Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2018 Ford Explorer
NHTSA data on file today
The 2018 Ford Explorer has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns and 733 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 2 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #26V448000 Roof Rail Covers May Detach NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #26V101000 Rear Suspension Toe Link Fracture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V685000 Engine Block Heater May Short Circuit and Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V031000 Exterior A-Pillar Trim May Detach NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V316000 Roof Rail Covers May Detach NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V633000 Reduced Seat Back Strength/FMVSS 202 & 207 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V807000 Fuel Pressure Sensor may Leak Fuel NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Structure 288 complaints
- Unknown or Other 168 complaints
- Engine 95 complaints
- Electrical System 57 complaints
- Power Train 50 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 29 complaints
Of the 733 complaints on file, 15 report a crash and 7 a fire; across all 733 complaints, owners report 12 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$9,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2018 Ford Explorer has several recalls for structural and suspension issues. Complaints are mostly about structural and engine problems. While not catastrophic, these concerns suggest average reliability with notable maintenance needs.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| rear suspension toe link | 50,000–80,000 miles | $500–$1,000 | common |
| fuel pressure sensor | 40,000–70,000 miles | $300–$600 | common |
| roof rail covers | 30,000–60,000 miles | $100–$300 | very common |
| engine block heater | 40,000–70,000 miles | $200–$500 | occasional |
| A-pillar trim | 30,000–60,000 miles | $100–$200 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil change every 5,000 miles
- Brake pad replacement every 40,000 miles
- Tire rotation every 10,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles
- Spark plug replacement at 100,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Vibrations indicating suspension wear
- Fuel smell suggesting sensor leak
- Detached roof rails
- Unusual engine noises
- Engine starting issues
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2018 Ford Explorer at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.