general problems of the 2021 Ford Explorer - part 1

Transmission clutch failure. As a result my 2021 Ford Explorer needs a new transmission.

On [xxx], we sent a 2021 Ford interceptor to j. C. Lewis Ford located at 309 w. Oglethorpe hwy, hinesville, georgia 31313 for a recall under 23s55. The recall is a safety issue related to a rear axle bolt and the possibility the bolt can fracture. We had the recall done and returned the vehicle to service. On or about [xxx], our fleet manager was called to the liberty county jail because this vehicle was making a loud noise from the rear end. Our fleet manager had the vehicle towed to the county shop where it was inspected. They concluded the vehicle would need to be towed to Ford for repair since the rear axle bolt fractured, the exact issue that was addressed under the recall. A few days later, we were notified that the dealer was refusing to pay for the repair since they had already done the recall. I contacted Ford customer service, case number [xxx], to try and resolve the issue. After going back and forth, I received notification on February 3, 2026, that financial assistance has been denied and that this concern is caused by how the vehicle was / is used over and form of manufacturer defect or previously completed recall. The vehicle is a police interceptor purchased for use as a patrol vehicle for the liberty county sheriff's office located in hinesville, georgia. The vehicle is assigned to our civil division and the operator serves evictions and civil documents. The vehicle is not used for patrol but even if it had been, that's the intended purpose of the vehicle when purchased. I have photos of the bolt which show it fractured and also shows the head of the bolt appears to have some damage, possibly from the manner in which it was installed. This failure has been identified as a safety issue related to the 2021 Ford interceptor and is not a new issue. The recall referenced an axle bolt that can fracture, and that did happen but Ford doesn't want to take responsibility. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

For full details please refer to complaint 11715221. Since the initial complaint, repairs have been completed and I will attach a list of parts that were replaced. The repair confirmed the rear axle bolt sheared and there were significant metal shavings in the rear differential. When the bolt broke, numerous other components were damaged as detailed in the repair documentation. Ford has refused to accept any responsibility for this repair even though the safety implications for this type of incident are alarming.

Rear differential/axle bolt broke, destroying other parts and making vehicle unsafe at the moment and then inoperable. Vehicle had previously had the recall work done for this exact issue prior to any issues/damage. Dealership is repairing the vehicle under warranty, but made sure to tell us that this is a known issue and the only true way to “fix” the issue is to install an aftermarket brace (at our cost).

When given gas to move from a complete stop, vehicle lost all power. After vehicle lost all power to rear wheels, warning lights flashed on cluster. Manually moved vehicle to side of road and checked under SUV to see rear axle was at a unusual angle and later discovered rear axle bolt on road. Vehicle was towed to dealership, which originally completed recall repair in July of this year, for this known issue. Repairs have been completed after 2 weeks, and was informed by dealership it was roughly 6 thousand in damages.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train); however, the repair failed to prevent a failure shortly after the vehicle was serviced. The contact stated that after shifting from reverse(r) to drive(d), there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was towed back to another local dealer, sutton Ford (21315 central Ave, matteson, IL 60443); where it was diagnosed with a fractured rear axle bolt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate. In addition, the vehicle jerked aggressively, and the engine idled roughly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train). The contact inquired if the failure was the result of the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,954.

We received notification from Ford that there is a "rear axle bolt fracture" possible on our 2021 Ford Explorer and noted we were to contact our dealer to address. However when I reached out to the dealership (and then subsequently to Ford customer service) I was told that the issue was being treated on an "extended warranty" basis. We would recognize the issue when we noticed severe vibration and lost of mobility in the vehicle and that putting it in park would not keep the vehicle from rolling. Based on those calls, my wife could be left on the side of the road, involved in a fatal accident (to her or others) etc. , instead of addressing the issue as a preventive measure. In addition, nothing in our coversations or in their notice involved the cost to us for additional damage to the vehicle, towing or a rental car (as the dealership said they wouldn't even be able to order the bolts until the fracture occurred and they had the vehicle in their shop. The service code for this defect is 24n01. As of this date we have not experianced this issue but am trying to avoid it occurring since it is a known defect by Ford.

Everyday I get alerts saying the power train system, then I can’t use my cruise control, and many other alerts pop up.

There was no lights on the dash but the transmission was shifting very hard when slowing down. I took it to the dealer for service, but the dealer says the transmission is full of debris and needs a full replacement. When slowing down it was causing the vehicle to buck forward very hard advancing it forward and causing me the driver to feel forward force from the harsh bucking of the transmission.

Approximately 6 weeks ago, while driving at 30 -35 mph in residential area, vehicle started lurching/jolting, took to local dealership, nothing found, reported to customer service, instructed to write to fmc consumer affairs and am waiting on reply.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the rear differential, with the vehicle vibrating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the drive axle, wheel hub assembly, and the hub splines needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously included in NHTSA campaign number: 22v255000 (power train); and was repaired by hutchinson Ford of forsyth (288 harold g. Clark parkway, forsyth, GA 31029). The vehicle was not yet repaired for the recent failure. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

