving, there was black smoke coming from under the hood, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was replaced. Later, while driving again, the black smoke was again present coming from the hood of the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine and turbo were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.