general problems of the 2021 Ford Explorer - part 1

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's husband, who was an independent mechanic, used a diagnostic machine to diagnose the vehicle and discovered a failure with the emissions system. The contact stated that the failure was like the failure listed in NHTSA campaign number: 25v455000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

I was informed by the dealership that the engine issue with my 2021 Ford Explorer is the same issue for which a recall was issued. However, because my vehicle’s VIN was not included in the recall, I was required to pay for the engine replacement. I attempted to work with the dealership to have them coordinate with the manufacturer, but they declined to do so. I then contacted the manufacturer directly to file a complaint and request a review of the issue. I was advised that there was nothing they could do because my VIN is not listed under the recall. I am requesting that the manufacturer investigate this matter further and reimburse me for the repair costs if it is determined that the issue is applicable to my vehicle.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 24v598000 (engine). The local dealer was contacted and declined to complete the recall repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Police car started to run rough at low speed. Stalled in middle of road. Scanned codes and code for catalytic converter showed up along with misfires from numerous cylinders. Brought to dealer and was told needed plugs and a wire. Vehicle was returned and the same issue occurred. Fixed again. Picked up and once again the same issue started. Turned around and brought it back to dealer. The mechanic stated he never checked the catalytic converter as he was never told it had a code for the converter being bad. Two weeks later I am informed that cylinder 5 is bad. No compression. Two issues. Ford upped the warranty on the catalytic converters because of this common problem. The tech sheet shows that a bad cat will cause misfires, but never checked. Second issue is the recall 24s55 was for Fords with a 3. O liter engine, built in chicago, between the dates of 7/21 and 10/21. My vehicle was built in chicago on 9/21 and has a 3. 0 liter engine. I also received the post card regarding the recall and we had brought it t o the dealer. 24s55 states the valve could cause engine failure. Well now I have a bad engine. Ford says no recall even though prior chief brought to dealer after receiving postcard for recall.

My Explorer is only 4 years old and it suddenly suffered catastrophic engine failure due to low engine oil. The engine started knokcing and clattering before any warning lights came on the dash. This could also be due to premature bearing failure which is common in the 3. 0 ecboost engines.

The vehicle has an ongoing oil leak originating from the engine/drivetrain area. The affected components include the intermediate shaft and related seals, which are subject to Ford technical service bulletins, and potentially the plastic engine oil pan and its sealing surfaces. The vehicle is currently operable and remains available for inspection upon request. He vehicle is actively leaking engine oil at approximately one drop per day. Oil leakage presents a safety risk due to the potential for oil contacting hot engine or exhaust components, reduced lubrication if the condition worsens, and the possibility of oil dripping onto road surfaces, which could reduce traction for other motorists. The condition has not caused an accident to date, but it presents an ongoing safety concern. Yes. A Ford dealership identified and documented oil leakage during a scheduled service visit in November. In addition, the dealership acknowledged known issues with the affected components and confirmed that the vehicle continues to exhibit oil leakage. The manufacturer has declined repair outside of warranty. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Ford dealership on multiple occasions. Ford motor company executive customer care reviewed the case and documented a decision to decline repair based on warranty status. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. No warning lamps or messages were present prior to the discovery of the oil leak. The condition was first identified visually during a scheduled service visit in November when oil leakage was observed. The vehicle currently exhibits ongoing oil leakage without warning lamps or messages. I am also concerned that this model has had several recalls regarding the engin and our falls just outside the range of Ford recall it was build in January of 21 and the recall starts in may of 21. I would like to have that expanded to my vwhicle as well.

My vehicle is experiencing exhaust fume issue where the exhaust fumes are entering into the cabin for Explorer and aviator models (any model with the 3. 0l ecoobost). Upon inspection by 3rd party mechanic, it can be determined that the problematic catalytic converters that are not the one piece cast was installed on my vehicle from the factory. Speaking to other st and interceptor owners, the problem seems widespread to every 2021 model that Ford installed the multipiece welded catalytic converters. Apparently the cast part fairs better and is not subject to cracks. The recall originally covered the left side catalytic converter but the flawed design also affects the right side catalytic converter where many owners are experiencing this issue. This has affected all 3. 0l ecoboost engine vehicles. [xxx] I believe the recall should have extended to cover all 2020 and 2021 model year vehicles. There are forum posts where owners outside the recall have experienced the issue in addition to owners having to repeatedly replace the catalytic converters post warrant as Ford continued to reinstall bad catalytic converters as part of the repair process. I have driven this vehicle for several thousand miles with the issue and did not realize exhaust was leaking until notices of headaches and health issues as CO is odorless, causing co2 levels to reach 3000+ inside the cabin at stop lights and blows in through the vents if a/c is on. I believe NHTSA should investigate this issue further and require Ford to replace both catalytic converters as this issue poses a serious health hazard, especially given the location of the exhaust leak and the commonplace occurrence. I am happy to forward to forums and provide evidence of this occurring. Ford considers lifetime of the vehicle to be ~150k miles and these exhausts do not last close to that, resulting in a massive expense and danger to us consumers. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled over and parked and allowed the vehicle to cool down before driving back to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine and the oil main bearings, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact received a notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v635000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed and then lost motive power. The engine made ticking sounds, and the vehicle was running rough. No warning light was illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle into the driveway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who discovered that the timing chain, spark plugs, and intake valves were fractured. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-30 mph, the vehicle stalled, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 25v455000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

