general problems of the 2022 Ford Explorer - part 1

Both catalytic converters have failed, with one have a catastrophic failure, resulting in pipe becoming disconnect from the exhaust system and dropped to pavement while vehicle was traveling at interstate speed. Pipe was facing forward when it dropped. Posed severe risk to myself and other vehicles. Disabled vehicle was towed to Ford dealership where it was confirmed both converters were cracked, with the one having broken apart. Noise and vibration condition was noted and started over a year prior, however, dealer was unable to diagnose it until the full failure made the source apparent.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked abnormally. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that unknown parts had failed, the battery was low, and an unknown part on the transmission had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The failure persisted, and the vehicle remained at the residence unrepaired. The vehicle was no longer driven due to safety concerns. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

My 2022 Ford Explorer had recall 23s55 performed on June 21, 2025 to address rear axle/differential fastener fracture. Despite the recall repair, the rear subframe-to-differential cover bolt sheared off while driving, causing the differential to drop and the driveshaft to be pulled from the differential. Grease leaked and the driveshaft was gouged against the subframe. This is the same failure mode the recall was intended to prevent and occurred after the recall was certified as complete. This failure happened while I was driving with my daughter and could have resulted in loss of control if it occurred at highway speed. Ford has only offered partial cost coverage instead of treating this as a failed recall remedy. I am concerned this represents an ineffective recall repair and an ongoing safety risk.

I have been hearing a roaring sound for quite some time now. Finally figured it out and it’s the rear differential on my Explorer. There’s metal shaving all in it. The plug is covered with it. The fluid is at the right amount. Does not have a hitch and I do not take it off road. It’s all highway miles.

Ford Explorer recall – ongoing safety hazard in July 2025, Ford issued a recall notice for my vehicle. Shortly after, the check engine light came on. Starting October 15, 2025, my vehicle began failing to start after refueling—making noise and taking multiple attempts to start. The same issue occurred repeatedly on October 23 and October 30, worsening each time. On November 3, we brought the car to a Ford dealership. They confirmed there is no available fix for the recall and said there’s “nothing they can do. ” I explained this was a safety issue since I drive my son with a disability to therapy daily. They told me I would have to pay out of pocket for repairs even though the problem is linked to the recall. On November 8, while driving in arizona, my vehicle again failed to start after refueling. Later that day, it lost power on the road, the speed dropped suddenly, and it would not accelerate. The same stalling and jerking occurred again on November 10 while my husband was driving. We contacted Ford corporate and NHTSA, but both said nothing could be done because the recall label says the car is “still drivable. ” this is inaccurate and dangerous. The car stalls and loses acceleration randomly, creating a serious risk of an accident. On November 21, the car again failed to start after refueling. This has happened multiple times each week, and Ford continues to delay a fix. My vehicle is unsafe to drive, and this unresolved recall poses an ongoing safety hazard to my family and others on the road.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while making a right turn at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear driveshaft. The traction control and hill assist warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the rear differential axle bolt had fractured and related the failure to NHTSA campaign: 23v675000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the rear differential cover, rear drive shaft, and left rear axle shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

I am writing to express my concern regarding a safety issue I have experienced with my vehicle. Specifically, there is a noticeable 3-5 second delay when shifting from drive to reverse. This delay not only creates confusion about whether the vehicle is in the correct gear, but also presents a potential safety hazard, as the vehicle may lurch forward when the driver intends to reverse. In addition, this gear shift delay causes the backup camera to display with a similar delay, reducing visibility and reaction time when maneuvering in reverse. This compromises the camera's effectiveness and the driver's ability to safely back up. I brought this issue to a Ford dealership, but I was told that there was nothing they could do about it. I find this response unsatisfactory, especially considering the safety implications. I would appreciate it if this issue could be further investigated and properly addressed. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response and a resolution to this issue.