My Explorer has a 10 speed transmission, and its really heavy on shifting like it is missing shifts or slipping, it will shoot up in rpms to the 7-8k mark and jerk forward, this will happen every few minutes when varying speed, driving through residential areas or normal trafficways not including the highway, however on the highway it has a tendency to feel as if it loses power and regains it, dropping rpms and shooting back up to 4-5k rpm, and dropping back down to around 2k. Today I had the incident where the car jerked hard after a shift, gave me prompts on the dash about seeing the manual, and that drive modes are not available. This has happened in the past month before multiple times, however this time I lost all power to acceleration going down the road, ended up just coasting to a stop on a road that speed limit is 55 mph. This made me panic, because I could have possibly been rear ended, or in any other case could have been hit if my car would not have properly been able to accelerate. The car has had similar problems reported from previous owners and they have been taken into a dealership for repairs of which did not fix the problem or the problem is reoccurring. There are no warning lamps prior to the jerkiness of shifting and loss of acceleration because of it. It will jerk a handful of times and eventually give me the "see manual" prompt after the initial problem was noticed, I decided to look online for answers as to what was wrong and it seems like this is a reoccurring problem with vehicles similar to mine. Hopefully it hasnt caused and injuries, but it definitely has the possibility to from what I have experienced.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her fiancé was driving 76 mph, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 39,000.

The transmission failed. The electrical component also failed.

Transmission failed while driving leading to a sudden loss of power. Vehicle was hard to control after incident causing other vehicles to swerve around. Vehicle was taken to Ford dealership where it was recommended for a total transmission replacement due to internal transmission components that failed.

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.

10 speed transmission malfunction, needs replacing,.

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 while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The rear axle bolt fractured while driving causing damage to the differential, axles, and mounting bushing. The problem has been confirmed by baytown Ford dealership service dept. Located at 4110 I-10, baytown, TX 77521. It has been inspected by the service dept at baytown Ford. Located at 4110 I-10, baytown, TX 77521 no prior symptoms or warnings.

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.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train); 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. Parts distribution disconnect.

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.

Difficulty shifting gears, delayed shifting, slipping between gears, jerking motions during acceleration, and stalling when you move from a stop. Also leaking oil under transmission pan and makes noises in the transmission.

While driving on the freeway, the customer experienced a power train failure, which resulted in the vehicle stopping. Though the vehicle was able to continue driving, it would unpredictably jump gears and eventually became immobile. The "service engine" wrench light first appeared on [xxx], signaling the issue. The vehicle was inspected by curt service in oak park, michigan, and no additional codes were identified beyond the service engine wrench light. The power train system is available for inspection upon request. This situation posed a safety risk to the driver and others on the road, as the vehicle's sudden stop and gear issues could have led to an accident. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

This vehicle has an electronic shifting transmission and when shifting from drive to reverse, the system lags significantly (1-3) seconds before engaging reverse. This has been an issue causing several close calls. In addition to not being able to back up efficiently and being left hanging in limbo while waiting for the transmission to engage, the vehicle also continues to roll forward causing near collisions. Happens while maneuvering the vehicle in situations where a three point turn is necessary or when trying to quickly go from drive to reverse in an attempt to avoid another traffic unit or on coming hazard. Has been brought to Ford for them to check and they advised after a test drive that the vehicle shifts smoothly. The smoothness of the shifting was not the concern. It was the lag between drive to reverse. I believe it needs a software reprogram for the transmission.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear axle bolt fractured. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled for the recall repair; however, the recall repair was not completed. The contact was informed that the recall repair was not completed due to the tool not being available. 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 failure. The failure mileage was 40,093. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.

I had my car towed to mechanic because transmission would go into park. He ran a diagnostic and found multiple codes (mechanics bill and list of codes he found will be included) relating to transmission. He searched on a data base he uses shopkey. Pro(copy of recall will be included) to check on recalls. He requested I have car towed to dealership. I did that and the dealer has a letter about the recall(also included) showing the recall. My car falls in all the parameters of this recall. The vehicle year, the assembly plant and the build date as well as the 2. 3l engine and a 10r60 transmission. The dealer says my VIN number doesn't fall under this warranty and he doesn't understand why. He said I fit all parameters and im experiencing all the reasons listed for this recall. Most importantly car can roll in park which is safety. It also had on occasions loss of motive power while driving. These are all reasons listed for this safety recall and as the dealership I am lost as to why the NHTSA and Ford doesn't have my VIN included in this saftety recall,. I would like you to review this complaint and hopefully understand my vehicle should be included in this safety recall. There are numerous safety concerns with everything wrong. Please take careful consideration of all that I submitted and properly add this vehicle. . 2 safety warnings messages I received are transmission not in park and please apply emergency brake before exiting the vehicle.

On June 3, 2024, vehicle was taken to dealer for rattling noises under truck close to front passenger side and state inspection. Dealer informed flex pipe was rattling and offered repair. Repair declined. Dealer/service department emphasized vehicle was safe to drive, no impact on performance or safety. On June 18, 2024, while pulling up to home, metal noises were heard under car. Observed a pipe hanging from under car near passenger front. Towed to dealer. Informed on June 19, 2024, “flex pipe” needs replacing. Thank you.

Hard shifting.

Rear axle bolt snapped that holds the rear differential to the subframe. There was already a recall on this before and my Explorer had it snap before. This is the second time it snapped in less than two years.

Ford Explorer 2021 recall stems from a defective rear axle horizontal mounting bolt. Ford motor company has promised to cover the cost of replacing the subframe bushing and the rear axle bolt and repairing any resultant damage. The dealer, payne Ford weslaco, the tech broke a tool to fix and Ford has failed to replace said tool.