The transmission failed. The electrical component also failed.

Recall action soon issue since 06-20-2025 unrequested second-row seat movement unrequested second-row seat movement recall incomplete recall service not available right now. We have a remedy but parts are not available right now. We will inform you when the service is available. Or, you can contact your dealer. Contact dealer issue date 2025-06-13 campaign 25s67/25v393 description on your vehicle, it is possible that the easy entry seat fold switch on the second-row outboard seats may bind or stick if its surrounding trim bezel was installed incorrectly. If the button is stuck in the down position, the seat may unlatch, fold and or slide unexpectedly, potentially while driving. Safety risk a seat that unexpectedly folds or slides while driving could increase the risk of injury, particularly in a crash. Remedy Ford motor company is working to provide parts for this repair. When the remedy becomes available, Ford motor company will notify you via mail to schedule a service appointment with your dealer for repairs to be completed free of charge.

Recall action soon issue since 06-20-2025 unrequested second-row seat movement for more information telematics generated issue.

I was stoped at a red light with cars in front of me and behind me when with my foot on the break the car accelerated forward like my foot was on the gas pedal but my foot was not on pedal, the car surged forward and came close to hitting the car in front of me I pressed the break and got stopped didn’t happen again but sometimes I can feel the car wanting to keep surging forward when breaking. If there is a problem this could cause me to hit someone in the rear or even worse could hit a pedestrian in the crosswalk please check this out.

While our 2021 Ford Explorer with 47,000 miles to work the vehicle warning light came on stating the vehicle was overheated and shut down. We allowed the vehicle to cool for 20 minutes as recommended by the owners manual and then restarted the vehicle which immediately overheated again. We had the vehicle towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the issue as coolant in the oil forcing a replacement of the engine and coolant systems.

The vehicle has intermittent issues with bucking, running poorly, and not shifting properly. It results in several warning lights which will clear at random. The dealer has told us it needed a new alternator. The repair was made but the problem resurfaced again today. This is not a new issue as it has occurred many times before.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

We were driving the vehicle when we experienced a sudden loss of power and acceleration. We also noticed odors of gas. We took it to a Ford authorized dealership and they said it was due to antifreeze in the oil from what they said was a leaking water pump. They recommended a new engine due to the difficulty of changing the internal water pump and the fact it leaked antifreeze into the engine oil, possibly damaging the engine itself. This was the explanation for the fault codes, random gas odors, and loss of power. It was explained this was normal when the sensors detect something wrong with the oil in the engine. Estimated cost provided by the dealership was $11,000 to replace the engine.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that there was an abnormal shaking and vibrating coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a nearby mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that cylinders #3 and #4 had lost compression, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 24v598000 (engine). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 105,000.

The contact owns 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 80 mph, the power train warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to exit the highway, and the contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to express care automotive, where it was diagnosed that a valve in the engine had failed. The mechanic informed the contact that the engine needed to be taken apart for additional diagnostic testing. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be related to Ford campaign number: 24s55. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

I had complete engine failure on my 2021 115,000 mi Ford Explorer st. The truck was only 3 years old. I heard a knocking noise and pulled over. Throughout the summer smoke had been coming out of the exhaust pipe every time I turned on the car before work. There was a cloud of smoke. A week before the engine failure I had the vehicle in the Ford shop. They said everything was fine. I towed the vehicle to currie Ford in frankfort and they stated that there was catastrophic engine failure. Nothing could be done but I needed to put a new $12,000 engine in a $63,000 car. They said the warranty did not cover nor do I have any recourse. The safety of my family was placed at risk. , I was travelling with my family, my wife, son, daughter, nephew who is [xxx] old and niece who is [xxx] . It left us stranded. There were no warnings. The dealership inspected the car a week before and said it was good to go. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

When driving or on neutral the vehicle shakes between 1000rpm-1500rpm. During driving or stationary you can feel the vehicle vibrating when in that rpm range. Under load the car does feel a bit hesitant and tampers acceleration. They're is a TSB 22-2377 which may be related to this issue as well.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while coming to a stop, the vehicle stalled and would also misfire. The contact also noticed a loud knocking sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that valve springs in the cylinder in which the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 24v635000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact was referred the contact to the nhsta hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.