2022 Ford Explorer limited issues: 49k miles, when putting the vehicle in reverse and press gas it does not engage, it rolls and takes a few seconds before it engages. Powertrain failure/malfunction causes vehicle to bog down, low power, and vibration in rear. Once you turn vehicle off the error goes away only to come up again around 75 mph. Vibration also occurs at 30-40 mph and again at 60-70 mph, rear captains seats shake and passenger can feel in front seat. Dealer is aware, this is the 3rd time in 1 month it’s done this.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed valve body. The contact was informed that the valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under warranty. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed output speed sensor. The contact was informed that the output speed sensor needed to be replaced and recalibrated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer approved of the buyback; however, the contact stated that the lemon law requirement limited the ownership to two years. The failure mileage was approximately 39,793.

A bolt sheared off of the wheel assembly and got stuck between the rotor and break pad causing damage to rotor and break pad. This has since been repaired by the dealership, I am not aware if it was inspected by the manufacturer. I have pictures of the damage from the dealership. No warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. It was in the dealership 900 miles (3 weeks earlier) for an oil change and tire rotation.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated when she was shifting the vehicle into reverse (r), and as she depressed the brake pedal, the vehicle was lunging forward. The contact stated that the failure had occurred following a routine service appointment with a local dealer. The contact stated that the failure was occurring only when she was shifting into reverse (r). The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that she had had a crash in a parking lot after she had shifted to reverse (r). The contact stated that the vehicle lunged forward and the front end crashed into a concrete parking bollard. The contact stated that the front bumper was dented and there was no other damage. The contact stated that she later was in pain and had bruises on her right shoulder and chest. The contact stated that she went to an urgent care facility and was x-rayed. The contact stated that she only had the bruising and no broken ribs or bones. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and no power train failures were detected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

The contact owns a 2022 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to shift into reverse, the vehicle moved forward approximately 2 - 3 feet before reversing as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 25v164000 (power train). The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer opened a case regarding the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The transmission performance is poor, sometimes bordering and dangerous. In reverse you sometimes supply the gas in the car just sits there and doesn’t move and then it will quickly move backwards dangerously. There’s also a hesitation on acceleration and harsh shifting. I’ve had it to the dealer where they reset and reloaded the transmission software, it seem to smooth out the driving a little bit, but it’s been four months and it’s pretty much back the way it was originally, harsh, shifting, delayed power.

This is a utility interceptor used by a police department, and we have two of them. The vehicle stalls out when trying to enter traffic. It will stall for 2 or 3 seconds with the accelerator pressed all the way to the floor. Ford motor company released a technical service bulletin and provided a software flash for the transmission. I had the vehicle serviced at Ford in bloomington, indiana, but the transmission software flash did not correct the problem. I then returned the vehicle to Ford and stated that it did not solve the problem. The service technician stated that they contacted an engineer, Ford, and they noted that it was the nature of that transmission and that nothing else could be done. The technician also noted that the vehicle will not upshift from 4th gear to 1st gear when trying to accelerate. The bottom line up front is that transmission stalling the way it does is a safety issue for a police department or any driver.

When engaging the gear from reverse to drive and vice versa. The car rolls even though the display panel shows gear has shifted. Thus the car even rolls forward or backwards post gear shift as it slowly engages.

The contact owns a 2022 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 and confirmed that parts were not yet 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 issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The vehicle is a hybrid police interceptor utility. The unit was moving running radar and activated its emergency equipment, made a u-turn on a highway cross over, when accelerating in pursuit of a vehicle its engine stalled out and shut off. The vehicle stated to shift to neutral and restart when safe. The officer shifted to neutral and the vehicle would not restart. It was coasted off the roadway and towed. This is the third issue of this type that has occurred with our fleet of Ford hybrid police interceptor utilities.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train) however, an appointment to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was made aware of the issue but disconnected the call without scheduling an appointment. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Select reverse with gear shift. Does not engage reverse for approximately 8-10 seconds once selected and when engine is warm. Have almost been hit multiple times when backing up because it takes so long to engage reverse.

Front suspension makes rattling noise when driving under 20 mi/hr on bumpy roads . Especially noticed in cold temperatures. Dealership replaced sway bar link that has not fixed the problem. Also power training light flashed multiple times.

Transmission fails to smoothly shift, vehicle delays going in reverse after driving causing delays to park and shakes while downshifting. Drivers anticipate the vehicle to be able to backup sooner and can cause accident with delays. Safety 360 display and rear view camera goes completely out, inverts, and has delay when functions. Vehicle has full power failure while driving and can take 10 minutes to turn back on, happened twice.

I have received six (6) notifications of a power train failure, which causes the vehicle to "shudder" at highway speeds. The first issue took place 09/01/2023, and the last was on 11/1/2023. The vehicle then continues to operate normally. If the vehicle is turned off and then on again, the light clears. I took the vehicle to tamiami Ford for service. They reported that they can see that their is an issue, but are unable to diagnose it.

I was informed by mullinax Ford and the Ford recall hotline that a fix for recall 23s55 relating to a potential rollaway risk would not be available until second quarter 2024. This is unacceptable and owners should not be expected to drive a vehicle for almost a year with a potential crash risk.

The contact owns a 2022 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. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

When shifting drive to reverse it takes 4 to 5 seconds to start moving the car. This being a very dangerous situation when backing into a busy street.

As you drive and pick up speed at the range of 29 to 31 mph, exactly the car shutters and shakes. It is known by Ford that the driveshaft needs to be angled due to the hybrid battery location in the car. This particular problem is consistent with a driveshaft replacement that has been known by Ford as well as bearings in the driveshaft. I have had problems with the shuttering in this vehicle almost since day, one of owning it.

Vehicle was pushing blue smoke, dealership replaced the turbo. Blue smoke returned furiously and dealership replaced the top end including valve assembly. While on a 900 mile journey through northern idaho, the engine completely failed at highway speed leaving me stranded. Ford believes they have cured the valve issue when in fact a new long block motor failed on first long distance trip. Please don't let anyone else go through this I lost thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses, missed my best friends funeral among other things. These manufacturers need to be held accountable for poor workmanship!!!.

While driving a significant rumble and vibration occurs under the center console. This typically occurs while coasting, usually around 40 mph. When this occurred on the freeway, I felt I may lose control of the car and immediately exited to slow speeds.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph and ascending an incline, the transmission slipped out of gear, and the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that the “pre-collision assist unavailable” and “powertrain malfunction/reduced power” warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle would rev when the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to return to the original destination however, the vehicle had to be restarted for the vehicle to operate as needed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

While attempting to reverse the vehicle has a delay, or rolls forward, and then vehicle will hard shift into gear quite roughly. The vehicle was taken to the dealership in 02/23 for repair where it spent 2 weeks at a mileage of 5650. The dealership did what they would fix the issue. Well in June 2023 the issue started happening again, and now slips while driving. For as much as I paid for this car, this should not be happening. It is a serious safety hazard that could result in an accident or someone being hurt. My vehicle should not have to go back into the shop again, and Ford needs to resolve these issues, or provide replacement transportation given the amount of time the dealer has to have for repairs. This is my only vehicle. They should replace the transmission, and see if it resolves the issue. This is a know issue, and it needs fixed ASAP.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v022000 (back over prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving 15 mph, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating and lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the rearview camera was inoperable while reversing. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat inadvertently moved towards the steering wheel while driving. The headlights inadvertently turned off while driving at night. The contact stated that the transmission also failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with unknown electrical failures due to faulty programming. The dealer confirmed that parts were not available to perform the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,800. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle was shaking and slow to respond. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera screen was gray while the vehicle was rolling backwards. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera screen then turned blue. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to a scheduling issue. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact back to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 40 mph while approaching a stop light while the contact deaccelerated the vehicle delay on deaccelerating without any warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and stated that a unknown valve was replaced but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted and advised to contact NHTSA. The failure mileage was 10,000.

When accelerating the transmission has a rough engagement from 1-2 and at times from 2-3 it also downshifts hard from 3-2. At times it takes 2 seconds to engage second gear and when you hit the breaks hard it jerks you really badly. This makes it extremely through pulling into traffic with cars coming and not know how long it will take for your car shift and get up to speed.