On [xxx], I was driving to my destination. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a large amount of grayish smoke coming from both tailpipes. Less then 1 mile after that, the Explorer was unable to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to don's Ford in utica NY where on October 8th they diagnosed the problem as a blown turbo within the engine. There were no symptoms that illuminated in the vehicle, made any noises and/or other issues that would have prompted me that there was a problem. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v635000 (engine and engine cooling); 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received a notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v635000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated prior to the failure, the oil was changed 2 months prior at approximately 27,000. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he could hear an abnormal knocking sound coming from under the hood. No warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it remains for further diagnoses. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 70–75 mph, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 54,500.

I have a catastrophic engine failure. The dealership (doherty Ford) in forest grove or acknowledges it. They are working with me. However, Ford has not responded to the dealers request for warranty work. It will be two weeks since I took the car to the dealer with a loud ticking noise. Dealer found a bunch of metal in the oil. I'm waiting to hear how Ford will fix it. The car has 45k on it. They also gave me an extended warranty because of all the issues I had with the car when I first got it. The damn steering coupler to the rack was loose and almost came off when I drove it home. I have had a number of other issues. All dealer repaired. The car has also been to doherty Ford almost exclusively for all its oil changes.

The recall to replace the rear axle bolt was completed and new boil installed. They left the automatic emergency brake program engager which results in the vehicle lurching forward or backward when shifted into gear and results in collisions with other vehicles as the collision detection system is not working.

[xxx] after driving less than 10 min. Warning signs flashed on screen. I immediately pulled off the road where the vehicle completely shut down and realized my 2021 Ford Explorer was on fire. Bystanders attempted to put the fire out with fire extinguishers but were unsuccessful. My passenger and I opened our doors, I exited and attempted to open trunk to remove wheelchair but could not (because door is electrical). My passenger flung himself onto the ground until bystanders came with a rolling office chair to remove him away from the burning vehicle. Had the bystanders not been there I do not know how I would have been able to move my passenger (25 year old, 200 lb male) away from the burning vehicle. Fire marshall could not determine cause of fire because vehicle was completely melted/too damaged. Ford motor company reviewed photos I sent to them but claims they could not determine cause of fire. The vehicle was properly maintained with routine oil changes. There were no issues with the vehicle prior to this incident. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My vehicle started to put up messages regarding going into power saver mode. The vehicle then said all wheel drive not available. After that electrical components started going unavailable such as power steering, brake assist, blind spot monitoring, cameras, and traction control. The vehicle then shut down while driving and all I could do was brake. When I attempted to restart the vehicle it did not restart. I jumped it and was able to safely pull it off the road. This is the 2nd time in three weeks this happened. Ford looked at the vehicle and tightened the battery cables. Then told me it was fine.

P25b4- turbocharger/supercharger waste gate (a) stuck closed p0299- turbocharger/supercharger underboost powertrain and 4-wheel drive in-operable, turned on vehicle to drive and immediately threw the two codes above. Ford says this is not a covered issue.

The contact owned a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph he had depressed the brake pedal to slow for a traffic signal and the vehicle had a brake functionality failure. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had to climb the median to avoid crashing into vehicles directly in front of his vehicle. The contact stated that he was pumping the brake pedal, however he stated that the vehicle seemed to accelerate. The contact stated that he tried shifting the vehicle into neutral (n), however he stated that the shifter dial would not move. The contact stated he had attempted to turn the vehicle off but could not. The contact stated he was finally able to stop the vehicle prior to crashing into traffic directional poles. The contact stated the police arrived and wrote a report. The contact stated he had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the driver's side front shock absorber was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

I was sitting at a stop light and when the light turned green I pushed on the gas pedal and I had no power! however, all of my auxillary power worked. Everything inside the car still had power, from my dashboard to my apple carplay but my engine would not turn on. The check engine light did come on but not until it had been sitting there for 20-30 minutes. The auto start/stop was activated so I don't know if there was an issue with that and it just never turned back on. The alternator belt was still intacted. Had it towed to repair shop (took about an hour) when it got to repair shop it started and shop couldn't find anything wrong. It has started every time since. I am afraid to drive it because I don't know if or when it will happen again.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle started shaking and vibrating before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 69,000.